Tag Archive for: RCare Mobile

QAPI

Qapi program for nursing homesIf you’re in skilled nursing, you’re probably in the process of figuring that out right now. Because, as you know, QAPI is the new CMS law of the land.

According to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), “QAPI is a data-driven, proactive approach to improving the quality of life, care, and services in nursing homes.” It starts with quality assurance (QA), the steps facilities take to meet quality standards and regulations. Then it adds performance improvement (PI). QAPI (QA and PI together) is meant to help facilities meet minimum regulatory quality standards, and then to make the quality of services even better.

Does Your Nurse Call System Matter for QAPI?

ABSOLUTELY!

Central to QAPI is the satisfaction of residents and their families, and call response time is a great place to start. Do your residents trust that when they request help it will come quickly and will address their needs? Or do they wait, frustrated or afraid, wondering how long before help will arrive?

Built into every RCare system is the RMetrix reporting and analytics package that lets you track call response times, so that you can assess your current status, and set target goals.

  • What is an acceptable amount of time for a client to wait for help and what isn’t?
  • How well are you doing at staying inside that acceptable range?
  • Are your staffing levels right for each place and time?

With RCare, you can track call response time for the organization, or filter it by:

  • Group – facility, wing, hallway, or whatever grouping makes sense for your community.
  • Time – to see how things are going by shift.
  • Enterprise – For large organizations, Enterprise RMetrix lets you evaluate response times across your entire organization at as broad or fine-grained a level of detail as you need.

Frequent caller reports let you see:

  • Who is calling?
  • Are the calls primarily from just a few residents?
  • Are call numbers higher on one shift or in one part of your facility?

RPhone and The Resident’s Experience

Best describes qapi program

  • RCare’s integrated HIPAA-compliant mobile handset, the RPhone, has the unique “I got it” feature that helps both residents and staff. It lets a staff member claim a call that comes through, preventing unclaimed calls, and preventing duplication of effort, which helps make the best use of your staff’s time.
  • It provides personalized information about the resident, so that staff can offer greater personalization and comfort, even if the caregiver or the resident is new. It allows staff members to phone the resident directly to let them know help is on the way, and allows them to find out more information about what is needed.
  • With the RPhone, care staff check in when they arrive at the room, and check out when they leave. They can record the services performed during the call. This is powerful information for your quality teams, as they try to understand more deeply the processes they’re working to improve.
  • The powerful RMetrix reporting helps you identify specific calls that fall outside the norms, to help you investigate potential problems and get to their root cause.

Your Organization’s Other Services:

Your QAPI program must address all services provided by your facility and thus extends to all departments.That’s another reason RCare’s call system is so powerful. Staff across the facility benefit from the system, and residents never need to pull a cord.

  • Passive sensors integrated directly into the system can monitor temperatures of every room and send alerts if temps stray out of the normal range.
  • Integrated water sensors report flooding or overflows.
  • Universal contact sensors report doors that are open when they should be closed, or closed when they should be open.
  • Refrigerator temperature sensors continuously check and record temps, and send alerts for temperatures out of the safe range.
  • Smoke detectors, integrated right into the nurse call system, so everyone is alerted if there’s a problem in a room.

By now, you should have your written QAPI plan in place, and implementation should have begun. As you plan your performance improvement projects, it’s critical to have objective performance measurements of where you started, where you want to go, as well as the ability to monitor the effects of your changes. You need data to evaluate where you have opportunities for improvement, and where you’re exceeding expectations. You need to measure progress, and to provide insight to investigations of where problems persist. Root Cause Analysis provides the most insight when it’s evidence-based and drawn from reliable data.

RCare is more than a nurse call system. Add RCare to your QAPI! Contact us today.

Smartphone and HIPAA Violations

It was Edna’s 100th birthday at Greenfield Manor and everyone was in the mood for celebrating! The staff made her a cake, while the residents and family gathered to sing a spirited Happy Birthday! Edna was well liked among fellow residents and staff members. Thinking to preserve memories of the occasion, a caregiving aide from Greenfield took out her smartphone and recorded the celebration.

She then shared the cute video on her Facebook profile with the caption “Edna rings in 100. I love my job”. It had seemed innocent enough. Many of her friends commented on how cute it was and extended birthday wishes. She most likely never thought this very action would result in her losing the job she loved.

