Diane P. Atchinson is the owner and President of DPA Associates, Inc. DPA Associates has been in business since 1988 serving the LTC market. Diane works with both freestanding long-term care facilities and hospital-based skilled units. Her clientele span the nation from Long Island to the Hawaiian Islands. She has presented at national workshops for the American Health Care Association and the AANAC. She has presented at state hospital and long-term care associations in Hawaii, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, and West Virginia. She presents specialized workshops for nursing home corporations and Community Colleges such as Reliant Healthcare, Barton County Community College, Clovis Community College, Wellington Management and Presbyterian Manors of Mid America Corp.

Diane’s consultant services include: pre surveys, survey plans of correction, Restorative nursing program implementation, Nursing management, MDS Coordinator education, clinical process reviews, Quality Indicator and Quality Measure process reviews and Medicare PPS implementation and audits.

Ms. Atchinson has published a Restorative and Rehabilitation Nursing Programs Manual: A Three Phase Approach with Application to Medicare PPS, a Medicare Policy & Procedure Manual, a Long Term Care Facility Policy & Procedure Manual, and a Special Care Unit Policy and Procedure Manual. (All are available through DPA Associates.) She has also published a Quality Indicator Resource Manual for the Kansas Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (KAHSA); and has just completed development of a Survey Tool Kit for KAHSA.

She has also developed user friendly RAP modules; restorative assessment tools and survey audit tools. Diane has published articles on Restorative Care and Medicare PPS documentation.

Diane was on the planning committee for the 5th National Pioneer Network Conference, provided the CEU documentation and applications for the conference. Diane is also a charter member of the Kansas Culture Change Coalition.

Ms. Atchinson received her BSN in Nursing in 1973 from Salve Regina University, Newport, RI and a Master’s Degree in Primary Care as an Adult Nurse Practitioner in 1978 from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. Diane has worked as a staff nurse, nurse practitioner, educator and consultant. Diane is certified by ANCC and the Missouri Board of Nursing as an Advanced Practice Nurse. Diane is also certified as an assisted living operator in Kansas.