Category Archives: Inpatient Rehab

For some time now, several of my colleagues and I have been discussing the transformation of healthcare and how transparency, pay for performance, quality initiatives and the like will impact the way we provide healthcare for ever more.  Just this week, CMS made headway toward pushing operational information into the hands of anyone wishing to find it! The CMS News Release…
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With exactly 60 days to comment before July 1, 2013, CMS released the proposed IRF PPS Rule for fiscal year 2014, which would cover discharges on or after Oct. 1, 2013 – Sept. 30, 2014. The rule is referenced as CMS-1448-P and was filed 05/02/2013  with a to be published date of  05/08/2013. CMS is proposing robust updates and changes to next years IRF…
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We have officially had six months of two quality indicators being reported under our belts in IRF (if you chose to participate), and you are probably wondering, ‘What next?’ How might the next set of quality indicators be introduced and where might they come from? Aren’t you at least curious about what industry experts have discussed regarding quality measures being proposed? While at the…
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Each year, regulatory ‘junkies’ like myself look forward to the spring AMRPA meeting because their sessions are geared to prepare facilities to meet with legislators to discuss and influence judgements through testimony related to their level of service and how they see proposed mandates affecting access to care and reimbursement. Invited guests have firsthand knowledge of everything we need to be concerned about in today’s ever-changing regulatory white…
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In my travels and contacts with various IRF providers across the USA (clients and non-clients alike while assisting with compliance audits or gap analysis to IRF conditions of participation), I have noticed something about the uniform bill and the fact that it’s completion in an IRF for Medicare Part A covered patients paid by the IRF PAI is not so “uniform.”…
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What is the ethical dilemma of a patient reaching a stated goal in rehabilitation, yet not able to complete the discharge due to other areas of the plan of care not yet fulfilled? There are many reasons for this type of scenario to occur; “whether it be due to a family issue, a medical concern, equipment need, etc. – how…
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If you casually believed that the IRF 2010 Regulations were guidelines and not mandates, you may be placing yourself in harms way. Auditing records consistently, demanding appropriate workflow completion and providing reports and documentation to meet the criteria for your Medicare Part A patients and all others that under contract require you to follow these guidelines are important. There are very few facilities that have money in reserve…
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Investing in information systems is a costly endeavor and everyone involved asks the same question, “What will the return on investment be?” It’s no different in healthcare, and in the world of meaningful use, ROI is not discussed in terms of dollars but rather value to the organization in how these systems improve their ability to deliver on expectations or…
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About two weeks ago, OARF (Ohio Association of Rehabilitation Facilities) sponsored a CARF 2013 update provided by Christine M. MacDonell, Managing Director of the Medical Rehabilitation Accreditation Area of CARF. In this ’2013 New Standards Review’ and discussion of most frequently cited standards and how to comply with intent, Christine brought greater than 30 years of dedicated passion to the art of providing…
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Today, I am again reminded how RACs have become the focus of our industry — sort of like driving by looking in the rear view mirror. In the new era of healthcare reform and accountable care, successful IRFs must not only focus upon defending critical dollars from RAC auditors, but also address the entire spectrum of revenue integrity and compliance…
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