The hospice industry is no stranger to regulatory and compliance matters but lately they have become more stringent.
As hospice professionals, we work diligently to exceed the regulations outlined in the Hospice Conditions of Participation, yet when we evaluate the compliance of our organizations, we can find new opportunities for improvement.
Analysis... Keep Reading
With the implementation of the Notice of Admission (NOA) at the beginning of 2022, we have seen some issues occur with each Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) and their acceptance of the NOA.
These issues should be reviewed at each of the MAC’s websites (Palmetto, CGS/NGS) for continued tracking and updated instructions... Keep Reading
When a patient is receiving hospice care, one major facet of that care is medications. The average hospice patient receives more than 10 medications a day, which can be immensely expensive for consumers and hospice organizations.
These rising costs created the need for pharmacy benefit management companies, intermediaries between hospice organizations... Keep Reading
We know interoperability improves care coordination, a sore spot in many providers’ operations. Yet interoperability impacts more than just care transitions. An integrated operational method enables a seamless delivery of quality care while also improving efficiency and decreasing costs. This is the dream scenario for care at home organizations.
An easy-to-use... Keep Reading
While employee engagement has been a focus for some organizations, the pandemic has highlighted the importance of making this a major priority.
This was confirmed in a survey conducted jointly by Axxess and healthcare consulting firm SimiTree, getting industry feedback from more than 1,800 home-based care providers from organizations of all... Keep Reading
Workforce development is a hot topic. Everyone wants to recruit and retain employees who will provide excellent care to clients. But how can we develop those who are not quite what we expected when they were hired?
Five areas of workforce development focus include:
Training
Caregivers may need training on specific care or... Keep Reading
Hospice Quality Reporting Program updates were at the forefront of the FY 2022 Hospice Final Rule.
The Hospice Care Index and Visits in the Last Days of Life, both claims-based measures, will provide consumers with visibility into the quality of care that hospice organizations provide. Where does that leave hospice quality... Keep Reading
Gone are the days of clinicians answering patient outcome questions “from the bottom up” on admission and “from the top down” for discharge.
The original Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Model was rolled out in 2016 to nine states across the nation. These states would see their organizations shift from a... Keep Reading
From the first bedside conversation to the final bill out the door, when identifying referral patterns and types of patients needed to further clinical education, the cycle of the care journey has gaps that can be bridged by interoperability.
Home health and hospice organizations have seen a distinct shift in referral... Keep Reading
Axxess CARE is the staffing life raft that has saved many organizations in addressing the current nursing shortage. This online platform enables organizations to find clinicians who are interested in picking up extra visits in their area.
On Axxess CARE, clinicians can view posted visits according to their preferences and qualifications.... Keep Reading
For many people, coworkers feel like a second family and the workplace serves as a second home. As such, the work environment should be conducive to employees’ well-being. This second home should be a main source of improving a person’s morale and self-worth.
A high-morale company will result in happy and... Keep Reading
Despite the negative connotation, a denied claim is not always a bad thing. Inconvenient, sure. Confusing, sometimes. However, it is when the denied claim results in an unpaid claim that the situation turns negative.
Too many home health organizations lose money they are owed simply because of a clerical error or... Keep Reading