Rehab Continuum Report Archives – August 1, 2003
August 1, 2003
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Cancer survivor uses rehab to offer hope, healing to other patients
Angelo Rizzo, PT, is constantly working to convince oncologists to set up formal rehab programs for their patients at one of the seven Therapeutic Solutions locations in the Atlanta area. It took four years to convince one oncology practice to do so, but as the physicians began to see the improvements patients were making, they started recommending it to more patients. -
The Road to PPS Success: Team conferences lower hospital’s length of stay
At National Rehabilitation Hospital in Washington, DC, a bright green pen-and-paper form has taken up residence in each patient room to help team members document the initial functional independence measure score required under the inpatient prospective payment system. -
Rehab’s solution to 75% rule could be costly
Health care consultant Fran Fowler says the rehab field is making two huge mistakes that could cost the industry millions of dollars and force hospitals to close acute rehab units. One has to do with the 75% rule; the other relates to an overlooked proposal by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for acute care hospitals that has the potential to reshape the future of rehab. -
Get a handle on denials, increase reimbursements
In these times of dwindling health care reimbursement, theres no phrase more significant to managers and their bosses than denial management. Several key components must be in place if a hospital is to achieve best practice in denial management, says Joe Denney, CHAM, director of revenue management at The Ohio State University Medical Center in Columbus. -
OSHA issues ergonomic rules for nursing homes
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently issued the first in a series of industry-specific guidelines for the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders in the workplace. Its target: nursing homes. -
Popular applications can lead to security leaks
A report issued by Palisades Systems in Ames, IA, and HIPAA Academy in Clive, IA, says health care organizations that allow peer-to-peer and instant messenging applications to run on their computer networks risk compromising patient health information and causing violations of the privacy provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. -
Interim rule on monetary penalties to be replaced
The Department of Health and Human Services says its interim final rule establishing rules of procedure for the imposition of civil monetary penalties on entities that violate standards adopted under the administrative simplification provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act will not be in effect after Sept. 16, 2003, because it will be replaced by a final enforcement rule. -
Alliances tackle health care worker shortage
If businesses and communities worked with hospitals, there would be fewer serious shortages of health care workers, says a new study by the VHA Health Foundation and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. According to the study, working together works wonders.