Home Health & Hospice Articles by Topic: Policies and Procedures
-
Homecare Direction, Issue 3, March 12, 2020
Agencies should keep in mind that the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM) does not change home...
-
Homecare Direction, Issue 3, March 12, 2020
Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar declared a public health emergency Jan. 31, in...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 2, February 25, 2020
It seems like it would be an easy answer, but it is a little more complicated than that. Pulmonary...
-
Homecare Direction, Issue 2, February 14, 2020
Whether to transfer a patient with a discharge or without discharge has been causing much confusion...
-
Homecare Direction, Issue 1, January 14, 2020
Set goals and objectives for the use of Facebook and create strong content to reap the benefits of...
-
Homecare Direction, Issue 11, November 8, 2019
Agencies should consider establishing processes for how to handle changes in a patient’s...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 10, October 28, 2019
Under PDGM, when a patient is admitted to an acute care hospital, the agency will proceed with a...
-
Homecare Direction, Issue 9, September 4, 2019
Make obtaining staff buy-in a priority during the transition to the Patient-Driven Groupings Model...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 7, July 29, 2019
As far as paperwork for your agency, you will need to see if the next qualifying clinician would...
-
Homecare Direction, Issue 7, July 8, 2019
Industry experts believe the use of outsourced coding will grow as a result of how the...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 6, June 28, 2019
Intake could say to the referral source, “Does the patient have any neuropathy? Does the...
-
Homecare Direction, Issue 6, June 6, 2019
Strong documentation is key in home health, and implementation of the Patient-Driven Groupings...
-
Homecare Direction, Issue 6, June 6, 2019
Agencies seeking to pass CMS’ Review Choice Demonstration (RCD) with flying colors should...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 5, May 31, 2019
There appears to be fairly strong support in the Congress to pass the bill.
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 4, April 18, 2019
You note agencies' struggles with hospitalizations.
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 4, April 18, 2019
A couple years ago, the new administration came in with a desire to simplify life for providers.
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 4, April 18, 2019
We’re going to keep seeing agencies cited for issues involving organization and...
-
Homecare Direction, Issue 4, April 8, 2019
While experts agree it’s important to start preparing now for the Patient-Driven Groupings...
-
Homecare Direction, Issue 4, April 8, 2019
As the number of employees increased at Shanadoa Home Health in Bartlesville, Okla., Owner Shanda...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 3, March 22, 2019
Root cause analysis still needs to be done at every hospital transfer because agencies will be able...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 3, March 22, 2019
One is going to be the scheduling aspect. Getting out to the home within 24 to 48 hours is vital.
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 3, March 22, 2019
The revised CoPs don't give specific protocols for what a PIP must look like.
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 3, March 22, 2019
The Home Health Conditions of Participation (CoPs) require the governing body approve all policies...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 3, March 22, 2019
Are the clinicians moving the visits to another day during the week?
-
Homecare Direction, Issue 3, March 6, 2019
In the short term, a new MLN Matters article announcing CMS will suppress payments associated with...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 2, February 25, 2019
You note that CMS is adding “emerging infectious diseases” to the current definition of...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 2, February 25, 2019
The quality measure “drug regimen review conducted with follow-up for identified...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 2, February 25, 2019
When the revised Home Health Conditions of Participation (CoPs) originally came out, there was an...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 2, February 25, 2019
We are assessing and observing if we have an issue related to medical error.
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 2, February 25, 2019
Yes, it can be omitted from the plan of care.
-
Homecare Direction, Issue 2, February 5, 2019
Case conferences will take on increased importance when the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 1, January 16, 2019
You note that your agency is considering shifting away from a pay-per visit model for clinicians...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 1, January 16, 2019
G1024 (Authentication) is one of the more common standard-level deficiencies in 2018.
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 1, January 16, 2019
You asked whether agencies have a responsibility to train staff to identify whether patients are...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 17, December 17, 2018
Choose the pre-claim option.
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 17, December 17, 2018
Learning and implementing the feedback loop.
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 17, December 17, 2018
Hospital-based agencies are going to have more institutional admits than community admits.
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 17, December 17, 2018
Home health value-based purchasing is a separate rewards system.
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 17, December 17, 2018
First let’s go over how a PEP works.
-
Homecare Direction, Issue 12, December 5, 2018
CMS has just given itself an additional year — until Nov. 3, 2019 — to finalize its...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 16, November 20, 2018
Here are some of the questions to ask.
