CMS on Wednesday released updated nursing home staffing compliance guidelines that will go into effect Oct. 24, in today's bite-sized hospital and health industry news from Maryland, Tennessee, and Massachusetts.

• Maryland: CMS on Wednesday issued updated nursing home staffing compliance guidelines that will go into effect Oct. 24. According to the guidance, nursing home surveyors will start using payroll data in their investigations to determine whether a facility is compliant with staffing rules. In addition, CMS stated that long-term care facilities will be required to employ at least one part-time infection prevention employee. The updated guidance also clarifies requirements for facilities entering into binding arbitration agreements with residents. CMS' new guidance is part of President Joe Biden's initiative to improve the quality and safety of nursing homes. "CMS believes all people deserve to have access to quality health care and will continue working to improve the safety and quality of nursing home care," a CMS news release said. "CMS will hold nursing homes accountable and make the quality of care and facility ownership more transparent so that potential residents and their loved ones can make informed decisions about care." (Goldman, Modern Healthcare, 6/29)

• Tennessee: HCA Florida Lake City Hospital on Wednesday appointed Keri Pintozzi as its new CFO. Pintozzi, who has over six years of experience working with HCA Healthcare, most recently served as assistant CFO of HCA Florida Osceola Hospital. "We are pleased to welcome Keri to the HCA Florida Lake City Hospital family as our new Chief Financial Officer," said Jill Adams, CEO of HCA Florida Lake City Hospital. "Through her health care and financial experience, Keri will be an asset for our hospital as we continue to achieve health care excellence and provide high quality care to our community." (Ellison, Becker's Hospital Review, 6/29)

• Massachusetts: MetroWest Medical Center—a health system that includes Framingham Union Hospital and Leonard Morse Hospital—on Wednesday appointed David Elgarico as its new CEO. Most recently, Elgarico served as CEO of Quorum Health's McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center. He also previously served as COO for Touro Infirmary in New Orleans, HCA Healthcare's West Houston Medical Center, and HCA's Rio Grande Regional Hospital in McAllen, Texas. (Gooch, Becker's Hospital Review, 6/29)