Home Health & Hospice Week
Hospitals Emulate Hospices
Hospitals will be taking a page from hospices’ book, if they heed a new study in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. Veterans Affairs and University of Alabama researchers implemented a "multicomponent intervention" to use best practices from home-based hospice care in the hospital. Under the Best Practices for End-of-Life Care for Our Nation’s Veterans (BEACON) program, 6,000 patients in six VA facilities received services such as a "comfort care order set," more home-like environments where family members stayed with them, and less invasive procedures, according to a release about the study.
Among the six-year study’s 16 positive outcomes was reducing intensive care unit usage, the release says.
Home Health & Hospice Week
- Compliance:
HHA Moratorium Hits 4 More Metro Areas
What took so long, industry members ask about some of the cities chosen. What happens [...] - Regulations:
Look At HEAT Strike Force Cities For Future Moratoria Clues
CMS won’t stop with six moratorium areas, experts predict. Based on its implementation of home [...] - Know Your Facts:
Stats Draw Feds' Wrath Down On Moratorium Cities
One moratorium area has twice as many agencies per bene. Home health agencies’ own claims [...] - Hospice:
OIG Investigates Hospice Provision In ALF Setting
Prevent ALF-related compliance trouble — before the feds coming knocking. After going after hospice provision [...] - Fraud & Abuse:
Documentation, Background Checks On OIG's Hit List For HHAs This Year
HHAs bilk Medicare of $1 billion, OIG says. The OIG lists no new topics for [...] - Industry Note:
Deadline For Increased Hospice Claims Data Nearly Here
CMS issues a few more details about the expanded requirements. Medicare is offering some clarifications [...] - Industry Note:
Hop To HETS If You Haven't Already
Don’t forget: "Provider access to … eligibility systems will be terminated, effective April 7, 2014," [...] - Industry Note:
Measurable Variables Key To Hospice Documentation
You can avoid medical necessity denials under Comprehensive Error Rate Testing by including comprehensive documentation [...] - Industry Note:
Hospitals Emulate Hospices
Hospitals will be taking a page from hospices’ book, if they heed a new study [...] - Industry Note:
Know Which Patients To Visit First In An Emergency
Home care providers are performing the often unsung work of furnishing care in patients’ homes [...] - Industry Note:
Hospice Co-Owner Charged With GIP Medicare Fraud
How you treat your employees could determine whether the authorities show up at your door. [...] - Industry Note:
Texas HHA Owner, DON Face Fraud Charges
A Texas couple is facing charges of Medicare fraud. Stella Maduka, director of nursing, and [...] - Industry Note:
Chain Makes Big Buy
For-profit chain LHC Group Inc. will purchase Deaconess HomeCare and Elk Valley Health Services for [...] - Industry Note:
Hospital To Shed HHA
Another hospital is making plans to shed its home care business. Pauls Valley General Hospital [...] - Industry Note:
Gentiva Opens Hospice Inpatient Unit In Hospital
Gentiva Health Services Inc. has opened a hospice inpatient unit in Athens Regional Medi-cal Center [...]
