This is a training I did in November for the Texas Association for Home Care & Hospice. The Association has posted it, giving 1.75 hours of credit. … [Read more...] about Advanced Concepts in Risk Management: Advance Directives – What Providers Need to Know
Monitoring Home Health & Hospice Employees
I have had clients call me upset that documentation from employees reflected visits to patients that patients or their families say never happened. Technology continues to assist owners of these businesses to monitor and confirm visits and care. "As a real-time, GPS-enabled care management delivery solution, Visit Path verifies where and when a hospice or home health field nurse is on duty, begins service for a client, when they complete service and when they are off duty. This verification of … [Read more...] about Monitoring Home Health & Hospice Employees
Rural Health Care in the News
Two interesting articles have been recently published. One deals with the closing of the hospital in rural Milam County, Texas. This has caused residents to travel further for care and has disincentivized some to seek needed care. Days after the two hospitals in Milam County abruptly shuttered in December, Renee Mueck started feeling stomach pain so sharp she couldn’t drive herself to the nearest hospital about 40 minutes away. Mueck, 60, said her husband drove her to a hospital … [Read more...] about Rural Health Care in the News
#MeToo and Health Care –Part 1
With the Gary Nassar investigation and trial, #MeToo drew attention to sexual harassment and abuse in the healthcare profession. This is the first in a series of posts discussing that issue and how to deal effectively with it. Such misconduct can be directed at other employees, patients, consumers or visitors. This first post will define what sexual harassment is in the employment context. Sexual harassment includes but is not limited to: Conduct of a sexual nature that … [Read more...] about #MeToo and Health Care –Part 1
High-Tech Healthcare and Telemedicine are the Fastest Growing Initiatives in Healthcare
Patient care and value is at the forefront of many healthcare discussions in the industry. Physicians and nurses providing comfort, companionship, connection and support is considered to be just as important as providing actual medicinal treatments. Better care in relation to providing tele-medicine and high tech care in the healthcare system are the top of growing initiatives that put the patient first especially in nursing homes and hospice and palliative care facilities. According to … [Read more...] about High-Tech Healthcare and Telemedicine are the Fastest Growing Initiatives in Healthcare
(CMS) requires that Medicare-certified home health agencies (HHAs) meet the Medicare Conditions of Participation (CoPs)
Provider Letter 17-35 DADS released the latest Provider Letter 17-35 – Determination of Separate Entities which replaces PL 01-46 & PL 02-05 for Medicare Certified Home and Community Support Service Agencies. The letter details that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requires that Medicare-certified home health agencies (HHAs) meet the Medicare Conditions of Participation (CoPs) for all clients being served by the agency, regardless of a client’s payment source. The … [Read more...] about (CMS) requires that Medicare-certified home health agencies (HHAs) meet the Medicare Conditions of Participation (CoPs)
CMS cancels planned Home Health Groupings Payment Model, announces new rule
CMS announced in a rule that it would not move forward with the Home Health Groupings Model. These regulations are effective on January 1, 2018. According to CMS, this final rule updates the home health prospective payment system (HH PPS) payment rates, including the national, standardized 60-day episode payment rates, the national per-visit rates, and the non-routine medical supply (NRS) conversion factor, effective for home health episodes of care ending on or after January 1, 2018. The … [Read more...] about CMS cancels planned Home Health Groupings Payment Model, announces new rule
Nursing Home Disaster Preparation Under Scrutiny, Evaluated by Senators
The Hurricane Ima weather disaster claimed the lives of nine nursing home residents in Florida who died as a result of lack of A/C due to power outages and non-working backup generators. In Texas, Hurricane Harvey brought attention to the fact that an El Paso, Texas, nursing home had no plan for how to bring wheelchair-dependent people down flights of stairs, while many others had to wade through waist-deep floodwaters to exit the facilities. As a result of these disturbing occurrences, … [Read more...] about Nursing Home Disaster Preparation Under Scrutiny, Evaluated by Senators
DADS Recruiting New PIAC Members
DADS is currently accepting applications to become a member of the Promoting Independence Advisory Committee (PIAC). The deadline is May 1. DADS and HHSC are accepting applications for PIAC members from: - Advocates for individuals with disabilities, - Advocates for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD) or their family members - Home health care providers - IDD service providers - Nursing home providers For more information visit http://www.dads.state.tx.us … [Read more...] about DADS Recruiting New PIAC Members
LTC News: Home Health, SNF
-- "CMS recently updated the manual to make it clearer that Medicare may reimburse for skilled nursing services meant to maintain, not improve, a beneficiary's condition. The agency was required to make these updates per the settlement in the Jimmo v. Sebelius case." – McKnight's -- "Too many Medicare providers are receiving improper payments, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services should clamp down by doing a better job overseeing its contractors' error rate reduction plans, … [Read more...] about LTC News: Home Health, SNF
