As we’re almost mid-way through the year, 2022 has been full of challenges and opportunities for hospice and home health providers. For example, under the FY 2022 rule from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), hospices that satisfy quality reporting requirements will see a 2.0 percent increase in their payments compared to 2021,…
In 2007, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) introduced the Triple Aim framework to help improve the delivery of healthcare services across the industry, from doctor’s offices and acute care facilities to hospice and home health agencies.1 This framework focuses on the simultaneous pursuit of three goals: improving the patient experience, improving the health of populations,…
When it comes to health care, there are many factors that contribute to the health and well-being of patients and patient populations. These factors extend beyond the medical care people receive and include social factors that directly shape and impact health outcomes and quality of life. These social factors are known as social determinants of…
It’s no exaggeration to say that the pandemic has fundamentally changed hospice and home health care.1 And while some of these changes are a net positive, such as the shift to telehealth and the increased focus on patient-centered care, others pose a significant challenge for providers. With the right approach, however, it’s possible for organizations…
When it comes to the pandemic, the word “positive” doesn’t have a great reputation. For hospice and home health providers especially, rising COVID positivity rates and ensuing restrictions created substantial challenges. According to a recent study of pandemic impacts on U.S. hospice agencies, nearly one-third of providers reported negative effects on patient outcomes related to…
If there’s one thing the pandemic has made abundantly clear, it’s that we can never go back to the way things were. For hospice and home health providers, the last two years have seen staff pushed to the brink — and beyond — as they coped with massive stress, minimal resources, and continually-moving restrictions. Technology…
Quality hospice care continues to be in great demand, partially due to demographics. By 2030, all Baby Boomers will be 65 or older, which accounts for almost 20 percent of the country’s total population.1 Meanwhile, data from a recent hospice study of patients with terminal cancer notes that hospice care has a “positive impact on…
U.S. healthcare spending is on track to pass $4 trillion each year, and hospice-based billing now accounts for $20 billion of this market.1,2 Without effective and efficient hospice billing and claims processes, hospice agencies face a dual challenge of making profitability while meeting patient-centered care. If claims are held up in red tape or rejected outright,…
People whose loved ones have a serious illness often hear about hospice and palliative care. With so many terms to understand at once, it’s understandable that it can be overwhelming. They sound so similar, but what is the difference? Below, we break down these two types of care. What is Palliative Care? Palliative care is…
The life expectancy of Americans is slowly increasing. In 2019, it was 78.87 years — in 2021, it rose to 78.99.1 While this isn’t a massive increase year-over-year, it sets the stage for a significant trend: Older Americans are steadily growing in number. As a result, there’s now a greater need for effective and efficient…