April 4, 2023 | Net Health
4 min read
Four Key Areas to Consider With Skilled Nursing Facility Management Software
Finding the right therapy management software solution for a SNF business isn’t as complicated as one might think. Effective skilled nursing care software shines in four main areas: security, interoperability, responsiveness and reliability. Let’s take a closer look at these areas of skilled nursing care provided below.
1. Implemented Higher Security for Patients and Therapists at Skilled Nursing Facilities
Healthcare data security is an essential component of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Rules. In particular, the HIPAA Security Rule requires skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, and hospitals to assess data security controls by conducting routine risk assessments. ¹ Similarly, skilled nursing facilities must implement a risk management program to address any possible vulnerabilities and enforce the appropriate administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of health information protected within the EHR.²
Unfortunately, cyberattacks on healthcare organizations are on the rise, with 83 percent of those recently surveyed citing an increase in data breaches.³ Therefore, heightened security is a must. Highly configurable skilled nursing services management systems help meet an organization’s unique requirements for skilled nursing care while improving staff productivity and boosting data security.⁴
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2) Improved Interoperability Between Skilled Nursing Systems
Skilled nursing facility software was built to favor a vitals or medication-based system, not to provide therapy-centered documentation. However, details such as functional improvement and time spent per patient are critical for patient retention and reimbursement. For a skilled nursing facility to provide quality care to each patient — and remain compliant — therapy management software must be easily integrated with the existing skilled nursing EHR.
Simplified interoperability grants skilled nursing nurses instant access to patient therapy information and allows licensed practical nurses and therapists to constructively capture the documentation, codes, and billing necessary to demonstrate functional improvement and receive compensation for their efforts.
Therapy Software Checklist
3. Better Responsiveness for Skilled Nursing Precise Billing
Adjusting to the Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM) has been a major pain point for skilled nursing facilities. Updates to common billing practices have left some nursing facilities scratching their heads to understand the new method of calculating reimbursement. SNFs who have been over-delivering therapy can be left unpaid for services provided beyond the reimbursement level for each resident, and those who have under-delivered may experience poor patient outcomes and potential Medicare audits.⁵
Therapy management software with improved responsiveness can help optimize the reimbursement your facility is due and support precise billing. Proactive regulatory readiness provides skilled nursing care facilities with the education and resources they need to tackle industry changes, such as PDPM, months in advance. These features of an effective skilled nursing software solution help safeguard licensed health professionals’ ability to be compliant and thrive.
4. Seamless Workflows and Business Insights for Skilled Nursing Facilities
With patient and facility performance alike, a lack of data insights makes it difficult to determine a baseline for improvement. Not to mention, unreliable workflows, issues in scheduling, and gaps in documentation can complicate operational decisions.
In comparison, friendly reporting and comprehensive business intelligence tools power actionable insights which can lead to improved operational outcomes. Reliable nursing home therapy management software provides access to real-time key performance indicators (KPIs), as well as the industry’s best clinical content library and flexible mobility — both on and offline.
Did you know that you can utilize the same EHR that you use for your Skilled Nursing Facility to effectively deliver therapy in your Assisted Living Facility? Net Health Therapy® for Senior Living offers a single software solution for contract therapy providers whether they provide services in Skilled Nursing or Assisted Living Communities… or both! Assisted Living Communities for older adults can offer your rehab therapy team to more seamlessly, effectively and profitably deliver services to all your partner clients without investing in multiple management, documentation and billing solutions.”
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