Hospital Home Health Archives – August 1, 2010
August 1, 2010
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Top five challenging requirements identified by The Joint Commission
The Joint Commission (TJC) report on the top five most challenging requirements for home health care agencies shows that 28% of agencies surveyed for accreditation by TJC in 2009 were not compliant with the requirement to provide care in accordance with orders. -
For many, falls mean re-hospitalization
Surveyors from The Joint Commission (TJC) look for a comprehensive, well-planned program to assess each patient's risk of falling, identify steps to reduce the risk, and ongoing evaluation of the patient's risk. -
Patient flow takes on new importance
As hospitals face cuts in reimbursement and patients who become insured under health care reform legislation seek care, moving patients safely and quickly through the continuum of care is going to become important, experts say. -
Medicare project focuses on hospital readmissions
Since DCH Regional Medical Center in Tuscaloosa, AL, and the Alabama Quality Assurance Foundation began collaborating on a Medicare demonstration project to determine the most effective ways to reduce readmissions for Medicare patients, the hospital has increased its referrals to home care, nursing homes, community resources, and medication assistance programs. -
Dementia patients' spouses at higher risk
Husbands or wives who care for spouses with dementia are six times more likely to develop the memory-impairing condition than those whose spouses don't have it, according to the results of a 12-year study led by Johns Hopkins, Utah State University, and Duke University. -
Study: Best practices in urinary cath care
About 4 million Americans undergo urinary catheterization annually, and more than 500,000 of these catheterizations involve indwelling catheters left in place for some period. -
Study suggests value of acupuncture
A study published in Anesthesia & Analgesia, the official journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS), suggest there is scientific validity of traditional Chinese medicine for treatment of pain. -
Home infusion study could expand coverage
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has recommended that the Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary conduct a study of home infusion therapy to evaluate potential program costs and savings, payment options, quality issues, and program integrity associated with a comprehensive benefit under Medicare. The differences between Medicare fee-for-service, Medicare Advantage, and commercial insurance coverage were examined in the GAO report.