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Home Health News: Mastering Home Health PDGM – A Guide to Thriving Under the New Payment Model
Mastering Home Health PDGM: A Guide to Thriving Under the New Payment Model The Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM) has reshaped the landscape of home health reimbursement. Designed by CMS to improve accuracy and reduce overreliance on therapy treatment...
Stepping into Infection Prevention: Key Questions Every New IP Should Ask
Stepping into Infection Prevention: Key Questions Every New IP Should Ask Starting as an Infection Preventionist (IP) may feel overwhelming – balancing surveillance, education, data tracking, and compliance all at once. This Q&A highlights common questions...
Hot Topics in F550 Resident Rights: Real-World Challenges and Practical Solutions
Hot Topics in F550 Resident Rights: Real-World Challenges and Practical Solutions Ensuring residents are treated with respect, dignity, and compassion is the foundation of quality care. But in the fast-paced environment of long-term care, even the best...
Home Health News: The Impact of an Effective Intake Process in Home Health
The Impact of an Effective Intake Process in Home Health In home health care, the intake process is much more than paperwork. A strong intake process sets the tone for the patient’s experience, ensures compliance with regulatory requirements, and streamlines...
Ask Proactive – I have recently been directed, when completing the PHQ-2 to 9, that if a resident acknowledges a symptom, but is unable to give a frequency, I should dash both questions (column 1 and 2). Is this correct?
Q: I have recently been directed, when completing the PHQ-2 to 9, that if a resident acknowledges a symptom, but is unable to give a frequency, I should dash both questions (column 1 and 2). Is this correct? A: No, this is incorrect. If a resident answers “yes”...
Rounding for Outcomes for Nurse Leaders
Rounding for Outcomes for Nurse Leaders Compliance rounds can be instrumental to ensuring accountability, improving resident outcomes, and supporting QAPI initiatives. Rounding consistently and with purpose ensures that care processes meet regulatory standards...
SNF ADR Update
SNF ADR Management: Prepare for Post-Probe Surge The SNF 5-Claim Probe & Educate officially ended on June 30, 2025, but for many providers, the scrutiny is just beginning. While CMS guidance indicates that providers with 100% error rates (5/5 claims in...
Ask Proactive – We’ve been receiving complaints from residents and families about slow call light response times. What are some simple interventions we can put in place to improve this?
Q: We’ve been receiving complaints from residents and families about slow call light response times. What are some simple interventions we can put in place to improve this? A: A few practical steps can make a big difference: Acknowledge quickly: If you can’t...
Ask Proactive – When completing an MDS, how do we know which diagnosis should be coded as the primary diagnosis for a resident with multiple conditions (for example, CHF, diabetes, and pressure ulcer)?
Q: When completing an MDS, how do we know which diagnosis should be coded as the primary diagnosis for a resident with multiple conditions (for example, CHF, diabetes, and pressure ulcer)? A: This question comes up often in SNFs. The primary diagnosis should be...
October 1, 2025 MDS Changes: What You Need to Know!
October 1, 2025 MDS Changes: What You Need to Know! CMS has released the RAI User’s Manual v1.20.1, effective October 1, 2025, with updates across multiple MDS sections. While Sections GG and J bring the most significant changes, every adjustment matters for...
Home Health News: The Benefits of Outsourcing ICD-10 Coding for Home Health Agencies
The Benefits of Outsourcing ICD-10 Coding for Home Health Agencies Home health agencies face increasing pressure to maintain compliance, optimize reimbursement, and ensure high-quality patient care. One of the most critical areas impacting all three is ICD-10...
Ask Proactive – When does the state survey agency or CMS usually apply the remedy of a Directed Plan of Correction?
Q: When does the state survey agency or CMS usually apply the remedy of a Directed Plan of Correction? A: A Directed Plan of Correction (DPoC) is a remedy that provides for directed action(s) from either the State or CMS Regional Office (RO) that the facility...
BIG Changes to the Falls with Major Injury QM: What Changed and Why it Matters
BIG Changes to the Falls with Major Injury QM: What Changed and Why it Matters In the ever changing environment of quality reporting in healthcare, few metrics carry more weight than the Falls with Major Injury (FMI) measure. The Falls with Major Injury (FMI)...
Best Practices for Establishing and Honoring Code Status
Best Practices for Establishing and Honoring Code Status When a new resident arrives at your nursing facility, one of the most critical steps in the admission process is confirming and documenting their code status - the instructions for how medical providers...
Ask Proactive – I struggle with identifying Moisture Associated Skin Damage (MASD) from some pressure injuries. How can MASD and pressure injury be differentiated?
Q: I struggle with identifying Moisture Associated Skin Damage (MASD) from some pressure injuries. How can MASD and pressure injury be differentiated? A: Differentiating between Moisture Associated Skin Damage (MASD) and pressure injuries can be challenging,...