Hospice Management Advisor Archives – September 1, 2007
September 1, 2007
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Hospices and NHPCO are preparing for anticipated COPs before the final rule
Time is running out for hospices to prepare for the new Medicare conditions of participation (COPs), and experts say the best strategy is to make quality improvement changes now and not wait until sometime in 2008 when it will become the law. -
How to start a quality improvement project
Hospices beginning performance improvement projects for the first time, or those revising existing programs, could learn a few pointers from their peers' experiences. -
Trends in Hospice: Palliative Care Growth
Featured in this issue is a story about how one hospice organization has made palliative care a big part of its mission and business. -
A new tool to help predict pressure ulcers
The cost of treating pressure ulcers is estimated at $9 billion per year, and the cost for care for home health patients with pressure ulcers is 36% more than the cost of caring for home health patients without pressure ulcers. -
Offer wide scope of duties to attract nurse practitioners
The challenges faced by hospice managers when hiring nurse practitioners are many of the same challenges faced when hiring hospice nurses. -
Communication and falls top the list of challenges
Compliance with Goal 2 of the National Patient Safety Goals, which calls for the improvement of effective communications among caregivers, dropped to 72% in 2006 from 76.8% in 2005. -
States contracting with SNPs for Medicaid benefits
Several states have taken advantage of Medicare's SNP option to negotiate contracts with the plans to include Medicaid benefits for dually eligible individuals enrolled in such plans.