I was first introduced to Aretha Franklin while listening to the motion picture soundtrack for the 1980s hit, The Big Chill. That led me to explore more of her music and it was the powerful vocals in her signature song, Respect, that really seduced me. Originally, a minor hit by Otis Reading, Aretha Franklin’s new […]
Wound Care
Diligently Drive Quality Documentation With Updated Resources
In case you missed it, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services1 updated the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Fact Sheets mid-May 2018. Let’s take a look at the criteria for each MIPS category. Remember, documentation details determine your dollars. MIPS Participation Status Includes eligible clinicians or groups who bill more than $90,000 in Medicare Part […]
Wounds Magazine – You Can’t Make This Stuff Up!
Browsing articles in medical fields can make it easy to forget about the human behind it. Luckily, WOUNDS, official journal of the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care (AAWC), decided to greenlight an editorial thinkpiece in the June 2018 edition that showcases humanity at it’s finest. Thanks to WOUNDS journal for contributing all spectrum of content, including stuff that can […]
Benefits of Cloud Based Services in Healthcare
Exploring the cloud’s strategic benefits Healthcare organizations traditionally are cautious in their approach to new technologies. With good reason, of course. Healthcare IT supports a mission that leaves no room for error. And as cloud computing has emerged in recent years as a cost-effective alternative to expensive data warehouses, healthcare was not an early adopter. […]
Bipartisan Budget Act 2018: What Changes Affect Wound Care?
The signing of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 ended the United States’ governmental shutdown on February 9th. Most of the resolution’s focus was around the spending limits for national defense and lifting the national debt ceiling. There were certain less-publicized elements that directly affected the wound care industry. Wound Care professionals in various care models […]
Here’s What the Numbers Say: IBM Watson Top 100 Hospitals
IBM Watson released its Top 100 Hospitals of 2018 in May, evaluating 2,785 hospitals across the United States. The annual study looks for top-performing hospitals in the U.S. based on a balanced scorecard evaluating ‘publicly available clinical, operational, and patient satisfaction metrics and data’. The metrics include analysis of key performance measures including better survival […]
Compliant Workflow Design: Tracking Procedures Performed
Last month’s column discussed the importance of workflows needing to be defined, reviewed, and refined. In this column, we will review how wound care regulations tie to your workflow. Within the wound care department, procedures are common. The type of procedure varies based on the patient’s wound chronicity and healing trajectory. In an outpatient wound […]
Auditing Your Wound Care Documentation
When it comes to performing an internal audit of your wound care documentation, there are specific strategies to consider. Each of the strategies that help you prepare can ease the audit process and create a more efficient procedure. Hear from Cathy Thomas Hess, BSN, RN, CWCN on what steps to take to ensure that your […]
Compliant Workflow Design: Engage, Define, Review, and Refine
Workflow design is a key step in your department’s clinical and operational efficiencies. Workflows enhance healthcare quality and safety, patient throughput, and care coordination. These steps occur from the moment the patient contacts the department through patient discharge. Workflows need to be defined, reviewed and refined as roles in the department change, medical record requirements […]
Happy National Nurses & Hospitals Week!
We want to thank and congratulate the entire nurse community for the work that they do. Nursing was rated the most honest and ethical profession for the past 16 years, and that is something to take pride in. Nurses make a huge contribution to the general health and wellness of our communities, and that commitment […]