Home Health Care Management & Practice current issue

I Was Thinking

Gingerich, B. S. — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:54:13 PDT

Lessons

Skrine, R. B. — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:54:13 PDT

Prospective Payment System 2008 Home Health Therapy Utilization Trends

Herr, R., Sarbach, M., Lang, C. — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:54:13 PDT

The focus of this article is to identify therapy trends in prediction and utilization since the 2008 Home Health Prospective Payment System changes were implemented on January 1, 2008. The interdisciplinary attention is on the utilization of therapy services, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech language pathology, in the home health setting, specific to beneficiaries using the Medicare Part A benefit.

How Do SLPs Improve Outcomes in Adults in Home Care?

Brown, J. — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:54:13 PDT

Home care agencies that have not employed speech—language pathologists (SLPs) may not be aware of their potential to advance other rehab and nursing goals for patients with communication, swallowing, and cognitive impairments. This article provides an overview of the professional requirements and scope of speech—language pathology practice. Quality reporting in health care and various organizations engaged in performance measurement are described. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s National Outcomes Measurement System has developed specific outcomes measures to track SLP intervention. Case studies illustrate how speech—language pathology services can enhance the effectiveness of other rehabilitation services and have an impact on hospital readmission, a primary quality measure in home care.

Doing Therapy Out of My Purse: A Personal Reflection

Webb-Henderson, S. — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:54:13 PDT

The practice of speech—language pathology in the home health care setting is challenging, requiring complex organization of information, deductive and diagnostic skill, and grasp of functional outcomes targeting the patient’s goals. Strong interpersonal communication ability is needed to communicate with the patient, family, and team members in the home care environment. This article discusses the need for on the spot training and adapting care to the home care setting. This author discusses how their orientation, education, and training formed the foundation for practice, but the reality provided the true experience for delivery of speech pathology services within the patient’s home.

All for One and One for All: Interdisciplinary Case Management in Home Health

Krafft, C. — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:54:13 PDT

Providing care as an interdisciplinary team meets with unique challenges in the home health setting ranging from the physical logistics of care delivery to developing an agency culture that encourages all disciplines to actively participate in care planning. Entities such as Medicare are scrutinizing patient outcomes with ever-increasing urgency, as the move toward a pay for performance model becomes a reality. Successful agencies have all disciplines engaged in the team approach with the patient at the center. The focus is on intentional delivery of positive outcomes. Agencies cannot assume that this mind-set will just happen on its own as it requires structure and support from staff at all levels of the organization.

A Multidisciplinary Approach to Total Joint Replacement

Naville, J., Volz, T., Curry, J. — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:54:13 PDT

Baptist Hospital East is proud to be the leading joint replacement center in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. More joint replacement surgeries are performed at Baptist Hospital East than at any other hospital in the state. In addition, the hospital staff has designed a cutting edge total joint replacement program that assists patients from preadmission to postdischarge. Patients attend pre—joint replacement class to help prepare them for the surgery and for postsurgical recovery. After surgery, the staff promptly addresses the need for therapeutic services and pain management. Furthermore, measures to reduce postoperative complications have been implemented and have proven to be very successful. As a result of all of these measures, Baptist Hospital East total joint program has an infection rate below the national benchmark and an average length of stay of 3.7 days, with 70% of the patients returning directly to a home environment.

Administration of an Exercise Regimen in Assisted-Living Facilities to Improve Balance and Activities of Daily Living: A Pilot Study

Wallmann, H., Schuerman, S., Kruskall, L., Alpert, P. T. — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:54:13 PDT

Purpose: This pilot study examined the effects of an exercise program on functional balance and activities of daily living (ADLs) of residents in assisted-living facilities. Materials and methods: Thirty-four subjects participated in the initial evaluation, but only 13 subjects participated in the study. All participants completed the ADL questionnaires (Functional Assessment Screening Questionnaire [FASQ] and the Katz Index of ADL), but only 10 completed the 8-week exercise program and balance assessment (Berg Balance Scale [BBS]). Results: Significant differences were observed between the pre- and postmeasurements for BBS ( p = .008) and FASQ (p = .023) but not for the Katz Index of ADL (p = .066). This suggests that strengthening exercises can be beneficial in improving functional balance and ADLs. Conclusion: Further research with a larger sample size is needed to evaluate the impact of lower extremity strengthening exercises on balance and ADL preservation for elders in long-term care facilities.

Are You Prepared for a Medicare RAC Attack?

Veronesi, J. F. — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:54:13 PDT

CMS Durable Medical Equipment Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Quality Standards

Gingerich, B. S. — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:54:13 PDT

Questions to Answer for Improved Strategic Planning

Chesney, R., Orsini, M. — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:54:13 PDT

The Basics of Balance and Falls

Wallmann, H. W. — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:54:13 PDT

What Does a 17% Freestanding Agency Profit Margin Mean to Medicare Home Health?

Cabin, W. D. — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:54:13 PDT

Obesity: A Worldwide Epidemic

Alpert, P. T. — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:54:13 PDT

Fall Prevention for Older Adults

Thobaben, M. — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:54:13 PDT

Rural Communication Technology: It's Improving!

Nelson, J. A. — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:54:13 PDT

Two Pedagogical Approaches to Cultural Competence: Pros Versus Cons

Xu, Y. — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:54:13 PDT

Introducing Rebecca B. Skrine, MS, CCC-SLP, CHCE, COS-C

Gingerich, B. S. — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:54:13 PDT

Resource Review: Re-creating Neighborhoods for Successful Aging

Gingerich, B. S. — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:54:13 PDT