Home Health & Hospice Week

Another OASIS-D question shows how the IMPACT Act items aren’t a perfect fit for the home.

You don’t need to choose Response 10 or 88 if your patient’s home doesn’t accommodate using a wheelchair or scooter for 150 feet, an OASIS-D question-and-answer reveals.

New Section GG: Mobility is giving many clinicians filling out OASIS fits, providers report. But you can help clear up one nagging question by referring to the OASIS-D Q&A set the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued near the end of last year.

GG0170 directs clinicians to “Code the patient’s usual performance at SOC/ROC for each activity using the 6-point scale. If activity was not attempted at SOC/ROC, code the reason. Code the patient’s discharge goal(s) using the 6-point scale.”

GG0170R says “Wheel 50 feet with two turns: Once seated in wheelchair/scooter, the ability to wheel at least 50 feet and make two turns.” GG0170S says “Wheel 150 feet: Once seated in wheelchair/ scooter, the ability to wheel at least 150 feet in a corridor or similar space.”

Question: “GG0170R and GG0170S: How are these supposed to be accomplished in a patient’s home? There is not enough room. Are staff required to complete this task outside of the home (such as a driveway or sidewalk)? This will create liability issues, will it not?” one agency asked CMS after OASISD training sessions.

Answer: “If the patient’s environment does not accommodate wheelchair/scooter use of 150 feet without turns but the patient demonstrates the ability to mobilize the wheelchair/scooter with or without assistance for 150 feet with turns without jeopardizing the patient’s safety, code using the 6-point scale,” CMS responds.

Note: The Q&A set is at www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/HomeHealthQualityInits/Downloads/November-2018-HH-QRP-Provider-Training-Q-and-A.pdf.