January 22, 2020
We live in an era of data-driven health care, which means that effective data management is key to your agency’s success. Real-time documentation systems give everyone in your patient’s circle of care fast, easy access to real-time information. When all stakeholders are up-to-date and on the same page, it’s possible to improve quality of care and make the best decisions possible for your patients.
Real-time Data Increases Accuracy
Do your nurses and home health aides spend all day out in the field, before returning to their home or the office to complete the documentation for each visit?
Even the best caregivers can forget crucial details about patient condition and therapy received if they’re recording the details hours after the visit. Home health caregiving can be physically and mentally draining. A caregiver who is exhausted after a full day at work may rush through the documentation or overlook something important when reviewing handwritten notes.
It’s no wonder that home health and hospice agencies without real-time reporting capability struggle with claim denials and care delays!
The more quickly patient data is documented, the more likely it is to be complete, accurate, and compliant. Each time a caregiver or back office staffer touches patient data, the potential for error increases. For example, a nurse checks a patient’s heart rate, blood pressure, and temperature and records it on a sticky note. Later, maybe even the next day, she has trouble reading the handwriting and can’t tell “Is that a 3 or an 8 right here?” Do you think she remembers?
Give your caregivers access to easy-to-use home care software that prompts them to document their care at the time of service. You’ll have a better, more complete data set.
Data Interoperability is Critical for Communication and Collaboration
Data interoperability – the ability of various software systems to communicate and transfer data – affects your referrals. Physicians and hospitals are using EMRs, not paper file folders, and they expect their care partners to do the same. A 2019 survey found that “60% of referral partners would switch to a different post-acute care provider if the new organization could accept electronic referrals.”
A smooth hand-off between primary care to home-based care means you can complete the patient onboarding process more easily and supply care more quickly. That commitment to streamlined communication can help your home health agency or hospice agency strengthen your relationship with important referral partners.
Initiatives like value-based purchasing, pre-claim review, and alternative payment models require close communication and collaboration between primary caregivers, hospitals, rehab facilities, and home health agencies. Data has to be shared, in real-time, with other caregivers across platforms. If your agency can’t comply; the referrers will find someone who can.
Leverage Technology to Improve Care and Streamline Reimbursements
Today’s mobile workforce means your entire team is now at the mercy of your data delivery system. The ability to get a patient onboard quickly, communicate with others, and make critical updates has never been more vital. In addition, the format must comply with payer requirements. Documentation errors can delay payments or even trigger audits.
Homecare Homebase offers a complete home health care software solution that allows you to share data with other caregivers across platforms and comply with payer requirements. Your expertise is home health care; ours is technology, so let us help! With over 20 years’ experience we know how to constantly monitor payer requirements and regulatory changes, so our software always reflects the most up-to-date requirements for your day-to-day needs.
