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| Case Management Monthly |
| April 2008 |
| LTACHs can help control patients' LOS |
| Case managers with patients facing an LOS that is longer than expected or above the DRG geometric mean LOS should consider transferring patients to LTACH, says Debbi Russell, BSN, MBA, CMAC, executive director of patient resource management at Regency Hospital Company in Alpharetta, GA.
"Hospitals commonly have problems maintaining their LOS rates and, in many cases, once the stay goes into that outlier period, they are not getting additional payments until it kicks into special outlier payment status, which sometimes takes a while and may be at a reduced payment," says Russell. By transferring eligible patients to LTACHs, hospitals have more beds available, reduce patients' LOS, and get patients into facilities that are experienced in providing care for the comorbidities that often cause extended LOS. |
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