Hospital Case Management – June 1, 2007
June 1, 2007
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Get ready for a totally new DRG system focused on hospital costs, not charges
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed sweeping changes to the hospital inpatient prospective payment system for fiscal year 2008, which begins Oct. 1, 2007. -
Prepare to track conditions not present on admission
In a little more than a year, if a patient develops an additional condition or infection after admission, your hospital may not get paid for treating the condition. -
Proactive approach improves documentation
A proactive approach to documentation improvement has paid off for Northwest Hospital and Medical Center in Seattle. -
Critcal Path Network: Multi-thronged approach moves patients through continuum
A series of initiatives that includes on-site screeners for rehabilitation and long-term care, as well as a lounge for patients being discharged has helped Bay Regional Medical Center in Bay City, MI, move patients safely through the continuum of care in a timely manner. -
Critcal Path Network: 'Discharge by appointment' taking 'hardwiring'
A "discharge by appointment" initiative at St. Joseph's Medical Center in Towson, MD, has had some success, but is being challenged by physician delays and families who aren't arriving on time. -
Advocate for patients but be sure it's on firm ground
A case in which a Lafayette, LA, case manager was arrested and charged with obstruction of justice should serve as a reminder to case managers that they must be familiar with the Health Insurance Portability and Accessibility Act (HIPAA) as well as their local and state patient privacy laws, says Elizabeth Hogue, Esq., a Burtonsville, MD, attorney in private practice specializing in health care issues. -
Guest Column: Involve patients in mistake prevention
Patients and their families play an important role in reducing adverse events. A growing number of news reports and federal and local initiatives are calling for more consumer involvement in the prevention of medical errors. -
Ambulatory Care Quarterly: Interventions improve care, not necessarily outcomes
A study published in the March 1 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine1 found that interventions for chronic conditions in the Health Disparities Collaboratives led to improvements in processes of care, but the authors could not document improvement in clinical outcomes.