The nationwide caregiver and nursing shortage is projected to worsen in the coming years due to the increase in aging baby boomers. Staffing challenges, from caregiver hiring to retention, were the top concern for 77% of home care agencies surveyed by Home Care Pulse in 2017.
This means that it is... Keep Reading
This is the first installment in a series of blogs on optimizing hospice patient and family experiences by examining each question on the CAHPS Hospice Survey and exploring opportunities to improve hospice care delivery.
The Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) Hospice Survey empowers hospice organizations by attracting referral... Keep Reading
One thing everyone in the home health industry can relate to is an environment of constant change. The Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM) is only the latest example. There have been changes to ICD-10 codes and guidelines, CoPs, adjustments to the formatting of the OASIS, added and removed Outcomes and Process... Keep Reading
With more than 28 years of healthcare at home experience, Jamie Summerfelt, M.Ed, MSPT, president and CEO of Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) in Omaha, Nebraska, is passionate about home care. He began his career in home health as a physical therapist, providing outpatient care in the 1970s. Summerfelt loves the... Keep Reading
Paperless patient claims or “electronic claims” are generated and transmitted electronically to a health insurer or third-party payer for processing and payment. This transaction reduces unnecessary administrative strain, reduces claim denials and lessens the expense involved with processing and submitting manual claims. Though this type of transaction comes with many... Keep Reading
Home health agencies will soon be dealing with the implementation of the Patient-Driven Groupings Model, which begins on January 1, 2020. Under PDGM, providers can succeed with a well-focused management team and a well-informed staff. For agencies to successfully move forward in the PDGM system, they must be diligent in... Keep Reading
If there is one thing Joel Theisen, BSN, RN is passionate about, it’s developing proactive, preventative long-term care for older adults. Theisen is chief executive officer and founder of Lifesprk, an innovative home care company based in Minnesota that is focused on bringing Theisen’s passion to life.
The Future of Home... Keep Reading
Medicare reimbursement for home health providers will completely change under the Patient-Driven Groupings Model. When the new system takes effect in January 2020, it will require major adjustments to how organizations operate. A new white paper from Axxess provides in-depth detail about the changes and how each stage of the... Keep Reading
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) publishes a proposed rule for home health each summer for the following payment year. While this proposal outlines the payment structure for the calendar year following its release, it often outlines other planned changes for industry standards and requirements. This year’s rule... Keep Reading
Hospice providers must now understand the new rules that surround the disposal of opioids. The Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act, was recently approved by Congress and signed into law. This law authorizes hospice nurses and other employees to dispose of unused controlled substances,... Keep Reading
With more than 20 years of experience in the home care industry, Wanda Coley, has combined her deep knowledge of finance, business development, payer contracting and post-acute strategies to become a highly-regarded expert. As president and chief operating officer of Well Care Heath, Coley oversees daily operations, growth, profitability, and the execution... Keep Reading
In its proposed rule for Fiscal Year 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has suggested rate increases to agencies for the provision of Continuous Home Care (CHC), General Inpatient Care (GIP), and Inpatient Respite Care (IRC). These increases are proposed to help hospice agencies offset the cost of care provision on these levels of care. According to CMS, these... Keep Reading