Unfortunately, the use of personal smartphones and devices is on the rise by professional caregivers in long-term care. And not just for social media. They’re also being used by caregivers who wish to relay patient information and activity to other caregiving staff in a faster and more efficient fashion. They are trying to provide better care. Instead, they are putting their communities, patient privacy and their jobs at risk.

Greenfield Manor believes very strongly in maintaining high end security, patient integrity and privacy. They immediately recognized this act for what it was: a HIPAA violation. They followed their HIPAA privacy protocol, relieved the aide of her position and contacted the family about the privacy breach.

Although Edna’s family was upset about the violation of Edna’s privacy, they were satisfied with the actions the facility took, and the aide didn’t face legal action. It definitely could have been worse.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the agency that enforces HIPAA, has come down hard on communities and their staff members that utilize personal smart devices in a professional care setting.

A recent CMS memorandum to state officials stated that organizations must have policies that prohibit employees from taking pictures or video of residents and posting them on social media, no matter what. In addition to privacy breaches, CMS is concerned with protecting residents from feeling demeaned or embarrassed.

CMS has gone so far to require that any employees in violation of these strict policies must be reported to local law enforcement, for possible resident mental abuse. This is true even if the resident gave consent.

Q: What should senior housing communities do?

A: Remove any and all usage of personal smart devices by your staff and instead get HIPAA compliant, secure RCare Mobile phones.

RCare Mobile utilizes a locked down smartphone which allows caregivers to receive customized patient alerts as well as detailed resident information and location. RCare Mobile allows voice and text communications with other staff including the I Got It button, letting other staff know who is responding to the call.

Here’s the best part. Even though RCare Mobile looks and acts just like a smartphone, it’s a smartphone that is completely dedicated to being a high-function, secure, HIPAA-compliant nurse call system phone. It doesn’t allow additional apps to be installed. It doesn’t allow taking photos or videos. And it doesn’t allow social media of any kind.

RCare Mobile. the world’s most advanced nurse call system is calling you. It’s time to respond.

alternative to loud alarms for senior housing

RCare is not only proud to be the maker of the most advanced wireless nurse call and advanced monitoring systems in the world, but we’re also honored to be a member and advocate of the Eden Alternative initiative.

What is The Eden Alternative? It’s a non-profit dedicated to improving the quality of life for elders and their care partners. “In a culture that typically views aging as a period of decline, the Eden Alternative philosophy asserts that no matter how old we are or what challenges we live with, life is about continuing to grow. Building on this new paradigm, it affirms that care is not a one-way street, but rather a collaborative partnership.”

RCare's GeoPendant and The Eden AlternativeThat’s one of the many reasons that RCare supports The Eden Alternative. RCare’s mission is to improve the lives of elders and those who care for them. We’ve been diligently working at this mission since our founding in 2006, and our innovations in user-friendly, easy-to-learn technology have allowed us to help more and more elders and caregivers every year. We take the time to understand caregiving and the unique issues facing each community to build customized solutions that last.

One of our latest innovations, the GeoPendant, is an example of our commitment to the quality of life of elders and carers. An attractive pendant that can be worn on a neck loop or on the wrist, the GeoPendant’s first function is that of a PERS pendant. But the GeoPendant does a lot more. It lets caregivers define geographical safe zones for elders who need them. Should the elder leave that safe zone, the care staff receive an alert so that they can discreetly intervene.

Like everyone else, elders value their independence and dignity. Moving to a locked ward is a big step that should only be taken when there is no other option. For many, the GeoPendant can now be that other option. Elders wearing the GeoPendant are free to go about their day, within an area defined as safe for them. The only time their movements are brought to anyone’s attention is if they move outside their personalized safe zone.

This is especially useful with so called “mixed populations.” One does not develop a need for a locked memory care unit overnight. These needs arise slowly over time. This means that there are people who may need moderate wander management who live in completely open communities alongside many who do not need such assistance. With the GeoPendant, only those elders who need this type of care receive it, and they do so discreetly, without embarrassing sirens or alarms ringing through the hallways.

One of the truly innovative features of the GeoPendant is that it doesn’t use GPS. Instead, it uses the existing RCare equipment placed throughout the community to determine if you are, or are not, where it’s safe for you to be. Also, safe zones are not just defined in terms of horizontal area, but also vertically, for example by floor. This is because the device utilizes artificial intelligence. During setup it is taught where the safe zone is for a particular resident. The elder’s zone can be highly specific, even singling out precise rooms and corridors for in/exclusion.

