I’ve been considering what my “top predictions in 2014” list might look like for some time, even in between holiday parties and visits with my in-laws (make that especially during visits with my in-laws). I’ve been thinking about what is going to be impactful in the industry this year. What are the top issues or challenges that will leave a mark in 2014? What are the key priorities that will keep senior living organizations at top speed?
With that in mind, I’d like to share a few of my predictions in senior living for 2014. These are the priorities that I believe will get you thinking, and hopefully act upon.
The Affordable Care Act Grabs the Spotlight – If the term “employer mandate” doesn’t ring a bell, you’ve got work to do! Even though employer responsibilities in providing health coverage were delayed until 2015, 2014 is still a foundational year for the ACA. The look-back measurement period for many organizations will be in 2014. This means that 2014 is a critical time to optimize your employee mix, and put processes and systems in place to help you schedule, manage, monitor and report employee hours to support your ACA policies.
Rising Acuity Drives New Models - As acuity rises and the population ages, senior living providers will be pushed further to care for residents who are both sicker and older. “Today’s assisted living provider is like yesterday’s skilled nursing organization” will be heard even louder in 2014. While many providers evolve and transform their clinical services, tools, knowledge and processes to meet these complexities, they must also address caregiver staffing. Staffing based on acuity or assessment-driven staffing is an imperative in 2014. 2014 is the time to fine-tune staffing strategies to ensure you have precisely the right staff available at the right time to provide the care and services your residents require.
Retention Gets Attention – Long-term care and senior living providers will continue to be challenged with high employee turnover in 2014. But, what’s changing is that providers will prioritize innovation in retention in order to maintain a happy, stable employee base. Increasing competition for talent and a caregiver shortage are causing providers to sharpen their retention strategies. I recommend addressing turnover and retention challenges with an effort that encompasses mentoring and coaching, employee-centric tools and technologies, rewards and recognition, and improved pre-hire screening. 2014 is the time to strengthen your retention efforts and focus on satisfaction. After all, employees are the foundation to keeping your residents and families happy.
Technology Adoption Skyrockets - Providers have an opportunity to leapfrog other care settings with their use of new technologies in 2014. Most of you do not have to deal with legacy technologies, so adoption and time-to-value can be fast and furious. Technology becomes increasingly important as ACOs and the push for coordinated care takes hold. Because of this, I expect to see greater use of care coordination systems and electronic health records. In addition, mobile technologies and scheduling and labor management software will also be widely adopted in senior living. Be sure to look for vendors who understand your unique senior living challenges, offer easy-to-use solutions, and provide best practices for adoption. In 2014, seize the opportunity to leverage new technologies quickly and in ways that can truly differentiate your operations and the care your residents receive day-in and day-out.
Admittedly my list could go on, but I wanted to share a few areas that I think have the potential to be game changers in 2014. If you agree, disagree, or have any feedback, please feel free to reach out to me at mark.woodka@onshift.com or share your comments below. Happy New Year!