Q: If a registered nurse opens the case and the patient was referred to physical therapy, but the therapist wasn’t able to do the evaluation within the 5-day assessment period, can the RN indicate “006″ on M2200? Or should they leave “000″?
A: If a registered nurse completes the start of care assessment, it would be acceptable for the nurse to provide his or her best estimate as to the number of therapy visits that will be required for the episode. However, this estimate should be based on assessment details obtained during the 5-day assessment time frame. It would not be acceptable to use assessment details obtained after the 5-day assessment period to complete this item.
assessment period, assessments, Start of Care, therapist, therapy visits
This post was written by:
Lu Post
Lu Post, RN, MN, COS-C, is president of Home Care Institute, LLC, a technology-based company with a focus on the development of home care and hospice educational resources. She is certified as a clinical OASIS Specialist from the OASIS Certificate and Competency Board, Inc. Lu earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Georgia State University and her master’s degree as a clinical nurse specialist from Emory University in Atlanta. She has served in a variety of senior leadership and educational roles in some of the largest home care and hospice organizations in the country for over 20 years.
September 7th, 2010 at 11:06 am
would 000 then be required and physical therapy would write orders and assessment that would not go on the 485?
September 7th, 2010 at 1:15 pm
It would still be best for the admitting nurse to make the best estimate as to the number of therapy the visits the patient will need based on the admission assessment and enter this number in M2200. If therapy is scheduled to make an evaluation, then there would likely be at least one expected visit and possibly more.
September 13th, 2010 at 8:18 am
It is my understanding that when RN opens for therapy, therapy has to go out the same day. Is this correct?
September 13th, 2010 at 9:40 am
Hi Jenn, yes, if the registered nurse is completing the SOC OASIS assessment, it must be started on the date of the first billable visit by the therapist.