Expected increased survey scrutiny for unvaccinated agency staff
By Sheila Salisbury-Sizemore RN, BSN SimiTree Senior Manager, Compliance Now that the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS has retired the Focused Infection Control (FIC) Survey and mandated a COVID-19 vaccine, your…
Curbing Transportation Costs
Fuel pump prices prompt agencies to seek new ways to pump up morale, keep staff on the road Fuel costs are driving new frustration for agency leaders fighting to retain staff,…
New transfer and discharge billing procedure for hospice
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is issuing a new billing requirement to close the gap on hospice care and billing when a hospice patient transfers from one…
How does your agency measure nursing productivity?
With the cost of skilled labor rising quarter over quarter, as we reported in the January issue of The Insider, agencies may be looking to maximize productivity from their clinicians.
Staffing Shortage Forces Overtime Scrutiny
Home health and hospice agencies scrambling to field workers under the pinch of a nationwide staffing shortage could be vulnerable to increased risk of wage and hour violations, SimiTree consultants…
Defining Palliative Care: It’s Not Hospice Light
By Maureen Kelleher RN, MBA Senior Manager Palliative Care is the care of patients with serious illness who have symptoms throughout the illness, not just at life's end, and is…
Agents of Change
Profitability hinges on ensuring accountability across all operations The cost of doing business is on the rise, creating tighter profit margins and underscoring the need for organizational accountability.
Well-defined roles, early participation key to MA success for home health and hospice
As the number of Medicare Advantage beneficiaries escalates nationwide, forward-thinking home health agencies are polishing their images, touting strengths in patient outcomes, star ratings and lower rehospitalization rates, and working…