The Handy Method for QAPI in Establishing Outcome Oriented Food Safety in Hospitals and Skilled Nursing Facilities

Linda Handy, M.S., R.D., (Retired Surveyor/Trainer, CA Dept of Public Health) has developed a proven method for outcome oriented (versus problem oriented) quality measures and demonstrating the prevention of Food Borne Illness for highly susceptible populations. To learn more about Linda Handy, view her website at www.HandyDietaryConsulting.com. In partnership with Excellence in Healthcare, Linda Handy is proud to announce the Handy Method Training & Toolkit.

Policies & Procedures and Training are not enough to Prevent Foodborne Illness.

The Handy Method is a comprehensive process for quality assessment and performance improvement (QAPI) in food and dietary services. The CMS Survey and requirements for food and dietary services in hospitals and nursing facilities have changed – Are you aware of what surveyors will be evaluating? Can you demonstrate that you have an outcome-oriented process for quality measures and prevention of foodborne illness to avoid CMS deficiencies? As a Registered Dietitian, Food Service Director, or Infection Control Officer/Preventionist, you can’t be everywhere to ensure that your staff is following your approved policies & procedures every time. With the Handy Method, you can implement a process that is always working to improve patient safety and meet the regulatory requirements.

Handy Method Toolkit

The Handy Method Toolkit* provides everything your hospital or skilled nursing facility needs to establish an outcome-oriented, effective food safety system.

Policies & Procedures Toolkit
The P&P toolkit includes help and hints for getting started, staff procedure templates and help with employee health forms

Training Toolkit
The Training Toolkit includes hints for getting started with staff training & competency and log templates

QAPI Toolkit
The QAPI Toolkit includes hints for getting started with monitoring including the Handy Self-Survey and improvement plan templates

Quarterly Webinar
As part of the Handy Method Toolkit, EIH hosts a quarterly webinar with industry expert, Linda Handy, M.S., R.D., where she answers questions asked by users of the Handy Method. When you purchase the Handy Method Training & Toolkit, you may submit questions and as many as possible will be answered during the webinar.

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Online Training

The Handy Method for QAPI in Establishing Outcome Oriented Food Safety is a comprehensive online training program for Registered Dieticians, Infection Control Officers and Dietary Managers that includes the following

• The New CMS Survey
• Creating Effective Policies & Procedures
• Implementing Training, Orientation and Competency
• Monitoring Staff Practices
• Improvement Plans
• QAPI and QAA for Food & Dietary Services
• Avoiding Most Common Deficiencies
• Changes to the 2009 Food Code

COMING SOON!

The Handy Method for QAPI in Establishing Outcome Oriented, Resident Centered Nutrition and Dining in Nursing Homes - by Linda Handy, M.S., R.D.

Has your facility’s Interdisciplinary Team effectively established guidance/policies for resident rights and choice based upon standards for elderly care?

Do you know your facility’s responsibility to the resident when their choice is in conflict with regulations for “good care?”

Coming soon is a comprehensive online training program that examines culture change in dining and resident centered nutrition intended for the Interdisciplinary Team, including Registered Dietitians, Dietary Managers, Nursing Leadership, Medical Director, and others. The program includes a detailed evaluation of the CMS regulatory requirements for F 325 Maintaining Nutritional Status and revised Quality of Life, and for F 240-246 Dignity, Self Determination, Autonomy, and Resident Rights. The program also includes:

• Introduction to the “New Dining Practice Standards” released 9/7/2011 from the CMS/Pioneer Network Task Force (Linda Handy participated on this Task Force), and surveyor expectations for these new evidenced based & industry approved standards of practice
• Evaluation of IDT’s regulatory role & responsibilities, as well as their professional organizations’ position papers (for resident centered care) for establishing policies, maintaining nutrition, normalized dining/snacking, and choice
• Review of “historical eras” of dietary restriction and then liberalization, related to the intent of Quality of Life tags
• Regulatory expectations and new industry standards for the facility’s responsibility to inform and support a resident in the right to refuse an ordered therapeutic diet, including the Mayo Clinic Decision Trees (referenced in the New Dining Practice Standards)
• Overcoming what appears to be regulatory barriers in allowing resident choice (e.g. requirements for following planned menus and three meals a day, 14 hr rule from dinner to breakfast, providing the therapeutic diet as ordered, not approved visitor food)
• Evaluate a recent deficiency finding in tag F 151 Resident Rights (to refuse an ordered medical therapy), when a facility refused to allow a resident on a tube feeding to make a choice to eat and drink
• Evaluate examples of deficiency findings & how surveyors make determinations, including scope and severity, and how to prevent deficiencies