Getting proactive on hospital readmissions
McKnights writes about Getting proactive on hospital readmissions: “To address the matter, Signature HealthCARE, which operates 73 long-term care facilities in seven states, this year launched a pilot program dubbed TransitionalCARE. The program more closely monitors patients at risk for readmissions and eases patient transitions between care settings. The process began about 20 months ago, [...]
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Use pre-admission screening to identify patients who might benefit from additional therapy
A good post from Luke Fallon on http://ltlmagazine.com on increasing Medicare length of stay to help your facilities increase Medicare census and compensate for Rehab RUG rate reductions. Pre-admission screening is the perfect time for this, and in conjunction with customized assessment forms should be part of your referral management process. View Post.
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PAC Providers have major role to play
Post acute care (PAC) providers have a major role to play in reducing readmissions.
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Reducing Returns to Acute (RTAs)
On April 18, the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) created a proposed rule for the Medicare Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) that encompasses a number of important changes. In particular, the proposed IPPS rule lays out many basic aspects of the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program, specifying what constitutes a readmission, and [...]
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AHA wants ethnic, race and language proficiency to factor in readmission program
The hospital readmissions reduction program, or HRRP, was included in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and offers financial incentives to hospitals that treat Medicare beneficiaries to reduce preventable readmissions. In a letter from American Hospital Association President and CEO Richard Umbdenstock to CMS Administrator Dr. Donald Berwick, Mr. Umbdenstock makes the case for including ethnic, race [...]
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SNFs can expect hard road for funding
Cynthia Morton, executive vice president for the National Association for the Support of Long Term Care, maintains that while Congress’ perceptions of long-term care are changing the proof is in the funding. In that regard the outlook is pretty dismal for skilled nursing. More at ltlmagazine.com
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Providers adjust to MDS 3.0 and RUG-IV
From McKnights – “The switchover to MDS 3.0 and RUG-IV may have happened months ago, but long-term care and therapy providers say they are still honing their policies and practices to ensure that residents receive the best treatment possible, and that appropriate reimbursement is attained for the therapy provided. “
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Coordinate Care for Better Outcomes and Cost Containment
Joe Flower at the Health Care Blog makes the case for coordination of care on both the moral and cost containment basis. Technology has a central place in enabling this coordination, but you don’t necessarily need a full-blown health information exchange or even electronic medical record to make this happen. Start by looking at who [...]
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ACO principles that will shape where hospitals are going
From beckershospitalreview.com, Steve Ronstrom, CEO, Western Wisconsin division of Hospital Sisters Health System writes about ACO-inspired principles that should govern hospital’s strategic planning even if they do not plan on becoming actual ACOs. It’s an interesting read and suggests how the industry will likely change independent of the current ACO hype. For independant LTACs and SNFs the most important [...]
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Proactive Quality Management
McKnight’s reports that CMS is introducing software for Quality Indicator Survey inspectors to use as part of their nursing home visits. As has been noticed, capturing quality information will be more and more important to LTACs and SNFs to ensure adequate reimbursement levels and as an aid to business development. And in addition to clinical information, [...]
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