Hospital Home Health articles from November 2004

Hospital Home Health archives from November 2004

Home health services continue after building lost to hurricane: staff overcome communications and travel problems to see patients.
November 1, 2004... (Editor's note: The devastation that Florida has experienced this hurricane season is unlike any the state has seen before. This month, Hospital Home Health relays the experience and lessons learned from one agency caught in the middle of Ivan,...

What to do before and after an emergency: communication is critical.
November 1, 2004... The most critical issue before, during, and after any emergency is communications, say the Florida home health managers who have faced multiple hurricanes during the 2004 hurricane season. "We had no electricity after the hurricane, so we...

Financial and regulatory issues after an emergency.
November 1, 2004... Although the safety of employees and patients as well as the resumption of care to patients is a priority for a home health agency following an emergency, don't forget to address financial and regulatory issues that affect your agency's...

Telehealth improves care, coordination, satisfaction: VA telehealth model opening nationwide.
November 1, 2004... Experts predict a larger role for telehealth in the health care industry as model programs demonstrate high patient/caregiver satisfaction and improved staff efficiency and quality of care. Home health agencies and hospices increasingly are...

Fraud and abuse in free discharge planning.(Legal ease: understanding laws, rules, regulations)
November 1, 2004... Hospitals are required to provide discharge planning services. Case managers who provide these types of services and agencies that receive referrals from hospitals must be aware of a possible type of fraud and abuse in the form of free...

Florida's urgent call for nursing help is answered.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Florida has received an overwhelming response from hospitals offering the names of nurses willing to temporarily travel to the state to help relieve hurricane-weary nursing staff or assist with public health needs resulting from the four...

JCAHO announces 2005 survey fee increase.(Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations survey fees will increase for 2005. The fee increases, only the second in the last decade, will vary by program and, within programs, will vary by the types and volumes of...

CMS reimbursement for flu vaccine rises.(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced an increase in the Medicare Part B payment allowance for this year's influenza vaccine. Reimbursement for the influenza vaccine is $10.10 per adult dose, an increase of $0.15...

CE questions.
November 1, 2004... 5. Following Hurricane Ivan, which area of service indicated the need for home health agencies to address some emergency preparedness issues as a group, according to Connie Hetterich, RN, administrator of Sacred Heart Home Care in Pensacola,...

Rising salaries increase importance of retention: nonmonetary efforts attract and keep employees on the job.
November 1, 2004... The good news for respondents to the 2004 Hospital Home Health Salary Survey is that 85% of survey respondents saw their salary increase between 1% and 6% in 2004. Even better news for 10% of respondents was the 11% to the more than 21%...