Clinical Training Archives

Carol Maher to Present on Long-Stay Quality Measures and the FY2027 SNF Final Rule at the Arkansas Health Care Association Fall Conference

Hansen Hunter’s Director of Education, Carol Maher, RN, GERO-BC, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, CPC, will lead two educational sessions at the Arkansas Health Care Association Fall Conference. The presentations will address important clinical, quality, and regulatory topics affecting skilled nursing providers, including updates to two Long-Stay Quality measures and changes associated with the FY2027 Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System Final Rule.

Updates to Long-Stay Quality Measures

Tuesday, October 6, 2026, 10:00-11:30 am

Carol Maher will present a session on the newly updated Antipsychotic Medication Use Long-Stay Quality Measure and updates to the Fall with Major Injury Long-Stay Quality Measure.

These quality measures are closely connected to the clinical information skilled nursing facilities capture, review, and report. The session will give attendees an opportunity to learn about the latest updates and consider their relevance to quality measurement practices within their organizations.

FY2027 SNF Final Rule

Tuesday, October 6, 2026, 2:45-3:45 p.m.

Carol Maher will address the planned change to MDS completion and transmission requirements for new PPS MDS assessments and PPS discharges for all payers in 2029. It will also cover the shortened correction period for MDS data affecting the Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Reporting Program and Skilled Nursing Facility Value-Based Purchasing Program in 2027.

The all-payer MDS submission requirement and shortened correction period are also topics Hansen Hunter has previously highlighted for skilled nursing leaders. Historical Hansen Hunter content notes that these changes may affect internal processes, data workflows, quality reporting preparation, and the timing available for correcting relevant MDS data.

Sharing Expertise with the Long-Term Care Community

As Hansen Hunter’s Director of Education, Carol Maher regularly provides education on MDS, clinical reimbursement, Medicare compliance, quality measurement, and related regulatory topics. Hansen Hunter’s previous educational communications have featured her conference presentations and certification courses for long-term and post-acute care professionals.

Her participation in the Arkansas Health Care Association Conference reflects Hansen Hunter’s continued commitment to sharing practical, timely information with the professionals and organizations serving the long-term care community.

Event information:

Arkansas Health Care Association Fall Conference Registration

Carol Maher to Share Quality Measure Strategies at AAPACN’s 2026 Quality Virtual Conference

Quality measures can be much more than a reporting requirement. When supported by accurate MDS coding and thoughtful analysis, quality measure data can help clinical leaders identify opportunities, focus improvement efforts, and develop more person-centered approaches to resident care.

Carol Maher, Hansen Hunter’s Director of Education, will explore these opportunities during the AAPACN 2026 Quality Virtual Conference, taking place virtually September 1 through September 3, 2026. The three-day event will bring together MDS and quality experts to help post-acute care professionals strengthen quality outcomes, improve survey readiness, reduce financial risk, and build sustainable quality improvement processes.

Work With Instead of Against Your Quality Measure Data

Carol Maher will present “Work With Instead of Against Your Quality Measure Data” on Tuesday, September 1, from 1:45 to 3:00 p.m. ET.

Her session will help long-term care professionals better understand how quality measure data can be used to identify meaningful clinical opportunities. Rather than viewing quality measures as an obstacle, participants will learn how accurate MDS coding and careful investigation can turn that data into a practical resource for improving resident care.
Carol Maher will discuss how facilities can determine which quality measures warrant the greatest attention, including measures with higher percentiles and those connected to findings from a previous survey. She will also explain how teams can identify residents who have triggered specific quality measures and use those findings to develop individualized clinical plans.

The session will highlight several quality measures that commonly raise survey concerns and offer interventions intended to support better outcomes.

Turning Quality Data Into Action

Collecting quality data is only the beginning. Long-term care organizations must also understand what the information indicates, recognize meaningful trends, investigate potential root causes, and determine how findings should inform clinical action.

Following the session, participants will be able to:
Identify the value of understanding a skilled nursing facility’s clinical opportunities for improvement
Discuss how to investigate those opportunities and support person-centered care planning
Explain how interdisciplinary teams can work together to improve care associated with a triggered quality measure

This practical focus reflects a broader theme of the conference: quality improvement depends on the connections between clinical excellence, documentation, regulatory compliance, reimbursement, leadership, and resident-centered care.