GeoPendants are integrated into the wider RCare nurse call system, meaning staff won’t have multiple systems to monitor. If an elder moves out of a safe zone, the alert is sent to the high-powered nurse call system. Care staff receive the alerts on their HIPAA-compliant RPhone mobile handsets, just like any other nurse call.

Alternative to Loud AlarmsCommunities and senior advocates are increasingly drawing attention to the indignity of noisy alarms. They disrupt sleep. They disrupt daily life. They embarrass elders unlucky enough to trigger them. Worse, they may immobilize them, if the elders avoid activities that risk triggering an alarm. And, like the boy who cried wolf, frequent alarms tend to get tuned out, which could put elders at risk. RCare’s alerts are all quiet. Whether an elder pulls a cord, pushes a button, or leaves a safe zone, the alerts are sent silently to the care staff. Calls are “claimed” by a caregiver using the “I got it” button on the RPhone, ensuring that everyone’s call is answered, without carers duplicating their efforts.

Because the GeoPendant is a personal emergency response system as well as a location minder, elders who need both don’t need to carry two devices. In addition to discreetly safeguarding their whereabouts, the push button can be used to summon help at any time.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, there are currently 5 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s, and by 2050, that number could be as high as 16 million. By mid-century, someone in the United States will develop the disease every 33 seconds.”

Dr. G. Allen Power is a physician and a senior advocate. In his book, Dementia Beyond Drugs:
Changing the Culture of Care, he argues that “care environments are often designed around the needs of the carers, rather than those with dementia.” This is an issue that The Eden Alternative is addressing. It’s important that both parties in the care partnership are respected and honored.

A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or dementia doesn’t need to trigger an immediate loss of independence, even when it’s an effort to keep elders safe. The Eden Alternative challenges us to strive to enhance the well-being of elders by eliminating the three plagues of loneliness, helplessness, and boredom. RCare has accepted that challenge, and one outcome is the GeoPendant, designed to help elders live happier, more independent, more dignified lives. And at the same time, RCare is helping caregivers offer the best, most advanced care. For a small device, the GeoPendant is having a very big impact on the lives of elders and their care partners.

With each passing year, technology is playing a more significant role in improving and enhancing the lives of our aging population. Not only do these devices combat isolation and depression by increasing communication, they also enable loved ones to regain their independence. At RCare, we believe in holistic senior empowerment, and we feel technology plays a critical role. We have come up with four vital segments of technology to provide seniors with the most bang for their buck.

  • Wireless Internet Access

Wireless Internet (or WiFi) has arguably become as essential to any  american household as running water or electricity. Everything can be accessed online or through a smartphone “app”, eliminating the need for a stationary personal computer at all.  Many family and friend communications, photo sharing and information exchanges happen on websites and social media networks.   Not to mention, many remote monitoring and alert services (think alarm, security and pendants) rely on WiFi connectivity. Without wireless Internet access, our senior population may feel disconnected and disengaged with the world around them.

  • Socialization Platforms, Smartphones & Tablets

Now that we’ve done away with the traditional stationary computer, adding a tablet, simplified communication device or smartphone into the residence of a senior is a great way to reconnect. Seniors can listen to music, read books, play cards, view photos, track their health, and even play games to promote brain health.  Choices range from your typical iPad/Samsung tablet manufacturers to devices specifically targeted to connect and engage seniors with their family and caregivers (e.g. www.grandcare.com)  Wow!

  • Wireless Remote Monitoring

For seniors wishing to secure more independence, wireless remote monitoring and crisis management systems like RCare can really save lives. Technologies ranging from motion detectors to door sensors to push pendants can monitor the activity patterns for signs of an emergency, without violating privacy.

  • G4 Advanced Locating Protocol

For a patient who may have wandering tendencies or memory loss, wearing a advanced location pendant and push button can be essential. While other systems may only give caregivers a general idea of a pushed pendant location, RCare allows care facilities to pinpoint nearly the exact location, and in a fraction of the time.

Want to learn more about the technology options available for Senior Housing? Contact us to learn more about what we do, or read through our FAQs and client testimonials.

RCare Touted as Robust Solution by McKnight's Senior Living

McKnight’s Senior Living recently featured RCare in an article about innovative technologies that are improving care in senior communities. Called the “Strong, Silent Type,” the article focuses on the importance of resident comfort, safety and peace of mind. And it addresses the challenge of providing that security discreetly, and with respect for the dignity and independence of the residents.

