To address concerns raised during pilot testing for its planned comprehensive hospice assessment tool, CMS has decided to delay further testing phases. But CMS is working diligently to retool the Hospice Evaluation and Assessment Reporting Tool (HEART) and plans to hold quarterly special open door forums beginning in September in an attempt to solicit public comments. On July 7, 2018, The New York Times, in conjunction with Kaiser Health News, published a news article detailing the new payroll-based journal Medicare reporting system. The article highlights that the new system shows low staffing levels at many nursing homes, and profiles patients at one New York nursing home who detail “ghost town” nursing homes, particularly on weekends. CMS is providing notifications to facilities that were determined to be out of compliance with Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) requirements for CY 2017, which will affect their FY 2019 Annual Payment Update (APU). Non-compliance notifications were mailed by the Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) and have been placed into facilities’ CASPER folders in QIES on July 9, 2018. [Sponsored] Under pressure to curb healthcare spending, providers plan to move away from traditional models like Skilled Nursing and inpatient rehab facilities and towards those that promote care outside the hospital or institutional setting, BDO’s Candid Conversations on Elder Care reveals. The study (with NEJM Catalyst) asks U.S. executives, clinical leaders and clinicians at nearly 500 healthcare organizations which areas they’ll invest in most by 2020—and how they’ll look to tech—to prepare for the growth of the aging U.S. population. The occupancy rate for seniors housing across the nation continues to decline, according to a July 12 press release from the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC). a non-profit organization that provides data and analytics on the sector. New in the July issue of PPS Alert for Long-Term Care... Analyzing and using QM data Facilities must extend the investigative processes in order to fix quality problems. Implementing solutions could lead to better survey outcomes, higher quality ratings, and better-paying reimbursement models. Therefore, facility staff members need to understand the components of performance improvement, always striving for better resident outcomes and better processes to arrive at those outcomes. Not a subscriber? Sign up here. Monthly In-Service: July issue of CNA Training Advisor Caring for residents with diabetes Click here to receive a new lesson plan every month, including course materials, a 4-page in-service, and a quiz targeted to address the unique needs, interests, and concerns of CNAs. Education and Training Tools QAPI for Outcomes and Compliance: Including Both Conditions of Payment and Participation OASIS-D Is coming: Prepare your clinicians today | | Product Spotlight At HCPro, we help your organization make faster, better decisions by connecting your challenges and questions to an unrivaled network of experts, resources, and solutions. With a shared-cost membership, you can expect world-class thinking and advice without having to worry about the meter running or expensive consulting fees. An all-encompassing offering, PROPELAdvisory Services is available in six domains, with more on the way. Our growing family includes memberships in Medicare, long-term care, clinical documentation improvement, medical staff, coding, and revenue cycle management. Click here to learn more, or contact us at: 615-724-7213 | advisoryservices@hcpro.com |
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