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OASIS Alert

Item Focus:
M1340: Use 6 Pointers To Know which Wounds Make the Surgical Wounds Cut
Hint: Look to the OASIS Q&As when you’re stuck with this item. It’s no... Read more
Tool:
Answer Common M1340 Questions with this Chart
Stay up-to-date for greatest accuracy. OASIS item M1340 — Does this patient have... Read more
OASIS-C1:
Prepare to Move Forward with OASIS-C1
New assessment form will go into effect before ICD-10. If you’ve been looking fo... Read more
Compliance:
Follow 6 Tips To Get Ready for OASIS-C1
Don’t delay your training plans. It’s been a long time coming, but OASIS-C... Read more
Regulations:
Take Your Time with SOC Comprehensive Assessment
Don’t let speed overtake OASIS accuracy. If you’re rushing to complete the... Read more
Keep Track of Assessment Deadlines
You know that you have five days after the start of care to complete the comprehensive a... Read more
Diagnosis Coding:
Improve Accuracy with Better Documentation
Look to your marketing team as an ally in improving physician documentation. Documenta... Read more
Poor Documentation Leads to Denials
When documentation isn’t up to par, it not only makes coding difficult, it can tak... Read more
Industry Notes:
OIG Focuses On Missing Home Health OASIS Data
You’d better make sure you’re submitting OASIS data to back up your claims, ... Read more
Reader Question:
Look to the POC when Scoring M2250
Question: Our patient’s depression screen was positive. The assessing clinici... Read more
Reader Question:
Don't Skimp on Assessments with Inpatient Stay
Question: How should we handle an unexpected hospitalization that occurs after the ... Read more
Item Focus:
M1840 and M1845: Check Your Perspective for More Accuracy with Toileting Items
Don’t miss: Always consider environmental barriers to independence in toileting. ... Read more
Try These Toileting Assessment Tips
You have a lot to consider when responding to OASIS items M1840 — Toilet Transferr... Read more
Integumentary Items:
Test Your M1308 Knowledge
Don’t make this common M1308 mistake. OASIS item M1308 is getting a much anticip... Read more
Edits:
Would Your Agency's Claims Pass OIG Scrutiny?
Hint: Submit OASIS data first. CMS has had plans to roll out edits designed to check w... Read more
OASIS-C1:
Will the ICD-10 Delay Impact the OASIS-C1 Transition?
The ICD-10 deadline is extended, but don’t let your preparations stall out. If y... Read more
Follow The ICD-10 Delay Timeline
Moving transition date leaves many unhappy. Time and again the Centers for Medicare &a... Read more
Diagnosis Coding:
Expect Improved Symptom Coding in ICD-10
Symptoms gain details in the new code set. When your patient exhibits symptoms, it&rsq... Read more
Industry Notes:
Prepare for Therapy Claim Scrutiny
Expect your claims with high therapy to come under even more review. “Another area... Read more
Reader Question:
Be Wary of Software that Does Your Job For You
Question: Our software vendor claims that an upcoming upgrade will allow our agency... Read more
Reader Question:
Leave Initial Assessment Visits to Skilled Clinicians
Question: Our agency is exploring options that will help us to run more efficiently... Read more
Item Focus:
M1200: Take a Second Look at Visual Impairment
Avoid these common mistakes that can result in inaccurate OASIS responses. Your agency... Read more
Assessment:
Try These M1200 Assessment Techniques
Visual impairments don’t always qualify as visual deficits. OASIS item M1200 ide... Read more
OASIS-C1:
Prepare for Pressure Ulcer Changes in OASIS-C1
Say goodbye to your old M1308 headaches. The OASIS integumentary items are some of the... Read more
Take Note of These OASIS-C1 Wound Item Changes
The OASIS pressure ulcer items aren’t the only integumentary items getting a makeo... Read more
Start Your OASIS-C1 Transition Off On the Right Foot
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has finalized the OASIS-C1 form. The ... Read more
Documentation:
Rethink Your Intake Process Before ICD-10 Presses the Issue
Start at the beginning to improve documentation. Your intake department has an opportu... Read more
Watch for These Intake Hotspots
Tip: Providing your intake department with a checklist of information to ask for can hel... Read more
See How Intake Staff Can Probe for Valuable Details
Your intake staff can gather the details you need to prepare for your patients. But they... Read more
Tool:
Boost Coding Accuracy with this Intake Form
When your agency begins to use ICD-10, you’ll need much more specific information ... Read more
Industry Notes:
Documentation, Background Checks On OIG's Hit List For HHAs This Year
The OIG lists no new topics for HHAs in its 2014 Work Plan, but the watchdog agency does... Read more
OASIS-C1:
Prepare for New Hospitalization Risk Areas in OASIS-C1
Say goodbye to 5 OASIS items come October. The ICD-10 transition isn’t the only ... Read more
Assessment:
Fine Tune Your Drug Regimen Review and Medication Assessment
Make sure you’re asking the right questions to uncover medication issues. Gettin... Read more
Cover these Medication Teaching Basics
Teaching the patient about medications and medication management is as important to home... Read more
Item Focus:
Support Medical Necessity with M1016
Look to ‘NA’ when a patient’s condition improves. OASIS item M1016 &... Read more
Therapy:
Improve Communication or Face High-Therapy Claims Review
Study the data to narrow in on problem areas. Your agency’s high-therapy claims ... Read more
Target these Communication Hotspots to Prevent ADRs
When it comes to preventing problems with your high-therapy claims, making certain every... Read more
Diagnosis Coding:
Watch for Diagnosis Coding Item Makeover in OASIS-C1
Say goodbye to payment diagnoses and hello to optional diagnoses. As promised, the dia... Read more
Documentation:
Beware New RAC Home Care Reviews
How will claims be selected for medical necessity reviews? Good documentation that sup... Read more
Say Goodbye to Attachment D
The move to OASIS-C1 isn’t the only change the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid... Read more
Medical Necessity:
Do Your Coding and Documentation Practices Support Medical Necessity?
