At its meeting on October 4, the State Hospital Review and Planning Council (SHRPC) approved (in some cases with conditions or contingencies), the following GNYHA member projects: Stony Brook University Medical Center, addition of 32 medical/surgical and 4 ICU beds and conversion of 10 ICU beds to 10 cardiac care unit beds; Gurwin Jewish Geriatric Center, amendment of previously approved project to upgrade and renovate portions of one resident care building; Alpine Home Health Care, LLC, approval to acquire the operating interest of Beth Abraham Health Services' home health agency; Metropolitan Jewish Home Care, Inc. d/b/a Metropolitan Jewish Hospice, transfer of ownership of MJG Nursing Home Company, Inc.'s hospice program to Metropolitan Jewish Home Care, Inc.; and Southampton Hospital, designated stroke center.
Ambulatory Surgery: SHRPC also approved the certification of ambulatory surgery services at the Margaret Sanger Center for a five-year period (a "five year limited life"). The applicant will be required to seek permanent approval from SHRPC in five years and at that time will be required to provide information regarding the source of its patients. SHRPC and the Public Health Council have recently begun adding this contingency to ambulatory surgery projects.
Feeding Assistant Regulations: At the meeting, SHRPC also approved the proposed rule for Feeding Assistants in New York State Nursing Homes, which will become effective upon publication of a "Notice of Adoption" in the State Register. It will allow nursing homes to hire or contract individuals to feed, under the supervision of a nurse, those residents with complicated feeding problems. According to the NYS Department of Health (DOH), feeding assistants are required to complete a 15-hour State-approved training program. The program will not be available until on or about Dec. 10, 2007. For the text of the proposed rule, click here.
Bed Need Methodology in RHCFs: At the meeting, SHRPC discussed the 709.3 Bed Need Methodology for Residential Health Care Facilities (RHCFs). Mark Kissinger, Deputy Commissioner, NYS Office of Long Term Care, discussed current nursing home rightsizing, Berger Commission recommendations, the 2007 bed need estimates, and the current trends in nursing home demographics, length of stay, payer source, and discharges. Title 10 NYCRR 709.3 Chapter V (16) mandates that DOH evaluate the RHCF bed need nethodology by Dec. 31, 2007. DOH has indicated that it is continuing its analysis and is expected to make recommendations by the end of the year.