OASIS-C,  implemented on January 1, 2010, goes beyond patient assessment and outcomes. Besides collecting outcome data for quality improvement and Home Health Compare, it gathers data about an agency’s use of evidence-based practices (EBP). Agency leaders and clinicians must familiarize themselves with revised data set now to ensure proper payment.

Smart Solutions in Homecare

Spring/Summer Audio Conference Series

Session 4: August 19

Presented by Diane Omdahl

Fine-tuning OASIS-C

OASIS-C has created trouble, frustration, and ambiguity. This session will address some of the contentious and confusing issues brought on by the revised data set.

You will gain a better understanding of:

• How to fit together the date of referral, physician-ordered start of care, and inpatient discharge
• What you must do with the process data elements and what is not required
• M2250 and M2400 through an in-depth look at terms and instructions
• Facts and myths associated with the drug regimen review data elements
• The role of regulations and policy and procedure, when preparing for a surveyor’s challenges

OASIS-C Process Measures: Best Practice Strategies that Reduce Risk

Beacon Health’s new winter audio conference series, OASIS-C Process Measures: Best Practice Strategies that Reduce Risk, will set you on the right path of implementation with insightful tips and guidance into OASIS-C best practices. Your presenter for the series will be Laurie Salmons, RN, BSN, principal consultant and managing owner of Outcome Strategies, LLC. Laurie is a seasoned expert in outcome-based disease management, program assessment, and outcomes improvement. You’ll learn how to effectively review your agency’s current care practices and determine the need to establish or revise its current set of standards. Use these sessions to:

Who should participate?

OASIS-C in Action (DVD)

This video program provides a comprehensive overview of the OASIS-C. The program is invaluable to clinicians and staff and perfect for classroom or individual study. The program also includes a handy study guide. You will learn:

• What’s new and the reasons for the revised data set
• When you must complete OASIS-C assessments
• How to deal with patients privacy concerns
• Types of outcomes
• Helpful assessment tips when using the new data set

OASIS-C Guidance Manual, Chapter 3

We’ve gathered the CMS information on the new OASIS-C data set and bound it in an easy to use manual for your staff, which serves as a wonderful quick reference that can be used anytime and anywhere. The manual has more than 175 pages of item-by-item tips for collecting data making it the perfect supplementary guide for OASIS-C implementation. This convenient compilation provides:

• General instructions for implementing the revised data set
• An explanation of each data element
• Case examples that test your responses to OASIS-C issues
• Ways to handle unusual situations
• Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Home Health Pocket Guide to OASIS-C: A Reference for Field Staff

This handy resource puts all the critical, need-to-know information about OASIS-C completion and documentation at your fingertips. Written by Melinda A. Gaboury, co-founder and CEO of Healthcare Provider Solutions, Inc., the guide is conveniently sized, yet packed with information, it offers concise advice to comply with the revisions that go into effect in January. The pocket guide delivers step-by-step instruction and details on the major overhaul to the data set. The guide will help you:

• Save time with an item-by-item breakdown of OASIS-C
• Learn how it affects payment and the outcomes
• Gain confidence from detailed instruction
• Ease the burden of the OASIS, strengthen your supporting documentation, and get proper payment.

Diagnosis Coding in the Home Health PPS (DVD)

Edition 4.0 coming in 2010

This DVD explains the coding process, including clinical, coding, and payment factors. It integrates coding with compliance and clarifies the roles of the clinician and the coder. The DVD comes with a study guide. The DVD will teach you

• How the principal reason for service drives diagnosis coding
• The impact of the diagnosis code and OASIS-C on payment
• What to do when you’d like to use a V code
• How to handle surgical wounds
• Coding standards that fit PPS requirements
• Appropriate use of important codes, traps to avoid, and much more

The 2010 Homecare Agency Reference Set

The Agency Reference Set is the most complete training and reference tool on Medicare home health. Comprised of three extraordinary manuals- the Beacon Guide to Medicare Service Delivery, the 485 Primer and Elements of Content, and the Home Health Conditions of Participation and the Interpretive Guidelines- it is a must-have for all homecare agencies. The Beacon Guide to Medicare Service Delivery This completely updated guide covers the entire scope of Medicare home health service delivery. It can be used to give staff a working knowledge of the current regulations, implement checks to ensure services are delivered according to regulations, and to produce documentation that supports compliance and payment claims. Major sections include:

• The Basics of Medicare Service Delivery
• The Prospective Payment System (PPS)
• All About OASIS-C
• Compliance and Care Delivery
• Documentation Essentials

The 485 Primer and Elements of Content This unique, two-in-one manual promotes consistent, organized, individualized completion of the CMS 485. You’ll find actual wording for selected locators, a completed plan of care, rules for locator use and treatment codes, and dozens more hints, tips, and time-saving techniques for success. The Home Health Conditions of Participation and Interpretive Guidelines This manual brings together all of Medicare’s home health Conditions of Participation and Interpretive Guidelines into an easy to use reference. It’s easier to use than the government’s original version. It maintains the three-column format to display G-tags, regulations, and Interpretive Guidelines. The manual includes a comprehensive index and frequently consulted sections presented in boldface type to help you find the information you need quickly. It is perfect for staff training, orientation, and care delivery guidance.

2010 Mastering Medicare

OASIS and RACs in the PPS

Join your home health colleagues at one of these important Mastering Medicare seminars at select cities throughout the U.S. You’ll learn practical tips and unique insights to manage these critical issues. This two-day presentation is led by homecare’s master of masters, Diane J. Omdahl, RN, MS, nationally acclaimed for her in-depth knowledge and effective teaching skills. With an engaging style, Diane will strip away the myths and confusion and provide a practical methodology and approach to solving Medicare’s many dilemmas. With more than 26 years of firsthand home health experience, Diane delivers the superior real-world guidance. You’ll leave excited, confident, and eager to apply what you’ve learned. And, best of all, you’ll strengthen your agency’s ability to compete successfully in today’s challenging homecare environment. Join us at one of our seminars across the country: Chicago, IL: May 24-25 Boston, MA: June 21-22