Piñon

Piñon Management has a history of success turning troubled operations around. Programs implemented by Piñon Management have been recognized by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), the Colorado Health Care Association (CHCA) and other organizations for their innovative approach to improving quality of life and quality of care for the residents they serve. Following is a chronological look at some of our success stories.

Fitzsimons

Most recently, Piñon Management was hired by the State of Colorado Department of Human Services to serve as Temporary Manager for the State’s 24-million dollar Colorado State Veterans Home at Fitzsimons. The facility was facing decertification by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) and was besieged with regulatory, fiscal, personnel, and care issues. Collaborating with the Colorado Department of Human Services, Piñon was successful in immediately putting quality care systems in place, regaining State and VA compliance and improved surveys, and was successful in all key operational areas: collecting nearly $2 million in accounts receivable, filling over fifty open positions which included hiring a quality internal management team, increasing census by over 50%, and rebuilding public and Veteran community trust and support of the facility.

Los Amigos Care Centre

In 2003, the New Mexico Department of Health requested Piñon Management to serve as Deputy Receiver for the Los Amigos Care Centre in Santa Rosa, New Mexico. Facing closure or potential sale, the facility was financially insolvent, had no licensed Nursing Home Administrator and limited community resources. Piñon Management came into the facility with a few days notice and provided onsite management and an InterimAdministrator for 7 months. Piñon staff aggressively worked on financial damage control, getting the facility Medicaid billing in place, completing minimum data set (MDS) assessments and establishing collection measures of unpaid accounts. Piñon staff assured quality of care for residents, provided daily staff oversight, and worked with the Department to assess potential buyers for the facility. Piñon staff worked with the Department, Board of Directors, community and Ombudsman in the eventual decision to close the facility, providing “hands-on” work to assure full regulatory compliance with Receivership and closure statutes.

Fort Bayard Medical Center

In 2001, Piñon Management was asked by the New Mexico Department of Health to help Fort Bayard Medical Center in Silver City, New Mexico. The facility had experienced the loss of their VA contract due to poor survey outcomes in more than one recent survey. Piñon provided an onsite interdisciplinary team every week for over four months to provide direction for a comprehensive multi-departmental plan of correction and improvement. New systems and training were put in place to improve nursing, dietary, activities, social services, environmental services, maintenance, and administrative functions. The Piñon team was able to get the facility back into full compliance with the 2002 state survey and restore the VA contract.

OMEGA Facilities

In 2000, Piñon was asked to quickly take over the full management for 5 Metro Denver facilities operated by the OMEGA Real Estate Investment Trust. All five had experienced multiple bankruptcies and had conditional licenses issued by the Health Department due to significant present and historic regulatory compliance issues. Over a 12-18 month period, all five facilities were able to regain full licensure due to great improvements in resident care, quality of new staff put in place, and successful survey outcomes. All five remain a part of Piñon Management and have experienced greatly improved financial and operational outcomes, stable management teams, and innovative quality models of care for both geriatric and special populations. One facility recently opened a state-recognized model for behavioral mental health residents. This newly designed environment and holistic model has allowed residents living in State hospitals for over 20 years to now be a part of a residential community of care.

Julia Temple

In 1997, Piñon Management became the management company of Julia Temple Center in Metro Denver. Julia Temple is Colorado’s oldest skilled nursing facility, serving residents with multi-stage behavioral Alzheimer’s and dementia. Prior to Piñon’s involvement, the facility had received over $50,000 in civil monetary penalties, was in a class action lawsuit, had 60% nursing pool usage, and ongoing fiscal and regulatory issues. Piñon was able to attract top Department Managers, create a model program for dementia care, and show great immediate improvements in regulatory compliance. This facility also has become an award-winning facility, partnering recently with OSHA to be a model safety program, and receiving other recognition from the Department of Health, Colorado Health Care Association, and the Alzheimer’s Association. This facility recently was the only Colorado facility to receive recognition from Hospice organizations for their excellent quality of care for end-of-life services. The facility has active resident and family councils and continues to have a full census and stable team of staff.

Hillside Manor (Spearly Center)

In 1993, Piñon Management took over the management of Hillside Manor in Denver, a facility besieged with a history of bankruptcies, management turnover, regulatory compliance issues and extremely poor resident care outcomes in serving a complex inner-city mental health and geriatric population. By 1994, the facility (renamed Spearly Center) had a deficiency-free state survey, and continued to have excellent surveys over the next several years. By the late 1990’s, Spearly Center had developed a state-wide award-winning reputation for its model program for the mentally ill, and was the only Colorado facility to receive the Department of Health ResQUIP award for innovation and excellence five years in a row.

Buena Vista Care Center

In 1993, Piñon Management became temporary managers of Buena Vista Care Center in Clovis, New Mexico. Working directly with Roger Gillespie of the New Mexico Department of Health, Piñon provided onsite management for 60 days. Piñon responded quickly to the Department’s request for assistance and provided an Interim Administrator and interdisciplinary team for the full sixty days, getting the facility back into regulatory compliance. The Department was very pleased with the outcomes and efforts provided by our team.

Veteran’s Nursing Home

In 1986, Piñon was asked by the Colorado Department of Social Services to assume temporary management of a Veteran’s Nursing Home in Florence, Colorado, due to significant regulatory compliance issues. Providing onsite management, Piñon staff were able to get the facility back into full compliance with VA, State, and Federal regulations within 90 days.

Over the years, Piñon Management has shown this same commitment to quality improvement in many other short-and long-term projects and management opportunities. We can turn troubled facilities into award-winning models of quality care for residents and restore positive financial and/or regulatory outcomes.