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Looking for a tool to make your job easier? PPS Alert for Long-Term Care, exclusively for the RN or MDS coordinator, is your survival guide for complying with PPS.

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Issue 12, December 12, 2003 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Shake up the MDS in your facility by revamping your assessment scales

  On top of the 10-page form that comprises the MDS, how many assessment forms do you complete for...

• OMRA scenarios to test your mettle

  Questions about the Other Medicare Required Assessment (OMRA) can stump even the most seasoned MDS...

• Essential elements of admission care planning

  When you admit a new resident to your skilled nursing facility (SNF), you need to address and...

• PPS Q&A

  "PPS Q&A" is written by Julia Hopp, MS, RN, CNAA, BC, vice president of patient accounting for the...

Issue 11, November 11, 2003 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• MDS accuracy is issue #1

  Have you ever heard of a corporate integrity agreement (CIA)? It's a contract a skilled nursing...

• Feeding assistant rule finally comes to fruition-but guidance is lacking

  Some skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) will likely want to start using paid feeding assistants to...

• Try a cheat sheet for better Medicare documentation in your nursing home

  Getting appropriate documentation to support your residents' needs for skilled services can be...

• Gain fluency in the language of rehabilitation

  If a person who speaks only German attempts to communicate with a person who speaks only French...

• PPS Q&A

  "PPS Q&A" is written by Julia Hopp, MS, RN, CNAA, BC, vice president of patient accounting for...

Issue 10, October 7, 2003 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Achieve better physician relations

  Maintaining good relations with medical directors and other physicians may seem like a daunting...

• Care plans for the 21st century

  During last decade's overemphasis on paper compliance, care plans became rote, sterile documents at...

• PPS Q&A

  "PPS Q&A" is written by Julia Hopp, MS, RN, CNAA, BC, vice president of patient accounting for the...

Issue 9, September 9, 2003 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Changes hit the RAI

  Not even a full year after CMS released the updated Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) User's...

• Check up on your MDS accuracy

  Each facility should have systems in place to monitor its MDS accuracy-with fiscal intermediaries...

• PPS Q&A

  "PPS Q&A" is written by Julia Hopp, MS, RN, CNAA, BC, vice president of patient accounting for the...

Issue 8, August 4, 2003 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• DAVe is tough on MDS accuracy

  As a conscientious MDS coordinator, of course you want your assessment information to be as...

• Quality measures get a makeover

  A lot is riding on the next version of the Nursing Home Quality Initiative quality measures...

• Get out your abacus for items P7 and P8

  Two powerful agencies, both connected to the government, recently found that skilled nursing...

• PPS Q&A

  "PPS Q&A" is written by Julia Hopp, MS, RN, CNAA, BC, vice president of patient accounting for the...

Issue 7, July 10, 2003 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• MDS 3.0 spurs much discussion

  Professionals from every nook and cranny of the nursing home industry came out in June to speak...

• Take charge of your job today

  Stressed out, at wit's end, had it up to here-these are common feelings expressed in the day-to-day...

• The inner-workings of case mix

  As an MDS coordinator you are generally very knowledgeable about PPS-you have to be because it's...

• Tackle restorative nursing-because it's the right thing to do

  You want to do the best for your residents in terms of maintaining their activities of daily living...

• PPS Q&A

  "PPS Q & A" is written by Julia Hopp, MS, RN, CNAA, BC, vice president of patient accounting for...

Issue 6, June 10, 2003 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• How well do you know the CFR?

  How well do you know the CFR?

• Diligently documenting for Medicare

  Medicare documentation is a huge requirement of providing and getting paid for skilled services-and...

• Seven steps to cutting down on forms

  Extraneous paperwork is a plague that has long infested the majority of the nation's nursing homes...

• The notice of noncoverage

  The staff in your skilled nursing facility (SNF) put a lot of effort and long hours into their...

Issue 5, May 5, 2003 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• The draft of the MDS Version 3.0

  You're probably already aware that CMS released a draft of the MDS Version 3.0 in April. But...

• QIOs represent bright spot on the horizon of quality nursing home care

  With hurdles like inadequate re-imbursement and ever-increasing regulations to overcome, it may...

• Weighty concerns ahoy in Section K

  Navigating the seas of Section K, Oral/nutritional status-and especially item K3, weight change-can...

• PPS Q&A

  "PPS Q&A" was written by Julia Hopp, MS, RN, CNAA, BC, vice president of patient accounting for the...

Issue 4, April 1, 2003 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Taking a RAP to the next level

  Steps to turn protocols into care plans Most MDS coordinators enjoy a little challenge in their...

• Medicare doesn't last forever

  Whether residents stop meeting the criteria for skilled services or whether the care they require...

• Choose the right ARD every time

  Though PPS has been around since 1998, many facilities are still not comprehending how important...

• PPS Q&A

  "PPS Q & A" was written by Julia Hopp, MS, RN, CNAA, BC, vice president of patient accounting...

Issue 3, March 5, 2003 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• The hows-and whys-of MDS coordinators working with hospice

  Years ago, it would be relatively rare to run across a hospice patient in a nursing home setting...

• Tricks of the software trade

  Ten steps to selecting the best MDS software Changing your MDS software program is a scary...

• Comprehending the quality measures

  In the January and February issues of PPS Alert, you read articles on proper coding of the quality...

• PPS Q&A

  "PPS Q&A" was written by Julia Hopp, MS, RN, CNAA, BC, vice president of patient accounting for the...

Issue 8, February 24, 2003

• The MDS coordinator and therapy: An essential partnership

  The MDS coordinator and therapy: An essential partnership

Issue 4, February 28, 2003

• Lots to ponder in the updated MDS Version 2.0 RAI User's Manual

  Lots to ponder in the updated MDS Version 2.0 RAI User’s Manual

Issue 2, February 21, 2003 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Lots to ponder in the updated MDS Version 2.0 RAI User’s Manual

  You mean you haven’t had time to examine and analyze all the changes and additions to the...

• PPS Q&A

  “PPS Q&A” was written by Julia Hopp, MS, RN, CNAA, BC, vice president of patient...

• Secrets to coding the QMs correctly

  Editor’s note: This is part two of a series that discusses accurate coding and assessment...

• The MDS coordinator and therapy: An essential partnership

  It’s doubtful your skilled nursing facility could function without its therapists. The...

Issue 1, January 21, 2003 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Are you a little fuzzy on how to code Section B, cognitive patterns?

  Use all of CMS’ guidance on cognitive assessment to your full advantageThough Section B...

• How to handle hospital stays for Part A residents

  The ins and outs of counting Medicare days, billing, and paperwork under PPSSome days your...

• It’s easy to get a foot in the door of CMS’ SNF open-door forum

  As part of its resolution to become a kinder, gentler government agency, CMS has been hosting...

• PPS Q&A

  “PPS Q&A” was written by Julia Hopp, MS, RN, CNAA, BC, vice president of patient...

• Secrets to coding the QMs correctly

  This is part one of a two-part series on correct coding and assessment for your quality measures...