Accounting for socioeconomic factors is critical to the sustainability of healthcare.
Editor’s Note: This article was written as Hurricane Florence was heading directly for the United States’ East Coast. Stores from the Georgia to Delaware have barren shelves where staples, as water and toilet paper are usually stocked.
Nature and technology do not always agree, as has been clear with Hurricane Florence having a somewhat unpredictable trajectory despite advanced technology tracking systems. Yet, by the time you read this article, the wrath of the latest storm and its aftereffects will have been experienced by millions.
The health and behavioral workforce stands at the ready, especially amid hurricane season, or in the wake of any natural disaster. We move into action, reconciling our multiple roles across personal and professional domains. That means a few things:
As a former emergency department and intensive care unit case manager I know a lot about the ‘process and roll’ mentality. While it rocks in the short term, it leaves a bit to be desired for the long haul. To foster a more strategic and proactive approach to emergency preparedness for health care professionals, I wanted to share this comprehensive resource list to address each of the aforementioned areas and empower your efforts:
Personal Resources
The American Red Cross provides an organized listing of “must-have” supplies for each person, from non-perishable items to key supplies for individuals and family members (e.g. batteries, secured copies of personal documents, a seven-day supply of medications, sealable storage bags to securely store electronics and chargers, money, maps, and items for unique needs dictated by a community and/or the type of event, e.g. whistles, surgical masks, rain gear, towels, etc.).
For those with pets, the Humane Society has an equally robust list for animal family members, including but not limited to food and water, medications, medical records, sturdy leashes and carriers, current photos, plus special information like microchip tracking numbers, as well as the name and phone number of your veterinarian.
The American Public Health Association website lists 10 must-have items:
Ready.gov provides information needed to build preparedness kits, with printable lists for the following:
Professional Resources
For those who missed Monitor Mondays’ Sept. 3, 2018 broadcast, all should be mindful of the HIPAA implications of National and Public Health Emergencies for covered facilities and organizations.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration: Hurricane Preparedness and Response provides strategic direction for workforce evacuation and emergency plans.
Many readers know I’m a stickler for using the ICD-10 Z Stress codes to address Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) for social and environmental circumstances that accompany patients into facilities, whether inpatient or outpatient.
For those who have come to rely on me for relevant codes, here are a few considerations:
Z 56: Problems related to employment and unemployment
Z59: Problems related to housing and economic circumstances
Z63: Other problems related to primary support group, including family circumstances
Z65: Problems related to other psychosocial circumstances
Of course, do not forget to include the both clinical and essential non-clinical documentation to validate each ICD-10 code.
Follow the guidance provided by the American Hospital Association, as well as my prior articles and broadcasts on RACmonitor and ICD10monitor, as well as Monitor Mondays and Talk Ten Tuesdays.
For those interested in volunteering, a wide array of organizations and opportunities exist. An expansive and current listing can be accessed through the website for National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster.
Last, but certainly not least, it is an occupational hazard of the health and behavioral health workforce to care for others before and instead of ourselves.
Unfortunately, we all have limits to our energies and must equally engage in self-care. SAMHSA’s Efforts for Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery site provides behavioral health resources to help responders, professionals, and their communities prepare, respond, and recover from disasters.
Stay proactive and prepared!
Well, this is the last RACmonitor news edition of the year, so it’s time for my annual Hirsch’s Heroes. As a reminder, last year my
As we approach the holidays and look back on the past year we had and look forward to the new year and new presidential administration,
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Join Beth Wolf, MD, CPC, CCDS, for an in-depth webcast on the FY2025 spinal fusion MS-DRG updates. Discover key changes in DRG classification, understand impacts on documentation and CMI, and learn strategies to ensure compliance.
Join Angela Comfort, DBA, MBA, RHIA, CDIP, CCS, CCS-P, as she presents effective strategies to strengthen collaboration between CDI, coding, and quality departments in acute care hospitals. Angela will also share guidance on implementing cross-departmental meetings, using shared KPIs, and engaging leadership to foster a culture of collaboration. Attendees will gain actionable tools to optimize documentation accuracy, elevate quality metrics, and drive a unified approach to healthcare goals, ultimately enhancing both patient outcomes and organizational performance.
Optimize your outpatient clinical documentation and gain comprehensive knowledge from foundational practices to advanced technologies, ensuring improved patient care and organizational and financial success. This webcast bundle provides a holistic approach to outpatient CDI, empowering you to implement best practices from the ground up and leverage advanced strategies for superior results. You will gain actionable insights to improve documentation quality, patient care, compliance, and financial outcomes.
Enhancing outpatient clinical documentation is crucial for maintaining accuracy, compliance, and proper reimbursement in today’s complex healthcare environment. This webcast, presented by industry expert Angela Comfort, DBA, RHIA, CDIP, CCS, CCS-P, will provide you with actionable strategies to tackle complex challenges in outpatient documentation. You’ll learn how to craft detailed clinical narratives, utilize advanced EHR features, and implement accurate risk adjustment and HCC coding. The session also covers essential regulatory updates to keep your documentation practices compliant. Join us to gain the tools you need to improve documentation quality, support better patient care, and ensure financial integrity.
Dr. Ronald Hirsch provides critical details on the new Medicare Appeal Process for Status Changes for patients whose status changes during their hospital stay. He also delves into other scenarios of hospital patients receiving custodial care or medically unnecessary services where patient notifications may be needed along with the processes necessary to ensure compliance with state and federal guidance.
Healthcare organizations face complex regulatory requirements under the No Surprises Act and Price Transparency rules. These policies mandate extensive fee disclosures across settings, and confusion is widespread—many hospitals remain unaware they must post every contracted rate. Non-compliance could lead to costly penalties, financial loss, and legal risks. Join David M. Glaser Esq. as he shows you how to navigate these regulations effectively.
Protect your facility from unwanted audits! Join Becky Jacobsen, BSN, RN, MBS, CCS-P, CPC, CPEDC, CBCS, CEMC, and take a deep dive into both the CMS and AMA guidelines for reporting post operative pain blocks. You’ll learn how to determine if the nerve block is separately codable with real life examples for better understanding. Becky will also cover how to evaluate whether documentation supports medical necessity, offer recommendations for stronger documentation practices, and provide guidance on educating providers about documentation requirements. She’ll include a discussion of appropriate modifier and diagnosis coding assignment so that you can be confident that your billing of post operative pain blocks is fully supported and compliant.
During this RACmonitor webcast Dr. Ronald Hirsch spotlights the areas of the OIG’s Work Plan and the findings of their most recent audits that impact utilization review, case management, and audit staff. He also provides his common-sense interpretation of the prevailing regulations related to those target issues. You’ll walk away better equipped with strategies to put in place immediately to reduce your risk of paybacks, increased scrutiny, and criminal penalties.
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