Practical Education for Long-Term Care Professionals

The AAPACN 2026 Quality Virtual Conference is designed for nurse assessment coordinators, directors of nursing services, nursing home administrators, clinicians, quality improvement coordinators, and others committed to advancing quality in long-term care. Its agenda includes quality measure management, survey preparedness, documentation, audit and denial prevention, managed care, PDPM, ICD-10 coding, QAPI, leadership, dementia care, staff safety, artificial intelligence in nursing practice, regulatory compliance, and the financial impact of quality performance.

Attendees will have access to all three days of educational sessions, digital conference materials, and live online access. Registration closes September 1, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. ET.

Learn more and register for the AAPACN 2026 Quality Virtual Conference.

FY 2027 SNF Prospective Payment System Final Rule Webinar

CMS has released the FY 2027 SNF PPS Final Rule. Our Director of Education, Carol Maher, explains key changes for SNFs in this client webinar.

Medicare Beneficiary Notice Requirements

Be sure your team understands the latest beneficiary notice requirements for Medicare Part A, Medicare Part B and Managed Care.

The 10 Most Confusing MDS Questions for 2026

Accurate MDS coding is critical to correct payment, Quality Measures, survey, and Five Star Quality Ratings.

Skilled Nursing Facility Data Validation Process

CMS has announced the initiation of Data Validation audits to validate MDS accuracy for the SNF QRP and SNF VBP Measures.

ICD-10-CM Coding and Guideline Updates for FY2026

This webinar will provide information regarding the updates to the ICD-10-CM coding guidelines that become effective 10/1/2025 and information about new codes that will become effective 10/1/2025.

Short and Long-Term Antipsychotic Quality Measures and Behavior Quality Measure

This presentation will focus on the difference between long and short stay QM criteria, look-back scan measures and how they differ from regular QMs.

Falls with Major Injury and Percent of Residents who Lose Too Much Weight Quality Measures

This webinar will focus on the accurate coding of falls, the new definition of “fall”, the new definition of “major injury” and the new instruction about not coding pathological fractures as a major injury when the fracture occurred with a fall.

AAPACN RAC-CT Certification Workshop hosted by Carol Maher

Certify Your Knowledge with RAC-CT Certification

Hansen Hunter’s Director of Education, Carol Maher, teaches the RAC-CT Virtual Workshop, an official certification program hosted through AAPACN.

This comprehensive program provides a structured, in-depth review of the RAI/MDS process, PDPM requirements, and key regulatory components that support accurate assessment and reimbursement. Participants learn directly from Carol Maher, a nationally recognized expert in Medicare compliance and an AAPACN Master Teacher.

The next virtual course is being offered January 20-22, 2026.

Learn more and register for the 1/20/26-1/22/26 course: AAPACN RAC-CT Certification Workshop

Carol Maher to Present on Long-Stay Quality Measures and the FY2027 SNF Final Rule at the Arkansas Health Care Association Fall Conference

Updates to Long-Stay Quality Measures

Tuesday, October 6, 2026, 10:00-11:30 am

FY2027 SNF Final Rule

Tuesday, October 6, 2026, 2:45-3:45 p.m.

Sharing Expertise with the Long-Term Care Community

Carol Maher to Share Quality Measure Strategies at AAPACN’s 2026 Quality Virtual Conference

Work With Instead of Against Your Quality Measure Data

Turning Quality Data Into Action

Practical Education for Long-Term Care Professionals

FY 2027 SNF Prospective Payment System Final Rule Webinar

Medicare Beneficiary Notice Requirements

The 10 Most Confusing MDS Questions for 2026

Skilled Nursing Facility Data Validation Process

ICD-10-CM Coding and Guideline Updates for FY2026

Short and Long-Term Antipsychotic Quality Measures and Behavior Quality Measure

Falls with Major Injury and Percent of Residents who Lose Too Much Weight Quality Measures

AAPACN RAC-CT Certification Workshop hosted by Carol Maher

Certify Your Knowledge with RAC-CT Certification

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