OASIS-Central

Customize Care to Meet the Patient’s Needs

Everyday, clinicians confront tough questions, those that require knowledge of certification, payment, and documentation requirements. Here’s an example. With the push toward best practices, do you think it’s a good idea to establish visit patterns for the initial certification period? Our agency is considering a pattern with minimum visits of three a week for the [...]

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Facts about OASIS-C Process Measures Restore Common Sense

When the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the first version of the revised OASIS, Beacon Health feared the incorporation of process data elements would create problems. It looks as though our fears have come to fruition. The very presence of these questions is driving agencies to change processes, which, in too many [...]

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Assessing Current Practices to Develop Best Practices

When developing best practices in an agency, an important step is to look at what current practices are in place. Assessing current practices and how they work or don’t work is crucial to the creation and implementation of best practices. Key elements to assess current agency “usual” practices and begin to develop best practice Identify [...]

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2010: The Year of Best Practices

Fundamental Points about Best Practices Standardize, standardize, standardize: Reduce variation, subjectivity in care planning and delivery Reduce risk of omission, error in care delivery Focus on compliance: Incorporate regulatory requirements, agency policy issues Reflect Medicare coverage criteria Move forward at a pace that benefits patients and that the agency can manage Orders not necessary for [...]

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Standardized Protocols, Not Standing Orders

Homecare providers are exploring ways to implement the evidence-based practices (EBP) in OASIS-C. One idea: standing orders. According to the medical dictionary, a standing order is a written document that contains rules, policies, procedures, and orders for conduct of patient care in stipulated situations. Standing orders identify the actions to be taken, including the dose [...]

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What is the difference between a best practice and an evidence-based practice?

Q: What is the difference between a best practice and an evidence-based practice? A: Although the difference is slight, it is an important distinction. Best practice: techniques, procedures, processes, and interventions that are identified through health literature, research and one’s own performance improvement initiatives. Best practices reflect optimal interventions and produce superior results. Example: An [...]

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