Hospital Home Health Archives – January 1, 2007
January 1, 2007
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Complexity of coding requires special coding staff or in-house expert
With an average of 300 new codes and the development of guidelines that change the way old codes are applied each year, it is critical that your agency keep staff members up to date on coding requirements to ensure that you receive the highest appropriate reimbursement, say experts interviewed by Hospital Home Health. -
Coding expert must be a master at solving puzzles
Designating a staff member as the "coding expert" for your agency is one way to ensure accurate reimbursement; but the person does not have to be a certified coder to help your agency understand the myriad codes and guidelines. -
Don't forget hospitalists in your marketing plan
This is the first of a two-part series that looks at marketing in home health. This month we look at the importance of marketing to hospitalists. -
Attorney: 'Rotation' referrals may compromise care
Patients' right to freedom of choice of providers has been a source of continuing conflict, especially between hospitals and post-acute providers not owned by or affiliated with hospitals ... -
MDRO guidelines draw fire on active surveillance issue
The prevention of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) is a "national priority ... that requires all health care facilities and agencies assume responsibility," the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention emphasizes in long-awaited new guidelines on the issue. -
Very few hospitals using EHR, says a new study
As of 2005, only between 5% to 10% of hospitals are currently using electronic health records (EHRs), according to a new study. -
IOM report: Medicare should switch to P4P
A recent Institute of Medicine (IOM) report recommends that Medicare gradually replace its current fee-for-service payment system with a new pay-for-performance system for its 42 million beneficiaries. -
CMS expands preventive service coverage
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has expanded coverage for preventive services such as diabetes screening. Beginning Jan. 1, 2007, CMS is increasing payments for services that affect people with diabetes.