VBP in 2025: A Data-Driven Guide for Home Health Success (SimiTree Webinar Recap)
The transition to Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) in 2025 brings significant changes to home health reimbursement. In our recent SimiTree webinar “Turning VBP Data into Dollars: A Home Health Agency’s Guide to 2025 Succes,” data analytics experts Mike Simione, BA, VP of Post-Acute Data Analytics, and Mike Brents, PT, DPT, MHA, Managing Director, Technology Consulting, shared critical insights on leveraging data to improve VBP performance and maximize reimbursement.
Watch the full webinar here and access the webinar handout for visuals and specific examples mentioned.
Understanding New VBP: Key Changes for 2025
The new VBP model introduces substantial measure changes:
- New Measures: Discharge Function Score (20% weight) replaces TNC Self-Care and Mobility measures
- Claims-Based Updates: Potentially Preventable Hospitalizations (26% weight) becomes the highest-weighted measure
- Increased Impact: Management of Oral Medications increases from 5.8% to 9% weight
- Measure Transitions: Discharge to Community transitions from OASIS-based to claims-based
Read our blog on top lessons learned from year one of VBP implementation.
Leveraging Data Analytics to Drive VBP Success
SimiTree’s experts emphasized three critical approaches:
1. Targeted Performance Improvement
Rather than general education, agencies should focus on specific clinicians and measures showing the greatest opportunity for improvement. This targeted approach has shown significantly better results than broad-based training.
2. Real-Time Analytics
Using SimiTree’s VBP IQ tool, agencies can:
- Track individual clinician performance
- Project financial impacts of improvements
- Set targeted goals for specific measures
- Monitor progress against organizational, state, and national benchmarks
Read our latest blog about VBP IQ: Your solution to overwhelming VBP data.
3. HHCAHPS Performance Optimization
Our experts talked about how machine learning analysis can identify key drivers of patient satisfaction, enabling agencies to:
- Focus on individual questions most impacting patient satisfaction scores
- Develop targeted service recovery strategies
- Improve “Willingness to Recommend” and “Overall Rating” scores
Did you know? The patient experience measured through HHCAHPS surveys significantly impacts the TPS. Encourage patient participation and strive for positive feedback in all categories. Learn how to provide consistent patient experience and improve your HHCAHPS results HHCAHPS survey.
We also showcased how SimiTree’s HHCAHPS IQ uses machine learning decision tree analysis to:
- Process de-identified survey data to determine key predictors of patient satisfaction
- Identify the top 4 drivers for “Willingness to Recommend” and “Overall Rating”
- Calculate probability metrics for specific survey responses
- Provide actionable insights based on patient population demographics
For example, one agency discovered that “problems with care” was their top driver, with a 73% probability of affecting “Willingness to Recommend” scores. This led to the implementation of targeted service recovery training, demonstrating how data analytics can drive specific operational improvements.
Maximizing Financial Performance Through VBP
Agencies implementing these strategies have seen significant improvements:
- Improved performance scores while also improving percentile rankings
- Leveraged revenue forecasting to incorporate value-based metrics as part of new incentive compensation plan for their clinicians
- Maximized use of their education resources by knowing which metrics and clinicians will provide the most “bang for their buck.”
Securing Your Home Health Agency’s Future: VBP 2025 and Beyond
Success in VBP 2025 requires:
- Understanding new measure calculations and weights
- Some measures contribute more to the TPS than others. Strategize your improvement efforts by prioritizing measures with a higher weight in the HHVBP scoring system. Not all measures are created equal; concentrate on the ones that count the most.
- Implementing targeted improvement strategies
- Utilize Available Resources: Many agencies aren’t fully utilizing resources like the Interim Performance Report (IPR) from CMS via iQIES. This report offers valuable data on your agency’s performance compared to your cohort. Don’t leave this treasure trove of information untapped! Instructions on how to access the IPRs are available on the Expanded HHVBP Model webpage under “Model Reports.”
- Utilizing data analytics for decision-making & tracking your progress
- After implementing changes, regularly monitor your performance. This allows you to adapt your strategies based on the results and identify areas that require further attention. Don’t just make changes and hope for the best; track the impact of your efforts to ensure you’re moving in the right direction to succeed
- Focusing on high-impact measures like Potentially Preventable Hospitalizations
For more information about SimiTree’s VBP consulting services and VBP IQ tool, keep reading.
Access the Webinar and Handout
Visit our webinar page to access our handout and a recording of this webinar, “Turning VBP Data into Dollars: A Home Health Agency’s Guide to 2025 Success”.
Don’t let complex data hold your home health agency back. With VBP IQ, you can turn overwhelming information into actionable insights that drive revenue, improve patient outcomes, and stay ahead of the competition.
Ask for a personalized VBP IQ session
Learn more about our data analytics suite or book a meeting with an expert here.
Why Choose VBP IQ?
- Budget-Friendly: Our pricing structure is designed to deliver maximum value without straining your budget.
- Ease of Use: Our turnkey solution and expert-led guidance ensure a seamless experience.
- Quick Results: Get up and running quickly and start seeing results in as little as 1-2 weeks.