Thanks, HEALTHCAREfirst!

Bobby, Deanna and Meghan
Making it Happen at HEALTHCAREfirst

Now would be a good time to offer my sincerest gratitude to my hosts last week at the HEALTHCAREfirst Conference.  I learned a lot of interesting things and met some really cool people.  The most fascinating thing that I learned is where all the Healthcare First Data is stored.  If you use Healthcare First software, you may not want to know the answer so I will leave that alone for now.

Although data storage is fascinating to be sure, I have never grown tired of hanging out with home health professionals.  I learn more from y’all than anyone will ever learn from Haydel Consulting Services.  Since I came home to a ZPIC requiring my attention, let me just briefly highlight some of the things I learned.

1. The easiest way to protect yourself from Medical Review is to ensure that your zip code is not in Chicago.
2. There are agencies – read carefully, Louisiana clients – that actually have average lengths of stay close to 30 days for Medicare patients.
3. I don’t think there is a perfect place for the driving involved in home health.  Did you know that there are agencies who pay for nurses to have chains put on their tires?
4. Hospice providers may feel a little left out at times.  I guess that is why they are receiving ADRs and other regulatory audits, at an alarming rate.  PGBA, et al, did not want them to feel neglected.
5. The Hard Rock Café in San Antonio is a great place to watch a parade during Fiesta.

More than ever, agencies are finding their revenue vulnerable as the result of extensive and robust (that’s a computer word) regulatory review by our Payor Source.  HEALTHCAREfirst is stepping up to the plate to assist agencies in maintaining the integrity of their data.  This is a good thing for the majority of providers who want to do more than simply survive in the upcoming years of uncertainty.  But I caution you,HEALTHCAREfirst and all of their competitors sell software.  You can push any button you want on the finest computer in the world and you won’t get nursing judgment or compassion to jump out of your machine.

Having said that, a cocktail of good solid data, strong leadership and intelligent, creative nurses is a plan for an agency that will enjoy financial and clinical outcomes long after this period of scrutiny settles .

So, I learned a lot and more importantly, I met some great people.  It is really fun to meet a stranger who understands exactly what I do for a living and shares my love of the home health industry (inclusive of hospice, of course).  My own family isn’t really sure what exactly I do for a living and I am not sure that anyone who isn’t on the playing field really knows how the game is played.  So, it was fun meeting everyone and if I promised to call and you haven’t heard from me, please send an email.  I have your card under a ZPIC letter so don’t take a chance on it getting lost!

Thanks to HEALTHCAREfirst and thanks to all of their clients who made San Antonio a really fun place to hang out for a few days last week.