The business world moves fast, but the technology industry that supports business moves even faster. Is your agency ready for anticipated requirements in the home health care industry? The industry changes frequently, from CMS regulation updates to ICD-10 coding. Fortunately, adopting innovative software solutions specifically tailored to home health services can ease transitions and keep your agency compliant.
How can home health care software help a home health care agency function and thrive? Here are some ways:
- Care Coordination/CMS 485 Plan of Care – all documents in one place, accessible to multiple users.
- Billing and invoicing – streamline the process and eliminate unnecessary paperwork.
- Drug interaction / medication database – access important information at a clinician’s fingertips.
- On-site employee tracking – use Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) with a mobile app.
- Patient intake – quickly get a patient established in the agency’s system.
- Schedule optimizations – coordinate schedules in real-time, prevent duplications.
- Time/task reporting — seamlessly track employees.
- OASIS Assessments – use standardized assessments for agency compliance.
- Clinical progress notes – see notes at the point of care.
- Teaching guides – empower clinicians to deliver excellent patient care.
- Maximize time — focus on improving agency operations and spend more time on patients, less time on paperwork.
- HIPAA compliance – stay compliant with patient privacy protection through secure logins, secure communication features and secure data storage.
Accessibility
Home health care software is offered through a number of environments such as installed on a local computer and web-based on the cloud. According to Digital Journal, cloud computing is home care software’s most popular delivery mode, due in part to its accessibility. Home health care agencies’ use of “the cloud” is also expected to save money because there is no need for IT staff. It also helps agencies save money on hardware development.
Home health care software can also operate from a mobile environment and provide real-time functionality allowing for interaction between, caregivers, agencies and off site providers.
Home Health care Software Adoption
According to Digital Journal, “North America contributed the most to the home care software market worldwide in 2013, thanks in part to incentives offered by the U.S. government.” The report went on to say that by 2018, it will be the second fastest growing market for home care software. The reasons behind Electronic Health Records (EHRs) immense growth include the meaningful use incentive program and money given to the industry through the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.”[1]
The race to keep up with the changing face of business and technology is on. Keeping your agency abreast of the latest tools and applications in software will improve performance, support growth and increase profitability. Make certain the software your agency uses can support all three initiatives.
[1] Digitaljournal.com, (2014). Home Health care Software and Services Market Worth $6.4 Billion by 2018 – New Report by MarketsandMarkets – Press Release – Digital Journal. [online] Available at: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1900835 [Accessed 29 Sep. 2014].