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 16, November 20, 2018
All payers must follow the Conditions of Participation, which require an update to the...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 16, November 20, 2018
Often policies are written very well.
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 16, November 20, 2018
I’ve seen it go both ways.
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 16, November 20, 2018
It might not change. It might just intensify.
-
Homecare Direction, Issue 11, November 5, 2018
Establish procedures, set benchmarks and hold staff accountable to increase efficiencies as part...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 15, October 19, 2018
Staff should use contact precautions with a contact precaution kit. In general, wear protective...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 15, October 19, 2018
If agencies are spending a large amount on supplies for wound care patients, some suggestions to...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 15, October 19, 2018
The public use file is a file that is used by policymakers and researchers that review the...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 15, October 19, 2018
During an emergency, CMS has the expectation that agency staff should be able to assist in their...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 15, October 19, 2018
If the RN saw the client early in the day, another qualified discipline could see the client later...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 0, October 19, 2018
Normal
0
false
false
false
EN-US
X-NONE
X-NONE...
-
Homecare Direction, Issue 10, October 4, 2018
Ensure sound protocols are in place for how to respond when an employee alerts you that your...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 14, September 21, 2018
CMS doesn't require Medicare Advantage plans to have a face-to-face document for home health.
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 14, September 21, 2018
In the scenario you describe, your agency admitted a patient when she was discharged home from the...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 14, September 21, 2018
In the scenario you discuss, your agency had a patient that was a full admission to the hospital.
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 14, September 21, 2018
At this point, I would suggest you don't do anything drastic.
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 14, September 21, 2018
The demonstration gives an opportunity for providers and suppliers otherwise subject to the...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 13, September 4, 2018
Does the patient require hours your agency is not providing, but should be?
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 13, September 4, 2018
You should have a policy in place that describes things like a bag barrier and how to clean your...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 13, September 4, 2018
This is a difficult question to answer, not knowing your agency processes. But there are several...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 13, September 4, 2018
In the scenario you discuss, your agency is in Indiana and are currently going through a federal...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 12, July 25, 2018
We see inappropriate recertifications all over the place.
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 12, July 25, 2018
Once the wound is fully granulated and the wound surface is covered with epithelial tissue, the...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 12, July 25, 2018
First determine if the POA is medical and if the patient is incapacitated.
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 12, July 25, 2018
APRAs cannot write orders for a plan of care or subsequent verbal orders.
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 11, July 15, 2018
This question cannot be answered, as each eligibility is established with each particular patient.
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 11, July 15, 2018
There is no CMS regulation to have the EMR/tablet/daily visit record signed.
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 11, July 15, 2018
Per §1814(a)(2)(C) and §1835(a)(2)(A) of the Social Security Act, the patient must be in...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 11, July 15, 2018
Denying a referral should be a determination based on agency policy and physician...
-
Homecare Direction, Issue 7, July 2, 2018
Among the top 12 standard-level deficiencies in home health thus far in 2018, seven involve issues...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 10, June 11, 2018
It is important for the pages of the plan of care to be clearly numbered if there is more than one...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 10, June 11, 2018
The Joint Commission (TJC) includes a requirement under the Provision of Care, Treatment and...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 10, June 11, 2018
PNs - along with occupational and physical therapy assistants - aren't qualified to establish the...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 9, May 12, 2018
First off, know on the front end that the biller is looking for those requested records. Ensure...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 9, May 12, 2018
This can be done by electronic methods.
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 9, May 12, 2018
Agencies may require patients to make a written request for copies of the medical record. This is a...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 8, April 17, 2018
No conversation on the phone can be billable, as is the same for HIS quality measures.
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 8, April 17, 2018
The supervisory visits need to be no less frequently than every 14 days from the date of the first...
-
Homecare Direction, Issue 4, April 12, 2018
To help comply with the new patient rights requirements in the revised Home Health Conditions of...
-
Homecare Direction, Issue 3, March 26, 2018
The lack of an appointed head of the Occupational Safe-ty and Health Administration (OSHA) has...
-
Homecare Direction, Issue 3, March 12, 2018
Agencies gearing up for the performance improvement project (PIP) requirement under the revised...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 2, January 17, 2018
After defining the scope of an agency’s QAPI program, the CoPs outline how the quality...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 2, January 17, 2018
Note PEPPER’s six target areas:
Average case mix. This target area calculates average case...