How do communities accomplish this? And how do they manage it without burning out their staff with unrealistic expectations? The article had some very specific suggestions for technology and innovative industry leaders, including RCare. The innovations highlighted by the article help raise the level of care in senior living communities by offering comfort, safety and peace of mind, while preserving the independence and autonomy of the residents.

RCare's GeoPendant in McKnight's Senior LivingThe article spotlighted the RCare GeoPendant as an excellent example of a product that lets caregivers custom-define safe zones for residents who need them. “Seniors can move about the community freely, but if they move outside an individually customized safety zone, a discreet alert can be sent to specified caregivers.” This is especially important in mixed communities, where not all residents have the same needs, and the needs of any resident may change over time. “Because residents’ security and care needs differ and will continue evolving over time, security solutions providers also must develop flexible products to meet those changes.”

In fact, the GeoPendant was designed for mixed communities. It allows care staff to use the right tool for individual residents who can benefit from it. Meanwhile, it helps reduce the problem of alarm fatigue, an issue the article points out is becoming an increasing concern for communities. By integrating a wide variety of devices with their nurse call system, RCare avoids loud alarms, and instead alerts are sent to caregivers quietly, discreetly, and efficiently.

RCare’s GeoPendant allows operators to define customized areas that are safe for a resident, without using walls and locked doors.

The article also addressed the growing trend in wireless nurse call systems, and RCare is at the forefront, providing a full line of wireless systems. “Wireless solutions also continue to gain ground in the senior housing segment, a shift experts attribute to the ease of use and scalability of WiFi, which can allow operators to more easily cover their entire campuses.”

RCare RPhone in McKnight's Senior LivingAs RCare’s marketing director Mike Andolina pointed out, residents deserve privacy and health data protection. In order to be effective for communities, nurse call systems and their integrated devices also need to be HIPAA-compliant. “To help meet those requirements, RCare’s customized, locked-down RPhone offers all the key caregiver communication features needed to address resident needs, while excluding other features that could jeopardize privacy, such as camera, personal texts or social media access.” And that’s critical to communities, where HIPAA is a very real part of day-to-day operations. Communities want their staff to have the best tools available, but those tools have to meet the regulatory needs of the organization as well.

Read the whole article at www.mcknightsseniorliving.com.

LeadingAge2017

New Orleans is known for amazing food, music, and of course the renowned Mardi Gras celebrations. At the end of October, New Orleans will have a new claim to fame. It will be host to America’s largest not-for-profit aging services industry event, the LeadingAge Annual Meeting & Expo.

Anyone who’s anyone in aging services gathers together at LeadingAge to see the latest and greatest in senior care innovation and services, learn best practices and renew a shared passion for delivering the best possible care to seniors everywhere.

At RCare, we never miss it. And this year we’ll be at Booth 1310, showcasing our brand new RCare booth with expanded product offerings, new and improved RMetrix enterprise and analytics features for all RCare customers, and our latest “Everyone’s a Winner with RCare” Series. You see, RCare has designed product offerings and services for every single individual involved in care, whether you’re a resident, administrator, caregiver, facility manager or in charge of quality management. Our systems are designed to help everyone have the tools they need to provide the best possible care. And we can prove it.

LeadingAge 2017 PrizesTo celebrate our “Everyone’s a Winner with RCare” campaign, we have big giveaways at the booth. Stop by Booth 1310 to pick up your free Bluetooth fidget spinner. No, they are not JUST for the kids, take a look at this McKnight’s article highlighting the advantage of Fidget Spinners for dementia residents. Plus, try for a bigger prize while finding out RCare can help you and your community.

LeadingAge 2017 RMetrix

RMetrix v2

We know that something on everyone’s minds this year is Quality Assurance Performance Improvement (QAPI). The CDC will be issuing regulations requiring skilled nursing facilities to implement a quality assurance and improvement program. At that point, the clock starts ticking, and facilities will have one year to have their programs implemented and complete. Now is the time to be getting these programs in place, and RCare knows exactly how to help satisfy all your QAPI needs.

For example, RMetrix v2 is a new reporting and analytics package that comes native with every RCare nurse call system. RMetrix provides reports and data that help communities measure how they’re doing, and assess their improvements, which is the core of QAPI. RMetrix comes with an impressive list of built-in reports that can be run for your entire facility, or by shift, by wing, by client, and more. You get the option to filter the data the way you need it. If we don’t have the report you need, the custom report designer included with RMetrix lets you create your own. Or, if you need a little help, RCare’s business analyst can custom-design reports for you, for a modest fee. RCare can help you make your QAPI program a success.

