Keeping Up With Chronic Disease Care: Are You Making A Difference Or Going To End Up Last To Cross The Finish Line?
Kenyon HomeCare Consulting • March 3, 2021
As much as we have seen change in the last several years, we are now at the head of looking forward to post acute payment systems. In this article we would like to consider what this means in term of chronic disease care within your agency. The particular items within the payment system are not decided, but your approach to chronic disease needs to be.
Overview Of Post-Acute Payment Unification:
In this industry, we have said it for years and known that we are the most cost-effective way to take care of patients in a post-acute setting. However, CMS sees that many patients who could be managed at home are sent to costlier inpatient post-acute care. So, CMS still wants to see patients receive the post-acute care, but not pay more for it than what the patient requires. What does this mean? Ultimately, the payment for care of the patient is dependent upon the patient’s specific needs as opposed to the setting in which the care is received. The goal is for the CHF patient at home to cost the same to CMS as if the patient was in a SNF or other inpatient facility. So, that means we need to make sure we can provide the same outcomes as inpatient care. Now, let’s discuss your chronic disease program.
Chronic Disease Can’t Be The Same Old, Same Old:
Kenyon Homecare Consulting has long focused clients on the need for a strong chronic disease program to improve patient outcomes and coordinated care planning. Without a strong program that links all disciplines to actively addressing chronic disease every visit, you aren’t going to do well in a unified payment system. You will have to consider additional unnecessary visits to cover the patient and re-hospitalization will not improve. So, look at how you educate current staff and keep chronic disease in the forefront of care. Look at what orientation procedures bring staff into the fold of chronic disease care. And lastly, look how you make sure all clinical disciplines put the pieces together. Clinical staff functioning independently from one another in the management of the care plan does not manage chronic disease well. The time to start is now.
Let Us Help You Be Chronic Disease Experts:
At Kenyon Homecare Consulting, we have disease specific chronic disease training for individual clinicians as well as for agencies working to make coordinated care planning successful. Call us today at 206-721-5091 or contact us online to see how we can help your chronic disease program make you the best in your area.
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