South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations VP of Post Acute Care, Justin Hinker took part in a panel conversation, Crisis in Long-Term Care Tuesday October 7, 2024, during the South Dakota Nurses Association Annual convention. The event took place in Yankton, SD at the Best Western Kelly Inn with this year’s theme, Nursing; Honor the Past and Empowering the Future.
Panelists included Hinker alongside Julie Schenkel, BA, MS Administrator with the Tyndall Good Samaritan Society and State Senator Jean Hunhoff, RN, BSN, MHA. Each addressed the topics they feel are most concerning to Long-Term Care. Outside of staffing and reimbursement challenges, each spoke to overall challenges with in the industry, which included aging infrastructures, Medicaid eligibility, increased acuity, and increased expectations from the public. Also touched on by the panelists, the overall daily cost of long-term care today, and contracted or temporary nursing staff.
Proposed federal staffing mandates for nursing facilities that accept Medicaid have the South Dakota healthcare industry concerned, and it was a big topic touched on during Tuesday’s panel conversation. As facilities continue to struggle with the CMS staffing mandate, the panelists touched on the impact the new rule could have on facilities not only across the region but specifically in South Dakota.
Panelists took a deeper dive into the ability to provide better pay and benefits to assist with recruitment and retention, while addressing delays to capital improvement projects. Senator Jean Hunhoff spoke to the idea of a regionalization program for long-term care in South Dakota, which was voted down by lawmakers this past legislative session.
Medicaid Funding was part of the conversation with panelist speaking to any changes related to facility operations, due to the funding.
For information on the meetings agenda, click here.
