lwconsulting

Curbing hospital readmission may be achieved with long-term care consultants

Long-term care consultants will be able to help medical organizations handle the many stresses associated with managing the health of the elderly population. Right now, many medical facilities are attempting to develop new routines for reducing the rate of hospital readmission. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has instituted new requirements for reimbursement payments, which necessitate facilities to curb patient readmissions before 30 days out of the hospital. With the baby boomer population aging…

4 Common Barriers to Achieving Quality Patient Outcomes

Quality assessment and process improvement (QAPI) activities are an important part of providing quality patient care. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), as part of their conditions of participation, requires QAPI programs for hospitals and hospices. CMS has also proposed making them required for home health providers and skilled nursing facilities. Strong QAPI programs that result in exemplary clinical outcomes are a key mechanism by which providers can position themselves to be a preferred partner in any…

Timely Documentation Failures Can Be Costly

Often, therapy documentation comes under an audit with focus on quality patient care, continuity of care, and supporting the medical necessity of the services provided for coding and billing. Although allegations of malpractice are raised less often, the importance of thorough documentation as a defense against allegations of malpractice cannot be overstated. Regardless of the reason for the documentation review, it is also important to remember appropriate documentation is necessary to prevent licensing board actions.…