PALTtalk

PALTtalk with Dr. Diane Sanders-Cepeda | Staying Survey-Ready: A Medical Director's Guide to Implementing CMS Updates

Host Dr. Diane Sanders-Cepeda, DO, CMD, is joined by Dr. Victoria Walker, MD, CMD, FAAFP, Carolyn Kazdan, MHSA, NHA, BCPA, and Dr. David Siskind, MD, CMD, to discuss the latest CMS surveyor guidance and what it means for medical directors in post-acute and long-term care. They break down key changes, including increased expectations around QAPI, facility assessments, and psychotropic medication oversight, and share practical strategies to stay prepared and support quality resident care.
Note: At the time of this recording, the revised CMS long-term care surveyor guidance was set to take effect on March 24, 2025. However, CMS has since revised the implementation date to April 28, 2025, to allow additional time for training. Be sure to check CMS for the latest updates.
Host: Diane Sanders-Cepeda, DO, CMD
Guest(s): Carolyn A. Kazdan, MHSA, NHA, BCPA; David H. Siskind, MD, CMD; Victoria Walker, MD, CMD, FAAFP
Resources:Your Role as Medical Director in the Survey Process: Tips for Leading the Team (PALTmed)
Date Recorded: February 24, 2025
Available Credit: CMD credit for select PALTtalk podcast episodes are issued as follows:
Coming May 2025: PALTmed is introducing a convenient new form to submit CMD credits for PALTtalk podcast episodes. Stay tuned!

PALTtalk with Dr. Diane Sanders-Cepeda | Beyond Fee-for-Service: The Clinician’s Role in Value-Based Care

In this episode, host Dr. Diane Sanders-Cepeda is joined by Dr. Steven Buslovich, MD, CMD, MS, for an engaging discussion on value-based care. They explore topics such as aligning care teams, improving patient outcomes, and the challenges of transitioning to value-driven models. With expert insights and practical strategies, they offer actionable steps for navigating the evolving landscape of value-based care, focusing on optimizing care delivery and achieving meaningful outcomes.
Host: Diane Sanders-Cepeda, DO, CMD
Guest: Steven Buslovich, MD, CMD, MS
Date Recorded: March 3, 2025
Available Credit: CMD credit for select PALTtalk podcast episodes are issued as follows:
Coming March 2025: PALTmed is introducing a convenient new form to submit CMD credits for PALTtalk podcast episodes. Stay tuned!

PALTtalk with Caring | Artificial Intelligence, with Special Guest Lisa Lind, PhD, ABPP

In this episode, host Dr. Karl Steinberg, MD, CMD, and editor-in-chief Dr. Elizabeth Galik, PhD, CRNP, discuss the special section on artificial intelligence (AI) in our March/April issue of Caring for the Ages. Special Guest Lisa Lind, PhD, ABPP joins to discuss the potential for AI to alleviate loneliness amongst residents in long-term care settings, cautioning that AI should augment and not replace real human interaction.
Drs. Steinberg and Galik also discuss our cover story on the basics of AI in post-acute and long-term care, as well as Karl's personal experience with AI. 
And finally, congratulations to the winners of our Caring essay competition, whose essays appear in this issue!
Host: Karl Steinberg, MD, HMDC, CMD
Guest(s): Lisa Lind, PhD, ABPP; Elizabeth Galik, PhD, CRNP (Editor-in-Chief)
Featured Articles:An Introduction to Artificial Intelligence in Post-Acute and Long-Term CareCombating Loneliness With Innovation: The Potential of AI for Alleviating Loneliness Among Residents in Long-Term Care SettingsAI in PALTC: Ready or NotThe Treasure ChestMy Complaint About the Chief Complaint
Date Recorded: February 21, 2025
Available Credit: CMD credit for select PALTtalk podcast episodes are issued as follows:
Coming March 2025: PALTmed is introducing a convenient new form to submit CMD credits for PALTtalk podcast episodes. Stay tuned!

PALTtalk with Alex Bardakh | Strengthening Advocacy in Long-Term Care

Alex Bardakh, MPP, CAE, PALTmed's Senior Director of Advocacy and Strategic Partnerships, and Timothy Holahan, DO, CMD, Chair of the Public Policy Steering Committee, share the latest news from the nation’s capital. This month, they are joined by special guest Sue Emmer, founder of I Street Advocates, to explore the power of building relationships in lobbying, the role of advocacy in shaping healthcare policy, and the latest legislative developments affecting PALTC.
Questions? Email Alex at abardakh@paltmed.org.
Hosts: Alex Bardakh, MPP, CAE; Timothy Holahan, DO, CMD
Guest: Sue Emmer, JD
Date Recorded: February 26, 2025
Available Credit: CMD credit for select PALTtalk podcast episodes are issued as follows:
Coming March 2025: PALTmed is introducing a convenient new form to submit CMD credits for PALTtalk podcast episodes. Stay tuned!

