Hospice Management Advisor articles from May 2008

Hospice Management Advisor archives from May 2008

As more hospices hit Medicare cap, legislation calls for a moratorium.
May 1, 2008... As more hospices hit Medicare cap, legislation calls for a moratorium Hospices disagree and call for other solutions Legislation introduced by Oklahoma lawmakers U.S. Sen. James Inhofe and U.S. Rep. John Sullivan calls for a three-year...

Trends help hospice managers avoid the cap.
May 1, 2008... Trends help hospice managers avoid the cap Four key items contribute to financial woes Every hospice is different with varying populations to serve, but an analysis of the reasons that 40% of the 99 hospices in Oklahoma served by...

Don't put up roadblocks when callers want info.
May 1, 2008... Don't put up roadblocks when callers want info Correctly handled calls can bring 30% of admits "I just have a few questions." "I'm calling to get some information." "I don't need an appointment now. I'm just making a call for a family...

Prepare to reduce risk, consequences of RAC audit.
May 1, 2008... Prepare to reduce risk, consequences of RAC audit Demonstration project expands to hospice With more than $370 million in overpayments identified in fiscal year 2007 by auditors in the Recovery Audit Contractors (RAC) demonstration...

Full implementation of RAC program in 2010.
May 1, 2008... Full implementation of RAC program in 2010 Changes will alleviate administrative headaches The Recovery Audit Contractors (RAC) demonstration program began in March 2005 ran until March 2008. The RAC program will be a permanent program...

Nurses learn to 'speak the language of ethics'.
May 1, 2008... Nurses learn to 'speak the language of ethics' Program helps nurses add to ethics discussions Some of the language of ethics doesn't come naturally to nurses, according to a nurse-ethicist. But an initiative by Indianapolis-based...

Drug delivery system targets liver cancer.
May 1, 2008... Drug delivery system targets liver cancer For years, researchers have been working to develop systems to avert the systemic toxicities that chemotherapy produces when treating cancer patients. Limiting dosages means more patients are lost...

Erythropoietin and cancer death rates.
May 1, 2008... Erythropoietin and cancer death rates Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) may increase the risk of death in cancer patients according to a new meta-analysis, which also suggests that the drugs are associated with a significant risk of...

Free help for patients to track medications.(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Free help for patients to track medications If your patients are having difficulty remembering which prescriptions to take and when to take them, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) now has an easy solution: a free online...

Signature requirements clarified by CMS.
May 1, 2008... Signature requirements clarified by CMS A recent change to signature requirements by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) clarifies what is acceptable for physicians' orders. A handwritten or electronic signature is...

NHPCO wins $250,000 grant to educate hospice workers.
May 1, 2008... NHPCO wins $250,000 grant to educate hospice workers The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization has received a grant of $250,000 from a court-approved fund benefiting nonprofit organizations in health care, the arts, education,...