How can we separate the short-term from the long-term in the middle of a consuming battle of change swirling around us. It is hard to see the different dimensions between the two because the short-term can overwhelm and you can no longer “see the forest from the trees” – (Heywood, 1546)

The unending challenges we face – hard to find staff, overzealous regulators, rising acuity with our elders, ruthless managed care rate compression, shorter stay residents, new shiny competitors, etc. ….these local battles everyone feels daily, combined with our owns struggles the last few years like Legalized Extortion in Kentucky, 3 Different Turnarounds mired in broken promises that were at the bottom of the Nursing Home Compare Listings combined with our own self-inflicted injuries from our “well intended” failures to compound our own problems.

However, I tell you honestly that positive change is starting to happen around us and today WE NEED IT because there are finally some long-term epic wins that bring back justice, fairness, and new certainty to Long Term Care that tell us HELP is finally on the way!

In the last 75 days, we have seen our 5 biggest wins in years –

1. The Supreme Court granting a “stay on arbitration” last month that would have eliminated the agreements as the best form of legal justice that will hold for several years to come – helps us greatly with nearly 90% arbitration signed the Revolution – see link to Ruling –

 

2. Last month, the shocking KY House Flip that will bring some form of “must have” Legislation Relief in in 2017 – where we have been drained of millions annually in cash flow without ever even getting a day in court – REAL initiatives on the table include Medical Review Panels (April 2017), as well as more comprehensive tort reform with caps! Possible in Nov. 2018. Now with the supermajority in the House other opportunities include – “Judgement” interest rates reformed, Prevailing Wage repeal, tax reform, Right-to-work….A new HC future is coming in KY. including our continuing work on regulation repeal, Medicaid pending reform, urban-rural designation finally amended…..!

 

3. The potential “Guest Worker Bill” to ease Nursing Shortage that will bring widespread increases in staffing resources, new staffing possibilities, and reduce turnover – where we have experienced both agency usage and record turnover for the first time in years – 

 

4. The new administration selection of Dr. Price to overhaul HHS. Dr. Price has been a great friend of the Revolution and has even spoken at our SHC Learning Congress in 2014, and knows there has been unnecessary regulations and punitive executive orders that must be terminated – Clip below and gain some insight into his future sculpting, esp. from the perspective of a provider! We are/were ahead of our time!

 

5. The Recent DOL injunction – which shocked many but it will help support stable organizational structures where we can afford full time Management and Leadership resources to help lead us without major restructuring pressures that the executive order mandated to survive.

These five big wins are all seminal in nature and will help start the rebuild of our industry that has been under siege from outside forces for the past few years that should let us all see the “light at the end of tunnel” that is finally coming – let’s stay the course and bring light and hope back to the industry that we love to serve like no one else!