LeadingAge 2017 GeoPendantBe sure to check out our all new GeoPendant. This pendant was designed to provide residents with the flexibility and freedom to move safely around the community. Caregiving staff can define individual “safe zones”, and receive discreet alert notifications if a resident moves outside of their custom safe zone. It also serves as a push-button PERS. Location tracking lets caregivers know where the help is needed. Perfect for mixed communities, the GeoPendant is small, sleek, wireless and attractive, and it’s fully integrated with RCare’s nurse call systems.

According to the Nursing Home Data Compendium of 2015 by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, nearly half the residents of skilled nursing communities are in facilities with under 100 beds. RCare recognizes that these communities don’t require expensive, enterprise-level server hardware, but they do require the most innovative and comprehensive tools to provide the best possible care with fewer staff.

Stop by Booth 1310 to check out the BCube, designed and priced exclusively for small communities with 128 beds or fewer. Using a smaller touch-based computer server, RCare’s revolutionary BCube provides all the reporting features and advanced technology of our flagship RCube wireless nurse call system, at a fraction of the cost.

But that’s not all. We’ll be telling everyone about our brand new Durable RPhone, coming in 2018. You already know that the RPhone is a powerhouse of secure caregiver communication and notifications. What you didn’t know is that it’s now nearly indestructible. Stop by Booth 1310 for a sneak peek, and to see all the latest advancements in wireless nurse call systems.

2017 LeadingAge Annual Meeting & Expo
October 29 – November 1
Ernest N Morial Convention Center
New Orleans

Expo Hall Hours:
Monday, October. 30 | Noon – 3:30pm
Tuesday, October 31 | 11:30am – 3:30pm
Wednesday, November 1 | 9:30am – 11:30am

RCare Booth: 1310
RCare on Twitter: @ResponseCare
RCare on Facebook: @RCareInc

More Info:
Schedule: https://www.leadingage.org/schedule-events
Website: https://www.leadingage.org/leadingage-annual-meeting-expo
Hashtag: #LeadingAge17
Twitter handle: @LeadingAge

RCare Tradeshows 2017

At RCare, we know how important it is to meet face-to-face and we want to make it easy for you to come see us. We have new advanced nurse call and monitoring technologies to share, a new caregiver mobile tool, a new “Safe Zone” resident GeoPendant, advanced metrics features and so much more to ensure the highest level of care. So, we’re hitting the road and touring from Ohio, to New Orleans, to Texas and to Florida. Can we make a date to see you?

If you’re at one of these events or tradeshows, we’re going to be discussing how RCare is designed for QAPI programs, our integratable and flexible nurse call and monitoring technologies and how we can scale a solution to fit your exact needs.

RCare Tradeshows 2017 Logos

RCare Tradeshows 2017

OALA Fall Conference & Trade Show
October 26-27
Easton Hilton
Columbus, OH

LeadingAge Annual Meeting & Expo
October 29-November 1
Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
New Orleans
Booth 1310

HealthTAC
November 5-7
JW Marriott Hill Country Resort & Spa
San Antonio TX

PointClickCare Summit
Nov 6-9
Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center
Kissimmee, FL

RCare Tradeshows 2017 Health Grade Networks LogoOn October 26, we’re heading to Columbus, Ohio for the Ohio Assisted Living Association’s Fall Conference and Trade Show. OALA is the largest trade association for assisted living communities in the state, and prides itself on being a strong voice on all issues affecting assisted living. That’s good stuff. RCare is attending with Health Grade Networks, one of our trusted integrators. These folks are experts at implementing turnkey solutions for assisted living facilities. If you’re at OALA, stop by and say hello, and learn more about how RCare’s wireless nurse call solutions can help you with your QAPI program.

RCare Tradeshows 2017 LeadingAge GraphicA few days later, RCare is heading to New Orleans for LeadingAge 2017. The LeadingAge Annual Meeting & Expo is our nation’s largest annual event for the not-for-profit aging services field and we never miss it. This year, we’re launching our “Everyone’s a Winner with RCare” campaign, because no matter what your role is in a community, whether you’re a caregiver or resident, the executive director, the IT support person, or the food service director, RCare’s powerful tools will make your life better. To kick off the “Everyone’s a Winner with RCare” campaign, we have giveaways for every single person who stops by our booth. If you’re in New Orleans, be sure to stop by Booth 1310 and pick up a free Bluetooth fidget spinner, take a chance on a bigger prize, and learn more about how RCare can help customize the best solution for your community.

