Medline Brings Together Assisted Living Leaders to Discuss Solutions for Meeting the Industry's Largest Challenges

Owners and operators weigh in on best practices for addressing staff stability, the rise in resident acuity and resident satisfaction

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Medline

Jun 05, 2018, 04:39 ET

NORTHFIELD, Ill., June 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In line with Medline's ongoing support of the standard of care in assisted living, the company recently held an advisory board of owners, operators and industry professionals to discuss challenges and opportunities in the workplace. The group collectively identified workforce stability as one of the top issues impacting their communities, in addition to managing resident acuity and enhancing resident satisfaction.

Rise in resident acuity, challenges in workforce stability and an enhanced focus on resident and family satisfaction continue to shape the assisted living industry. So much so that the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) and Argentum recently announced initiatives in an effort to spark improvement in these critical areas. Medline brought together senior living owners, operators, and professionals from across the nation to discuss these marktplace challenges and opportunities.

As these areas continue to significantly shape the assisted living landscape, trade associations like The National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) and Argentum have introduced initiatives to spark improvements at the community level. The NCAL Quality Initiative sets specific targets to further improve quality of care in assisted living communities. NCAL members are encouraged to reach defined goals by 2021 that address staff stability, customer satisfaction, hospital readmissions and antipsychotics.

"Many communities already have strategies in place to enhance quality in these key areas, but the initiative helps unite the profession by collectively focusing on specific targets while putting a spotlight on the great work they are doing on the front lines," says Scott Tittle, executive director, National Center for Assisted Living.

Addressing Workforce Stability
By 2025, the industry will need to recruit 1.2 million workers to support the demand for senior living services. For St. Louis, Mo. based StoneBridge Senior Living who has facilities in rural markets in Arkansas, the pool of talented candidates sometimes feel limited. To help create an environment where employees feel empowered, Ashley Blankenship, StoneBridge's director of assisted living services, stresses the importance of engaging with staff and making them feel involved in company decisions.

"Our life's work is providing quality care and enhancing the lives of our residents, but we cannot accomplish that without a dedicated team of employees. You have to be just as committed to caring for your staff so they can properly care for the residents. At StoneBridge, we focus on engaging them in the scheduling process and introduced open scheduling so they can fill in the number of days and hours they want to work that week."

"The challenges ailing assisted living communities remain stagnant, but by bringing together some of the most forward-thinking professionals in the industry, we are able to work together to identify solutions that lead to better operational and resident outcomes," says Shawn Scott, senior vice president of corporate sales, Medline.

For a video featuring additional insights from the advisory board members on enhancing performance around workforce stability, resident acuity and resident satisfaction, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eco2XdZ9zEM&feature=youtu.be.

Additionally, visit http://www.medline.com/assistedliving for more information about Medline's offerings for assisted living communities.

About Medline
Medline is a global manufacturer and distributor serving the healthcare industry with medical supplies and clinical solutions that help customers achieve both clinical and financial success. Headquartered in Northfield, Ill., the company offers 550,000+ medical devices and support services through more than 1,400 direct sales representatives who are dedicated points of contact for customers across the continuum of care. For more information on Medline, go to www.medline.com or http://www.medline.com/social-media to connect with Medline on its social media channels.

SOURCE Medline