Hospital Case Management articles from September 2003

Hospital Case Management archives from September 2003

Concurrent review initiative helps NC hospital cut avoidable days: proactive approach keeps denials low.
September 1, 2003... Before the case management department at Northeast Medical Center in Concord, NC, launched an initiative to cut down on denials, the hospital's rate of avoidable days was as high as 12%. Now, 2 1/2 years later, avoidable days have dropped...

Hospital uses team approach for CM, UR: redesign of department is a work in progress.(case management/utilization review)
September 1, 2003... Before Thomas Hospital in Fairhope, AL, redesigned its case management program, nurses from two separate departments--social services and utilization review--performed case management-type functions. At that time, the social workers and...

Learn how to reduce costly staff turnover. (Guest Column).
September 1, 2003... In today's tight nursing labor market, case management directors must find ways to keep staff from seeking greener pastures. The cost of hiring and training new employees is significant. That's why it is important for directors to motivate...

Team conferences lower hospital's length of stay: technology, paper forms increase efficiency. (Critical Path Network[TM]).
September 1, 2003... A green monster may not be the first thing you would like to see when you get to work in the morning. But for one rehab hospital, the green monster has been a key to successful implementation of tile inpatient prospective payment system (PPS)....

Pre-testing patient safety tool helps ensure success: evaluation helped create clear copy for patients. (Critical Path Network[TM]).
September 1, 2003... The University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle is in no hurry to implement a tool an ad hoc committee created to teach patients their role in safety issues. It is running it through a series of pre-tests before implementing it...

Staff education cuts vent pneumonia rate in half: with a cost savings of more than $400,000. (Abstract & Commentary).
September 1, 2003... Source: Zack JE, et al. Effect of an education program aimed at reducing the occurrence of ventilator-associated pneumonia. Crit Care Med 2002; 11:2,407-2,412. Abstract: A focused-education program was associated with a dramatic reduction...

JCAHO hospital standards reduced to 225 from 508. (Abstract & Commentary).(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations has slashed the number of standards in the 2004 hospital accreditation program from 508 to 225 as part of the agency's Shared Visions, New Pathways initiative. Agency officials...

Consider using electronic charts instead of dictation: save more than $400,000 in transcription costs. (Ambulatory Care Quarterly).
September 1, 2003... Switching to an all-electronic system in the emergency department (ED) for charting and other functions is only a dream for some cash-strapped facilities, but an Ohio hospital is showing that the high initial cost can be recouped quickly...

Documentation errors are easy to avoid and correct: don't obscure errors; include all dates and times. (Ambulatory Care Quarterly).
September 1, 2003... One procedure is finished. The surgeon is ready for the next patient. Turnover time is critical. Everyone moves quickly from one area to the next. What about your documentation? It's one thing to keep everything moving swiftly throughout...

Save money with Price is Right contest. (Cost-Saving Tip).
September 1, 2003... Do you ever see nurses in your emergency department (ED) misusing or wasting supplies, and wish they knew what these items actually cost? Here's a solution: Ask nurses to guess what the ED pays for various common items, suggests Patricia...

CE questions.
September 1, 2003... 9. The case management staff at Northeast Medical Center in Concord, NC, concurrently reviews approximately what percentage of Medicare patients? A. 70% B. 80% C. 90% D. 100% 10. To alleviate the problem...