From New Orleans we’ll be going west to San Antonio, TX for HealthTac. This is an invitation-only event for senior executives in the healthcare industry. We love these opportunities to network, and to get to know the people who are making things happen in the senior care industry. If you’re going to HealthTAC, let’s find a time to talk.

And then from November 6 – 9 we’ll be in Kissimmee, FL for this year’s PCC Summit. RCare is integrated with PointClickCare’s EHR system because we know that time is a rare commodity in senior care. Communities using both PCC and RCare get some pretty great benefits. When you enter a resident’s data to PCC, it updates automatically in RCare. Any changes or updates to the resident record, or room changes, are automatically transferred. No duplication of effort. No lag time waiting for data entry. Decreased errors. And when you get an alert through the nurse call system, you know the data is complete and up-to-date. It’s an integration that just made sense.

RCare Tradeshows 2017 Gary Jones, RCare's Director of National SalesEven if you’re not going to be at one of these events, you can set up an appointment with our very own road warrior, Gary Jones by emailing garyj@rcareinc.com or calling 585-671-4144.

Want to know more?
Check us out: www.rcareinc.com or download our product catalog.

Best Little Nurse Call System

LTC/CXO Summit interviews Myron KowalRCare is delighted to be selected as a solution provider for the revolutionary LTC/CXO summit, an invitation-only forum for senior level executives and solution providers.

RCare CEO Myron Kowal featured on an interview by LTC/CXO:
[Download not found]

We’ve got some BIG news to announce at the LTC and Senior Living CXO Summit (LTC/CXO) in Pasadena. We will be introducing our all new, revolutionary BCube platform designed specifically for small campuses. Using all of the BIG monitoring, sensing and reporting features of RCare, the BCube is a more cost-effective, efficient and scaled design.

What makes the BCube so exciting?

It’s a big-featured nurse call system scaled and priced for small communities. Advanced wireless nurse call systems like RCare Mobile are comprehensive and robust, designed (and priced) for large skilled nursing and assisted living communities. With their smaller budgets, we’ve seen that smaller communities are often priced out of the market for the new technologies that make caregiving safer for the resident, and more efficient for the staff. So we went back to the design table and came up with a way to give you the great features of our bigger nurse call systems, at a smaller price. All of the big capabilities, without the big price tag.

What else is new at LTC/CXO? We’ll be sharing our revolutionary new technologies that make RCare the leading advanced nurse call system across the world. We will talk about our recent integrations with EMR giant PointClickCare, wander management leader Accutech and telehealth and socialization platform GrandCare Systems. We’ll be showcasing our custom-made, HIPAA-compliant RPhone handsets powered by RCare Mobile to ensure communications are fast, descriptive and secure. We are also showing off our new sleek Pretty Pretty and Patriot Pendants. These beautiful accessories are designed for ultimate functionality with elegant style.

LTC/CXO is being held February 9-10, 2017, at The Langham Huntington in Pasadena, CA.

LTC/CXO Summit

RCare is leading the advanced nurse call movement across the globe with professional installation, support teams throughout the United States, and distribution partnerships in Canada, Europe and most recently in Asia. Contact us: info@rcareinc.com to locate your local RCare representative.

RCare at AHCA/NCAL 2016 Conference in Nashville

Nashville is the capital of Tennessee and home to Vanderbilt University. It boasts legendary music venues such as the Grand Ole Opry, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and the historic Ryman Auditorium. As if all that isn’t enough, don’t miss the Johnny Cash Museum, celebrating the renowned singer’s life.

RCare is celebrating its 10th anniversarySoon Nashville will have another reason to celebrate! RCare is spending its 10th birthday at the 67th annual AHCA/NCAL convention and expo. Want to join in the fun? Stop by Booth #257 and say howdy.

To celebrate a decade of our presence, we want to give you presents!!

What??? You bet! All you have to do is come to our booth and you get a prize. That’s right. It’s our anniversary, but the gifts are on us. But that’s not all. We’ll also be giving away free RCare medallion necklaces, complementary to any show attire. If we spot you wearing it on the show floor, we’ve got even bigger prizes in store for you (electronics, speakers, chargers, accessories and more.)