PALTtalk with JAMDA | February 2025 with Special Guest Nasir Wabe, PhD, on Over and Underuse of PPIs in Nursing Homes

In this episode, host Dr. Karl Steinberg, MD, HMDC, CMD, and co-editor-in-chief Dr. Barbara Resnick, PhD, RN, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, are joined by Dr. Nasir Wabe, PhD, MScEpid, PGDMLAI, MScClinPharm, BPharm, to explore the latest research in post-acute and long-term care. Topics include the over and underuse of proton pump inhibitors in nursing homes, the impact of physical therapy staffing on resident health outcomes, early findings on the experiences of care aides supporting residents with psychological trauma, and the development of a meaningful engagement assessment for residents with dementia in assisted living. Don’t miss this insightful discussion on advancing care quality and outcomes.
Host: Karl Steinberg, MD, HMDC, CMD
Guest(s): Nasir Wabe, PhD, MScEpid, PGDMLAI, MScClinPharm, BPharm; Barbara Resnick, PhD, RN, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP (Co-Editor-in-Chief, JAMDA)
Featured Articles:Over- and Underuse of Proton Pump Inhibitors in Nursing Homes: A Multisite Longitudinal Cohort StudyNursing Home Staffing Levels and Resident Health Outcomes: Is the Role of the Physical Therapist Undervalued?Experiences of Care Aides Caring for Residents with a History of Psychological Trauma in Long-Term Care Homes (Nursing Homes)—Early FindingsThe Meaningful Engagement Assessment for Residents with Dementia in Assisted Living Settings
Date Recorded: February 21, 2025
Available Credit: CMD credit for select PALTtalk podcast episodes are issued as follows:
Coming March 2025: PALTmed is introducing a convenient new form to submit CMD credits for PALTtalk podcast episodes. Stay tuned!

PALTtalk with Dr. Diane Sanders-Cepeda | Reclaiming Our Joy: Medicine as a Life, Not a Job

Dr. Diane Sanders-Cepeda is joined by Patricia L. Bach, PsyD, RN, and Fatima Sheikh, MD, CMD, MPH, for an insightful discussion on finding joy and fulfillment in clinical practice. Building on insights from their presentation at PALTmed’s PALTC24 Annual Meeting, they explore clinician burnout, the importance of self-care, and strategies to build resilience in healthcare. Through practical insights, personal stories, and research-backed approaches, they offer actionable steps to cultivate joy, gratitude, and fulfillment in daily practice.
Host: Diane Sanders-Cepeda, DO, CMD
Guests: Patricia L. Bach, PsyD, RN; Fatima Sheikh, MD, CMD, MPH
Journal Articles:A Tale of Two Countries: How I Saw More Patients With More Joy in Internal Medicine Practice (Annals of Internal Medicine)Finding Joy in Medicine: A Remedy for Challenging Times (NEJM Catalyst)Designing and Regulating Wisely: Removing Barriers to Joy in Practice (Annals of Internal Medicine)Trends in Clinician Burnout With Associated Mitigating and Aggravating Factors During the COVID-19 Pandemic (JAMA Network)
Resources:The Greater Good Science Center (University of California, Berkeley)A "SWAN" Bag: Free Digital Resources to Help Reclaim Our Happiness (PALTmed Annual Meeting)An Experiment in Gratitude | The Science of Happiness (SoulPancake)Joy in Medicine™ Health System Recognition Program (American Medical Association)
Date Recorded: January 27, 2025
Available Credit: CMD credit for select PALTtalk podcast episodes are issued as follows:
Coming March 2025: PALTmed is introducing a convenient new form to submit CMD credits for PALTtalk podcast episodes. Stay tuned!

PALTtalk with Alex Bardakh | Health Information Technology in PALTC

Alex Bardakh, MPP, CAE, PALTmed's Senior Director of Advocacy and Strategic Partnerships, and Timothy Holahan, DO, CMD, Chair of the Public Policy Steering Committee, share the latest news from the nation’s capital. Gregory L. Alexander, PhD, RN, FAAN, FACMI, FIAHSI, joins the discussion to offer his perspective on the expanding role of technology in PALTC.
Questions? Email Alex at abardakh@paltmed.org.
Hosts: Alex Bardakh, MPP, CAE; Timothy Holahan, DO, CMD
Guest: Gregory L. Alexander, PhD, RN, FAAN, FACMI, FIAHSI
Resources:Health IT Resources (Moving Forward Nursing Home Quality Coalition)LTPAC Health IT Collaborative
Date Recorded: January 22, 2025
Available Credit: CMD credit for select PALTtalk podcast episodes are issued as follows:
Coming March 2025: PALTmed is introducing a convenient new form to submit CMD credits for PALTtalk podcast episodes. Stay tuned!