Back up your checkbox responses. Medical necessity is drawing increased attention in m... Read more
Industry Notes:
Accrediting Body Whittles Home Care Requirements
Home health agencies accredited by the Joint Commission have nine fewer requirements to ... Read more
Item Focus:
M1500/M1510: Steer Clear of Heart Failure Symptom Missteps
Are you taking credit for heart failure follow-up when you shouldn’t? When your ... Read more
Tool:
Use this SBAR to Respond to Heart Failure Symptoms
Focus on the result you want before you contact the physician. If you’re struggl... Read more
Therapy:
Look to Collaboration as an Antidote for Medication Item Problems
Don’t let a fear of the medication regimen prevent you from excelling. Therapist... Read more
Human Resources:
Keep Employees Informed In Changing Times
Establishing a personal connection can help foster better communication. The changes i... Read more
Clip and Save:
Improve Medication Management with this Teaching Tool
Help your patient remember to tell you when medication issues arise. It’s import... Read more
Medical Review:
Are Your Hypertension Claims Headed for Denial?
Try an internal audit to keep your reimbursement flowing. Hypertension claims continue... Read more
Diagnosis Coding:
Brace Yourself: CMS Cuts 170 Case Mix Codes
Bone up on OASIS accuracy to help soften the blow. Despite hearty protests from the in... Read more
Examine Your Claims for These Commonly Used Deleted Codes
In Table 3 of the 2014 Home Health PPS Final Rule, the Centers for Medicare & Medica... Read more
Industry Notes
Get A Preview Of ICD-10 Codes For HH Grouper Want to know how coming ICD-10 codes are ... Read more
Item Focus:
M1850: Avoid These Transferring Assessment Roadblocks
Don’t shortchange your assessments with one-way trips. Are you including all the... Read more
Communication:
Decrease Hospitalizations with an SBAR Approach
Get your message across in 60 seconds or less. Ineffective clinician/physician communi... Read more
Don't be Hesitant to C.U.S.S.
Sometimes you need a little extra oomph to get your point across. When everything goes... Read more
Training:
Improve Outcomes with an Effective OASIS Training Approach
Take advantage of this hidden training resource. When it comes to keeping your OASIS d... Read more
Tool:
Use this SBAR to Resolve Medication Issues
Gather your thoughts with this handy form before contacting the physician. Ready to gi... Read more
OASIS Time Points:
Test Your Transfer Time Points Skills
Do you know which RFA to complete when a patient dies in the ER? When a patient is tra... Read more
Education:
Get Training on OASIS-C1
Prepare for the new diagnosis coding items. OASIS C-1 and Process Outcome Changes: Wed... Read more
ICD-10 Diagnosis Coding:
Start Your ICD-10 Training Off on the Right Foot
Take action now to pave the way to a successful Oct. 1. This New Year, you’ll be... Read more
Industry Notes
Animal Therapy Helpful For Dementia Patients,New Study Shows A new study suggests your... Read more
Reader Question:
Look to Guidance for Scabbed Pressure Ulcers
Question: Our patient had a Stage II pressure ulcer at start of care (SOC), but at resum... Read more
Item Focus:
M1100: Make the Right Choice for Every Patient in 2 Steps
These key elements determine your patient’s living arrangement and available assis... Read more
Try Your Hand at this M1100 Scenario
Consider availability of assistance in the home. Think you’ve got answering M110... Read more
OASIS Conventions:
Understand Episode Definitions or Expect an Outcomes Ding
Not all episodes are created equal. Among the 16 general conventions for completing an... Read more
Documentation:
Master 7 Qualities for Top Notch Documentation
Make sure you’re supporting medical necessity and code selection or risk denials. ... Read more
Quiz:
Test Your Cognitive Functioning Skills
Confusion and cognitive functioning answers don’t always need to match up. When ... Read more
Clip and Save:
Boost Your Cognitive Functioning Accuracy with this Tool
Know when and where to report confusion. When assessing a client’s cognitive sta... Read more
ICD-10 Diagnosis Coding:
Look to the Alphabetic Index for an ICD-10 Diabetes Jump Start
Watch for more types of diabetes. Most likely, you can practically code for diabetes i... Read more
ICD-10 Diagnosis Coding:
9 Steps Guide the Way to a Successful ICD-10 Transition
Is your documentation up to ICD-10 standards? You may feel like you’re running j... Read more
Industry Notes
Buckle Down On Rehospitalization Efforts. Reducing rehospitalization rates among your ... Read more
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