We have more reasons to celebrate at booth #257. We’ll be showcasing our latest and greatest products including our new Pretty Pretty Pendants, our smarter, brand new #RCareMobile phone (HIPAA-Compliant, Secure NurseCall phone), and our new caregiver panel for the RCube.

Pretty Pretty Pendants. Who says pendants have to be ugly? It turns out, they don’t. Personal emergency response systems only work if people wear them. So we made ours pretty. Many people don’t even realize it’s a PERS worn for safety, because it looks like an attractive accessory. But it’s also a reliable call for assistance if needed.

RCare Mobile introduces a brand new phone for our multi-featured, HIPAA-compliant nurse call system. This is a system with two-way communication features that let caregivers know all about the resident who made the call, the reason for the call, and who is responding. It gives you all the powerful smartphone features you need – but none of the security risks.

Find out more about the new CC900 dedicated caregiver panel for the RCube.

And let us get you excited about interoperability! RCare now integrates with Point-Click-Care and Accutech, to give more efficiencies to your staff, greater ease of use, fewer user errors, and maximum information.

If you find yourself in Music City for AHCA/NCAL, make sure you include RCare in your plans.

AHCA/NCAL 67th Annual Convention and Expo
Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center
Nashville, Tennessee
October 16-19, 2016
More details about the convention

RCare Mobile prevents problems of personal cell phones

#WaronPagers   #RCareMobileVictory

RCare Mobile announced today that after many months of battle against outdated caregiving pagers, the white flag has been raised and RCare Mobile is the victor!

RCare Mobile declares victory in the War on PagersThis long-awaited victory marks a period in professional caregiving history that will change the lives of senior housing administrators, caregiving staff and residents for the better. Staff will now have better and more complete incident information, faster response times, and all without sacrificing patient privacy and integrity.

“For too many years, long-term care facilities have toiled under the tyranny of under-powered, pager-based nurse call systems,” said General Myron Kowal, CEO of RCare, Inc. “This was a battle for professional caregivers who valiantly endured many years of responding to calls without knowing how urgent the situation is, what was needed, or who else was responding. And today I’m proud to stand with them and shout, ‘No more!'”

RCare Mobile provides the functionality caregivers have been longing for. It uses a dedicated locked-down smartphone, on which caregivers receive alerts as well as detailed resident information. It allows two-way voice and text communications, and features the unique I Got It button, that lets other staff know who is responding to the call and eliminates duplicate staff responses.

RCare Mobile declares victory in the War on Pagers

RCare Mobile provides all the smartphone features that caregivers need, and does NOT allow any of the social sharing and photo features that put facilities at legal risk.

Victory arrived just in time. Caregivers had been making heroic efforts in the trenches to make do with their archaic, pager-based call systems. But these efforts are not without costs. Using personal smartphones to communicate amongst staff and provide a high level of care is a dangerous practice for care facilities.

Recently the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has made a decisive stand against the use of personal cell phones, especially when care staff take photos and videos, or make posts about residents on social media. CMS has announced it is coming down hard on organizations that don’t have adequate privacy policies against staff taking photos or videos of residents, especially if they post them on social media. This is true even if the staff have written permission from the resident. The reason? Most social media posts don’t meet the definition of a use or disclosure authorized by HIPAA. So any post, even seemingly innocent pictures of a social event, is considered a HIPAA breach. Even more critical, CMS is requiring that facilities report violators to local law enforcement on the charge of elder abuse. CMS is actively cracking down.

With RCare Mobile, long-term care facilities can provide their staff with all the functionality they require in a phone-based call system, eliminating the need for any personal cell phones on the job. RCare Mobile provides all the smartphone features that caregivers need, and allows none of the features that put facilities legal risk. RCare Mobile provides caregivers with two-way communication, complete information, and the unique “I Got It” function that makes sure every call is answered, and without duplicate effort. It does it on a cell phone dedicated to this purpose, with nothing that can get a facility in trouble. No camera. No video. And no access to social media.

The war on pagers has been won. Thanks to RCare Mobile.

RCare Mobile declares victory in the War on Pagers

You can find RCare
at AHCA/NCAL in Nashville
Oct 16-19
Booth #257

and at LeadingAge in Indianapolis
Oct 30-Nov 2
Booth #2418

If you’re at the shows, stop by and see us!