PALTtalk with JAMDA | January 2025

In this episode, host Dr. Karl Steinberg, MD, HMDC, CMD, is joined by co-editors-in-chief Dr. Barbara Resnick, PhD, RN, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, and Dr. Paul Katz, MD, CMD, to explore the latest research in post-acute and long-term care. Matthew P. Maughan, MBA, MS, shares his research on how nursing home staffing levels and resident characteristics differ between larger and smaller chains, highlighting disparities in staffing ratios and patient complexity. Dr. Tetyana P. Shippee, PhD, discusses her work on evaluating quality in assisted living communities in the United States, highlighting nine unique domains of quality measurement and the importance of including residents' voices in developing standardized metrics for person-centered care. Rounding out the discussion, Dr. Katz explores a study on the use of gabapentin in nursing home residents, offering his expert analysis and perspectives on its implications for clinical practice.
Host: Karl Steinberg, MD, HMDC, CMD
Guest(s): Matthew P. Maughan, MBA, MS; Tetyana P. Shippee, PhD; Paul Katz, MD, CMD (Co-Editor-in-Chief, JAMDA); Barbara Resnick, PhD, RN, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP (Co-Editor-in-Chief, JAMDA)
Articles Referenced:Nursing Home Staffing Levels and Resident Characteristics in Larger Versus Smaller ChainsMeasurement of Quality in Assisted Living in the United States of America: A Scoping ReviewA Nursing Home Clinician Survey to Explain Gabapentinoid Increases
Resources:Recommendations for Medical and Mental Health Care in Assisted Living Based on an Expert Delphi Consensus Panel (JAMA)Center for Excellence in Assisted Living (CEAL@UNC)Building the "Bridge": Linking Gerontology Education to a Local Retirement Community (Experts@Minnesota)Assisted Living Report Card (Minnesota Department of Human Services and Minnesota Board on Aging)
Date Recorded: January 20, 2025
Available Credit: CMD credit for select PALTtalk podcast episodes are issued as follows:
Coming March 2025: PALTmed is introducing a convenient new form to submit CMD credits for PALTtalk podcast episodes. Stay tuned!

PALTtalk with Caring | January/February 2025 with Special Guest Daniel Butler, MD, on Chronic Itch in Older Adults

In this episode, host Dr. Karl Steinberg, MD, CMD, and editor-in-chief Dr. Elizabeth Galik, PhD, CRNP, discuss our January/February issue of Caring for the Ages. Special Guest Daniel Butler, MD, joins to discuss chronic pruritus and what practitioners can do to help patients afflicted with this common condition.
Drs. Steinberg and Galik also discuss our cover story on value-based care and what it means for practitioners in post-acute and long-term care. Dr. Galik shares insights from her own timely article on violence in the workplace and discusses an article on palliative wound care from Dr. Vycki Nalls. 
Host: Karl Steinberg, MD, HMDC, CMD
Guest(s): Daniel C. Butler, MD; Elizabeth Galik, PhD, CRNP (Editor-in-Chief)
Featured Articles:The New ABCs of Value-Based CareWhat Can We Do About Chronic Itch in Older Adults?Workplace Violence in Post-Acute and Long-Term Care SettingsNon-Healable Wounds and Palliative Wound Care: Conversations Are Key
Date Recorded: December 6, 2024
Available Credit: CMD credit for select PALTtalk podcast episodes are issued as follows:
Claim CMD Credit

PALTtalk with JAMDA | December 2024

In this episode, host Dr. Karl Steinberg, MD, HMDC, CMD, and co-editor-in-chief Dr. Barbara Resnick, PhD, RN, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, are joined by Dr. Jiska Cohen-Mansfield, PhD, and Dr. Caleb Alexander, MD, MS, to explore the latest research in post-acute and long-term care. Topics include improving well-being in dementia care with Enhanced Group Activity Kits (EGAKs), comparing the safety and effectiveness of anticoagulants in nursing home residents with atrial fibrillation, and insights from two additional studies: Skilled Nursing Facility Rehabilitation Intensity and Successful Discharge in Persons with Dementia and Navigating Dilemmas on Advance Euthanasia Directives of Patients with Advanced Dementia. Don’t miss this insightful discussion on advancing care quality and outcomes.
Host: Karl Steinberg, MD, HMDC, CMD
Guest(s): G. Caleb Alexander, MD, MS; Jiska Cohen-Mansfield, PhD; Barbara Resnick, PhD, RN, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP (Co-Editor-in-Chief, JAMDA)
Featured Articles:The Impact of Enhanced Group Activity Kits (EGAKs) on Well-being of Persons With DementiaComparative Effectiveness and Safety of Direct Oral Anticoagulants vs Warfarin among Nursing Home Residents with Atrial Fibrillation: A Retrospective Cohort StudySkilled Nursing Facility Rehabilitation Intensity and Successful Discharge in Persons with DementiaNavigating Dilemmas on Advance Euthanasia Directives of Patients with Advanced Dementia
Date Recorded: December 13, 2024
Available Credit: CMD credit for select PALTtalk podcast episodes are issued as follows:
Claim CMD Credit