To HAVEN or HAVEN not
February 1, 1999 2 minutes read
To HAVEN or HAVEN not
When Mark DeLauro, RN, applications and case manager for Guthrie Home Health in Towanda, PA, began investigating OASIS scanning software options, he found many choices. But his agency eventually decided upon a Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) offering, Home Assessment Validation ENtry (HAVEN).
"We decided not to go the scanning route, although we may in the future. From what we could ascertain in talking to people outside the industry and the vendor circle that’s pushing the scanners, scanning is still too young and there are still some bugs that need to be worked out. We’ve heard warnings to the effect [HCFA] is developing the OASIS program too quickly, and there could be some bugs with that as well," he says.
"We looked at HAVEN initially and although we heard warnings about it we decided to look at it again. We chose to go with it because it will get us through the interim. We want time to see whether we want a stand-alone system or one to integrate into the system we already have. We’re looking at changing our computer system anyway, and with $13,000 price tag [for a scanning solution], we decided to wait and see how others make out before we do anything."
Continuum Care Technologies’ CEO Robert W. Anderson understands DeLauro’s point but feels that to put off climbing aboard the scanning bandwagon could prove to be a costly mistake in the long run.
"I think it’s a valid point to hold off, but not because OASIS isn’t jelled yet. If I was a director, I would ask myself if I understand the value of the data. If I do, I would [get a scanning solution] today. If I was only trying to stay compliant then I’d wait, because look what happened with surety bonds," he says.
"But it’s a recipe for failure as a business. . . . If you’re looking at IPS and trying to be successful in the future with the data you can get from OASIS and operations care maps, you can really drive costs down and quality up. If you’re truly thinking about the future and being aggressive in the marketplace, then I’d do it."
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