Hospital Home Health articles from October 2002

Hospital Home Health archives from October 2002

New ICD-9 codes are more specific, but will they mean more rejections? More documentation will be required.(insurance coding)
October 1, 2002... Gather up all your ICD-9 cheat sheets, check your nurses' clipboards for notes about codes, get your new coding books, and make sure your staff know that as of this month, there are changes to a number of ICD-9 codes commonly used in home...

CE testing process simplified.(continuing education)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... Beginning this semester, Hospital Home Health is simplifying its continuing education program by no longer requiring you to return a test form. Instead of completing a Scantron form as you have in the past, all you will need to do is complete a...

CE questions.(continuing education)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... The CE testing procedures have been changed. For more information, see box on cover. 1. According to Prinny Rose Abraham, RHIT, a coding consultant with HIQM Consulting in Minneapolis, what is the significance of the deletion of 780.9,...

Home health could play role in smallpox outbreak; education and quarantine management suggested.
October 1, 2002... Although the ACIP recommendations for the a use of smallpox vaccine don't specifically mention the use of home health personnel, it is a logical assumption that home health will play a key role in the event of a smallpox outbreak, according to...

ACIP suggestions for smallpox preparation: with risk `low,' Joe Public is out for now.( Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices )
October 1, 2002... On June 20, 2001, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) made recommendations for the use of smallpox vaccine to prepare for a possible bioterrorism attack. As Hospital Home...

Mosquito bites are major irritation all over the U.S.: Southern states lead nation in West Nile virus.
October 1, 2002... Everyone agrees that mosquitoes are annoying. They can ruin camp-outs, picnics, outdoor sporting events, and just hanging out with friends. Most of the time, mosquito bites itch, swell slightly, and generally stop bothering you after a...

West Nile virus Q&A.
October 1, 2002... The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta has set up a web site (www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/) devoted to information on West Nile virus. One section includes the following commonly asked questions about the virus and its...

Know supplements to avoid interactions; check herbal use, interaction with prescriptions.
October 1, 2002... Improve your memory. Enjoy a higher level of energy throughout the day. Sleep better at night. Relieve anxiety. The promises are attractive. Even better for consumers, the products no longer are hidden in natural food stores. No, these...

Ask carefully to get thorough information from patients; there's a balance when asking about supplements.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... The last thing you want to do when you inquire about your patients' use of herbals, vitamins, or dietary supplements is to ask in a manner that will make them think you don't approve of their use, says Dennis Callahan RPh, staff pharmacist at...

Herbal medication resources.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... The following sources offer information about herbal medications, vitamins, and nutritional supplements: [] Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. Comprehensive, literature-based reviews of more than 1,000 herbal products and...

Diabetes management is crucial for good outcome: monitoring, education improve patient's life.
October 1, 2002... Your patient may be referred to home care as a result of stroke, cardiovascular disease, or kidney disease, but the patient also has diabetes. As you develop your care plan, be sure to include monitoring, treatment, and education about diabetes...

Modifications to fraud and abuse compliance plans. (LegalEase: understanding laws, rules, regulations).
October 1, 2002... As many providers know, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the primary enforcer of fraud and abuse prohibitions. As part of its 2002 work plan, the OIG intends to review...

Clarification.(Correction Notice)
October 1, 2002... In the Hospital Home Health, August 2002, cover story, "Higher risk of medication errors for seniors: Home health bigger challenge," the lead investigator of the medication research project described in the article was Wayne Ray, PhD, of...

New SEC rules keep companies from "cooking the books".(new financial disclosure rules)
October 1, 2002... On Aug. 29, new Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rules governing disclosure in the wake of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act went into effect. The act, signed July 30, establishes federal oversight of public auditors through a Public Company...

HealthSouth sued over alleged disclosure. (Companies in the News).
October 1, 2002... Shareholders of HealthSouth Corp. of Birmingham, AL, have filed a lawsuit alleging that the company failed to disclose that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) had reclassified some categories of Medicare reimbursements, which...

ResMed claims mask maker infringed patent. (Companies in the News).(Fisher and Paykel Healthcare)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... ResMed Inc. of San Diego has filed a lawsuit in U.S. federal district court against Fisher & Paykel Healthcare for infringing ResMed's patented mask technology. ResMed manufactures medical equipment for diagnosing and treating sleep-disordered...

Option Care acquires infusion pharmacy co. (Companies in the News).(from Allina Hospitals and Clinics)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... Option Care of Buffalo Grove, IL, has acquired the home-infusion pharmacy of Allina Hospitals & Clinics, based in Minneapolis. The infusion pharmacy serves about 1,500 patients in Minnesota and Wisconsin. The acquisition is expected to...

MAMSI receives excellent accreditation for HMOs. (Companies in the News).(Mid Atlantic Medical Services Inc.; MD-Individual Practice Association Inc. and Optimum Choice Inc.)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... Two HMOs under Mid Atlantic Medical Services Inc. (MAMSI) of Rockville, MD, were granted Excellent Accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) for their HMO and point-of-service products. MD-Individual Practice...

Baxter stockholders file securities class action. (Companies in the News).(Baxter International, a..k.a. Baxter Healthcare Corp.)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... People who purchased or acquired Baxter International securities between Jan. 25 and July 18, 2002, may join a class action suit against the company. The suit charges that Baxter, its CEO and Chairman, Harry Jansen Kraemer Jr., and Brian...

Apria Healthcare Group. (Corporate Ladder).(appoints Vicente Anido, Jr. to board of directors)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... Apria Healthcare Group of Lake Forest, CA, which provides home infusion and respiratory therapy, has elected Vicente Anido Jr. as the eighth member of its board of directors. Anido, with more than 26 years of general management experience in...

Matria Healthcare Inc.. (Corporate Ladder).(appoints Stephen Mengert)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... Stephen Mengert is the new CFO and vice president of finance for Matria Healthcare Inc. of Marietta, GA, which provides disease management programs. Mengert replaces George Dunaway, who. will remain with the company during a two-month...

Emeritus gains time to meet AMEX standards. (Assisted Living Update).(Emeritus Assisted Living)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... Emeritus Assisted Living of Seattle, which holds interests in 157 communities with about 14,000 units in 31 states and Japan, has received an extension of time to regain compliance with the American Stock Exchange's listing standards. The...

Sunrise enters $17.5m sale/manage back deal. (Assisted Living Update).(Sunrise Assisted Living Inc.)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... Sunrise Assisted Living Inc. of McLean, VA, announced a $17.5 million sale/long-term manage back agreement for an assisted living community in California. The Beach Cities Health District will acquire an 80% interest. Sunrise will maintain a...

American Retirement Corp. (Financial Results).(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... American Retirement Corp. of Nashville, TN, reported second-quarter revenue of $82.6 million, an increase of 27% over last year's second quarter. Community net operating income was $22.1 million, compared with $18.8 million in the second...

ARV Assisted Living Inc. (Financial Results).(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... ARV Assisted Living Inc. of Costa Mesa, CA, announced second-quarter net income of $200,000 or 1 cent per share on total revenue of $39.7 million, compared with net income of $800,000 or 5 cents per share on total revenue of $35.9 million for...

Emeritus Assisted Living. (Financial Results).(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... Emeritus Assisted Living of Seattle, announced second-quarter revenue of $34 million, compared with $35.2 million for the second quarter of 2001. Net loss to common shareholders was $5.7 million, compared with a $3 million loss for last year's...