Falls can cause much more than broken bones and bruises. They can cause hospital stays, a loss of independence, or even death. Not all falls cause a serious injury, but one out of five falls does. These types of injuries include broken bones, typically wrist, arm, ankle or hip fractures.... Keep Reading
Whether your hospice agency is using the productivity, ratio or another staffing model, maximizing the number of team members your agency employs is paramount to the successful execution of your chosen staffing model. Whether large or small, hospice agencies should begin rolling out, or - in some cases - resetting... Keep Reading
Tagged hospice
Now that home healthcare providers are getting comfortable with PDGM, there is yet another regulatory change with which to contend. Review Choice Demonstration (RCD), which has been underway in Illinois and Ohio, is about to be introduced in Texas. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), RCD... Keep Reading
Tagged hospice
2020 has been named “the year of the nurse” and nowhere was that more apparent than at the recent Texas Association for Home Care and Hospice (TAHCH) Winter Conference. Hundreds of healthcare professionals gathered to focus on the full spectrum of post-acute care. Session topics included learning more about hospice... Keep Reading
Home care provides the necessary support for people and their families when dealing with a wide array of needs. The recent Texas Association for Home Care and Hospice (TAHCH) Winter Conference covered a host of topics related to medical, non-medical and pediatric care. I enjoyed learning about how home health... Keep Reading
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has determined that, as of this year, 12 million Americans will need care for the rest of their lives. Most will be cared for at home, and many of those will receive home health or hospice care.
The goal of home health care... Keep Reading
It's impossible to get through February without thinking about hearts. Thanks to Valentine's Day, we're inundated with heart-shaped boxes of chocolates and frilly heart-shaped cards. But candy and card hearts aren't the only things people should be concerned with this month. According to the CDC, heart disease is the leading... Keep Reading
The Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) Hospice Survey empowers hospice organizations by attracting referral sources, driving business growth, and sustaining compliance with industry regulations, including the current pay-for-reporting requirements and the shift to value-based care on the industry’s horizon. By evaluating hospice patient and caregiver experiences, the... Keep Reading
Opioid-induced constipation is a frequent problem that does not resolve without intervention using a bowel regimen. In addition to the use of opiates presenting constipation challenges, hospice patients are at higher risk for constipation because they are generally not as mobile or not well hydrated. The goal of this quality... Keep Reading
I have a ‘pet peeve’ that I mention often when I speak at events. The Electronic Medical Record (EMR) was designed to assist the clinician in creating a “Point of Care” method of documentation that would improve communication among disciplines, maintain confidentiality of the medical record, and collect meaningful patient... Keep Reading
If family is able and available, family members usually provide the bulk of care for elderly or disabled relatives, but they often require help from in-home care providers in order to maintain their own lives. In order to become a part of the care team as qualified home care providers,... Keep Reading
The Quality Measure for Dyspnea Treatment encompasses both the timing of treatment once a patient has been screened as having shortness of breath, as well as allowing for multiple possibilities of pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatment measures. The screenings should also be documented in the hospice software. The quality measure also... Keep Reading