Since Focused Care’s Acquisition of Long Term Care Communities Throughout East and West Texas Some Facilities have seen a Dramatic Drop in Use of Antipsychotics

April 11, 2019

Contact: Rebecca Reid (410) 212-3843

(Fort Worth, TX) – Following a statewide report from Texas’ Health and Human Services Commission that the use of antipsychotic in nursing facilities has plummeted, Focused Post-Acute Care Partners (FPACP) announced today several of their long term care communities have seen a reduction in the practice of administering antipsychotics, one community by as much as thirty percent.

“Through education, training and evidence-based non-pharmacological strategies that are showing great promise in behavioral outcomes, we are fortunate to be providing skilled nursing services in an era where person-centered interventions are considered a frontline course of care,” said Mark McKenzie, president, CEO and owner of FPACP. “Just as the culture within skilled nursing communities is transforming, so are the latest theories and standards of care for our most vulnerable patient populations. There are so many positive developments in long term care – we all need to stay educated about the benefits to seniors.”

The recently released report indicates Texas’ ranking on the use of antipsychotics in long term care has improved from 51st in the nation in 2013 to 10th in 2018 – that referencing a quarterly report from the National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care in Nursing Homes.

Focused Care communities in Crane, Monahans, Beechnut and Waxahachie have all seen major reductions in the use of antipsychotics from September to November 2017, shortly after Focused Care acquired the facilities, to December 2018 to February 2019.

Percentage reduction rates for the use of antipsychotics are as follows:

• Focused Care at Crane began at 50% and is now 15% – a 35% reduction
• Focused Care at Monahans began at 33% and is now at 9% – a 24% reduction
• Focused Care at Waxahachie began at 32% and is now at 14% – an 18% reduction
• Focused Care at Beechnut began at 17% and is now at 10% – a 7% reduction

The federal agency overseeing the quality of nursing home care, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), sets approved diagnoses for antipsychotics in the nursing home setting for schizophrenia, delusional disorders, mood disorders, Huntington’s disease, Tourette’s disorder and other acute short-term diagnoses. The agency also acknowledges that antipsychotics are typically started in hospitals or in the community health setting and underscores the need for skilled nursing care communities to evaluate the need for ongoing use of antipsychotics when a patient is admitted to the long term care setting.

New care strategies to replace the use of antipsychotics for many skilled nursing residents are proving effective. Long term care residents with dementia, a memory loss condition that is frequently accompanied by agitation and restlessness, are now participants in music and memory and art programs that are successful in calming anxiety and enhancing quality of life.

“Focused Care is pleased to be a part of Texas’ overall effort to reduce the use of antipsychotics in our skilled nursing communities,” said McKenzie. “Our goal is for our all of our communities to make progress in this area of enhancing care quality and to be a leader for health care consumers in the great state of Texas.”