Hospice Management Advisor articles from September 2004

Hospice Management Advisor archives from September 2004

New client satisfaction tool offers better data on improving care: NHPCO provides benchmarking services with new tool.(National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization)
September 1, 2004... Too many hospice client satisfaction surveys do more to boost hospice staff morale than to generate suggestions for improvements. The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) in Alexandria, VA, used such a self-congratulatory...

Measure satisfaction when you can still improve it: one volunteer position might make the difference.(Special report: making the satisfaction grade)(Hospice care)
September 1, 2004... Hospice families repeatedly report needing more education to help their dying loved one, according to the new satisfaction survey the Hospice of St. Mary's in Leonardtown, MD, began using in January 2004. So the small hospice, which has 16...

How a small hospice boosted its fundraising: raising $160,000 in one day.
September 1, 2004... Fundraising is the lifeblood of Fox Valley Hospice in Geneva, IL, because the hospice is a free service hospice that does not contract with Medicare. However, it's difficult to pay for the costs of providing hospice services when your one...

Donated goods, services key to effective fundraising: top-quality items bring in the most money.
September 1, 2004... Fox Valley Hospice in Geneva, IL, receives more than $300,000 in donated goods and services each year for its annual garden party fundraising event. The key to obtaining this level of support is to build on previous years' successes and remind...

Tracer methodology focuses on care, not paper: pay less attention to manuals, more to safety goals.
September 1, 2004... Mid-cycle self-assessments, tracer methodology, and less emphasis on examination of policy books are all signs that the new survey process implemented by the Oakbrook Terrace, IL-based Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare...

JCAHO's new safety goals routine for most HHAs: medications, falls, timely reports top list of goals.(Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations)(Home Health Agency)
September 1, 2004... Medication safety, improved communications, and reduction of falls are among the new additions to the 2005 National Patient Safety Goals of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. The majority of the safety goals,...

Audio conference prepares you for influenza season.(News From the End of Life)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Brace yourself: Flu season is right around the corner. Are you prepared? If an influenza pandemic hits, the entire U.S. population could be at risk. The annual impact of influenza on the United States is staggering: Some 10%-20% of the...

Awards given for palliative and end-of-life care.(News From the End of Life)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Ten health care organizations were honored at the American Hospital Association (AHA) and Health Forum's annual Leadership Summit in San Diego on July 26 for their innovative palliative and end-of-life care programs. Receiving the 2004...

CMS purposely slower to pay noncompliant claims.(News From the End of Life)(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... On July 6, 2004, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) began to treat electronic claims that were not in compliance with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) standards as paper claims. "The great...

WV plan helps elderly stay in their homes.(News From the End of Life)(West Virginia)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... A West Virginia plan to help elderly and disabled people remain in the community and out of institutions has been approved by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Approval of this home-and-community-based waiver program will...