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!
The 2024 inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) and long-term care hospital prospective payment system (LTCH PPS) rule updates Medicare payments and policies. With a focus
Skyrocketing rates of improper payments have coincided with historically rapid enrollment in the MA program. It was a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
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Dr. Ronald Hirsch provides tried-and-true strategies and insight into outpatient in hospital bed stays including determining the applicable definition, who uses it, and when and how to bill for this circumstance, solidified with concrete case examples and expert insight.
Practical solutions for CDM departments to protect your hospital’s revenue.
This webcast teaches hospitals how to comply with CMS price transparency rules and compare their rates with peer hospitals. It covers creating a compliant machine-readable file, comparing negotiated rates, and improving pricing decisions.
The No Surprises Act (NSA) presents a challenge for hospitals and providers who must provide Good Faith Estimates (GFEs) for all schedulable services for self-pay and uninsured patients. Compliance is necessary, but few hospitals have been able to fully comply with the requirements despite being a year into the NSA. This webcast provides an overview of the NSA/GFE policy, its impact, and a step-by-step process to adhere to the requirements and avoid non-compliance penalties.
This expert-guided webcast will showcase tips for providers to ensure appropriate capture of the work performed for a visit. Comprehensive examples will be given that demonstrate documentation gaps and how to educate providers on the documentation necessary to appropriately assign a level of service. You will gain clarification on answers regarding emergency department and urgent care coding circumstances as well as a review of how/when it is appropriate to code for E&M in radiology and more.
Set yourself up for financial and compliance success with expert guidance that breaks down the impactful changes including MS-DRG methodology, surgical hierarchy updates, and many new technology add-on payments (NTAPs). Identify areas of potential challenge ahead of time and master solutions for all 2024 Proposed IPPS changes.
Do you struggle with selecting and appending the correct modifier for your medical claims? Join our must-attend webinar, “Mastering Modifier Usage: Preventing Denials and Ensuring Compliance” to reduce claim denials and improve your reimbursement rates.
Kay Piper reviews the guidance and updates coders and CDISs on important information in the AHA’s fourth quarter 2023 ICD-10-CM/PCS Quarterly Coding Clinic in an easy to access on-demand webcast.
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