-
Homecare Direction, Issue 12, December 11, 2017
CMS’ long-awaited draft version of the interpretive guidelines for the revised Home Health...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 22, November 17, 2017
The CDI department should have its own set of policies and procedures to govern its...
-
Homecare E-News, Issue 43, November 13, 2017
Home health agencies and other providers with a low volume of pending appeals at the administrative...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 20, October 17, 2017
Procedures are detailed descriptions of the tasks required to implement and maintain agency...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 20, October 17, 2017
Agencies must identify not only the appropriate compensation for staff but also the...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 20, October 17, 2017
Consider adopting clinical pathways to increase nursing visit efficiency, decrease...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 20, October 17, 2017
There is no language specifically stating an NP or PA cannot give orders. Rather, the rules...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 18, September 19, 2017
Some example of areas that an agency’s personnel policies should address are:
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 18, September 19, 2017
Here’s how to improve on ADRs:
-
Homecare E-News, Issue 35, September 18, 2017
The agency’s policies and procedures will include a discipline and discharge policy. It is...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 18, September 17, 2017
Excellent question, given the active season we’ve been having. You must comply with...
-
Homecare Direction, Issue 8, August 25, 2017
1. Why is it important to practice infection control?
-
Homecare Direction, Issue 8, August 25, 2017
As an HHA staffer or nurse, you care for people in vital ways—bathing, grooming, feeding...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 14, July 17, 2017
The CoPs make clear that the plan of care will continue to be based on the comprehensive...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 16, August 22, 2016
When our patients are admitted to an inpatient facility and we complete a transfer OASIS, we...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 11, June 3, 2016
First and foremost, a policy and a procedure are two entirely different animals. A policy is...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 2, January 18, 2016
We have a patient that meets Medicare eligibility for home health services, remains homebound, and...
-
Homecare E-News, Issue 2, January 11, 2016
When working with stroke patients, you are responsible for several types of observations. First...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 23, December 4, 2015
Documentation will be important to support supply utilization and payment.
Claims must include...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 23, December 4, 2015
Best practice should identify clinical actions—assessment, teaching, procedures...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 22, November 17, 2015
What policies do we need, and which additional policies should we have?
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 21, November 3, 2015
Establishing a frequency is considered very unique, as a psychiatric patient sometimes requires the...
-
Homecare E-News, Issue 40, October 19, 2015
Care delivered according to infection control guidelines is the most effective tool available for...
-
Homecare E-News, Issue 41, October 19, 2015
Last Tuesday, NAHC submitted official comments to CMS on a pair of proposed clinical templates (one...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 20, October 16, 2015
What are some approaches patients may try to implement themselves to overcome swallowing...
-
Homecare E-News, Issue 40, October 12, 2015
While awaiting an imminent decision in its lawsuit challenging the validity of the physician...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 17, September 8, 2015
No. The regulations do not mandate any particular form or format for documentation or confirmation...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 15, August 3, 2015
Telemonitoring or telehealth is one technology that can help a patient in the home. It cannot...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 13, July 2, 2015
AA best practice should identify clinical actions—assessment, teaching, procedures...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 13, July 2, 2015
As long as the order is a complete order for a treatment or therapy, you may have more than one...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 13, July 2, 2015
July 3, 2015
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 11, June 3, 2015
Can we use standing orders for many of our specialty programs, like wound care?
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 11, June 3, 2015
Can we accept orders from a physician’s secretary or office nurse who is communicating with...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 10, May 17, 2015
What should you do about a tardy recertification assessment?
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 7, April 3, 2015
Unfortunately, when a fall occurs in the presence of agency staff, people assume that it...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 6, March 17, 2015
Effective teams need leadership. By using the term “case manager,” the home health...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 6, March 17, 2015
What you are looking for is a nonpunitive, “just” culture for your agency, or a...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 5, March 3, 2015
We spend a tremendous amount of time in meetings. Many of them are boring, nonproductive, and...
-
Homecare Q&A, Issue 5, March 3, 2015
There is not a specific Condition of Participation (CoP) stating that the board must review your...
-
Homecare Insider, Issue 1, January 5, 2015
Will home health remain exempt from overtime compensation in most circumstances like it has for 40...