Home Health & Hospice Week
New Study: Home Care Boosts Outcomes, Cuts Costs
A new study may help sway policy- and lawmakers toward boosting home care. Findings from a study conducted by researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston suggest that programs aimed at helping older patients recuperate successfully at home instead of in an institutional setting could greatly improve their health outcomes and reduce health care costs. Direct discharge from the hospital to a skilled nursing facility puts patients at "extremely high risk" of needing long-term nursing home care, rather than returning home, says the study published in the Oct. 3 Journals of Gerontology Series A: Bio-logical Sciences and Medical Sciences. "If Medicare payment guidelines were broadened to cover in-home care -- bathing and food preparation for example -- there is a tremendous potential for savings and patients could adjust gradually back to their familiar home environment," study author James Goodwin, Director of the Sealy Center on Aging at UTMB, says in a release. "Medicare will not pay for the in-home care." Goodwin recommends that hospitals consider alternatives to skilled nursing facilities post-hospitalization, such as home care. "Most people fervently wish to remain at home and it is our responsibility to help avoid preventable nursing home admissions," he says. Resource: For a link to the study's free abstract, e-mail editor Rebecca Johnson at rebeccaj@eliresearch.com with "Discharge Study" in the subject line.
Home Health & Hospice Week
- Documentation:
Use These 5 Guidelines For Audit-Proof Record Corrections
Documentation clarifications can be a big help -- if you use them wisely. With the plethora [...] - Medical Review:
Avoid Late Entry Red Flags
When does a clarification hurt instead of help? If you correct or add to every [...] - HIPAA:
Providers Get A Breather On 5010 Until March
Evaluate your options for 5010 compliance. Sweating over the fact that your 5010 standard won't [...] - Billing:
Know The Rules For 5010 Address Field
Warning: Your contractor could be issuing incorrect information. If you're sticking to your guns and [...] - Budget:
One Budget Threat Down, One To Go
Don't count a copay out yet. Many home care providers gave thanks when the so-called [...] - Industry Note:
OIG Hits Therapy, Supplies In New Report To Congress
Not surprisingly, hospice-nursing home relationships also are on the watchdog agency's hit list. You can [...] - Industry Note:
Obama Nominates Former Nurse For CMS Top Spot
New leadership for CMS is on deck for 2012. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services [...] - Industry Note:
New Report Gives Advice On Boosting Your Outcomes
Are you looking for ideas to reduce your hospitalization numbers? If so, tune into a [...] - Industry Note:
Benchmark Your Hospice LOS With These Stats
Wondering how your hospice average length of stay stats fit in with your peers? Now [...] - Industry Note:
CMS Changes Listing Format For Ordering Physician File
You may have to tweak your procedures for checking whether your referring physicians are in [...] - Industry Note:
Help SNFs Code Hospice On MDS With These Tips
If you're a hospice provider serving nursing home patients, you can help those facilities fill [...] - Industry Note:
New Study: Home Care Boosts Outcomes, Cuts Costs
A new study may help sway policy- and lawmakers toward boosting home care. Findings from [...] - Industry Note:
Gentiva Expects 'Difficult Reimbursement' Time Ahead
News of debt restructuring has sent stock prices for Gentiva Health Services Inc. up. The [...] - Industry Note:
Maxim Staff Draw Jail Time, Home Confinement For Fraud
Even if you aren't the brains of a large scale fraud scheme, you can still [...]
