At our Home Health Sales Meeting this week, one of my Sales Reps reported a Resident Life Care Director said to her, “I heard you are not going to accept ANY residents for generalized weakness or because they had a recent fall. What am I supposed to do with these residents? They need help!”
This is another case of almost right. How would your rep respond?
We have been educating on PDGM with our Home Health Marketers since the 2nd quarter. They are well versed in the changes and complexity of the statement shared by the Resident Life Care Director.
The dreaded “R” codes.
They are not acceptable for our operations team in 2020.
I would submit to you – they never were.
These are simply symptom codes and symptoms are just a manifestation of the underlying cause.
“WHY does the resident have weakness?”
Perhaps they had a stroke (Non-traumatic intracranial hemorrhage) and they are limited in their function, which then manifests itself in weakness. In the past, we didn’t ask the why.
?WHY did they fall??
The stroke diagnosis for that resident increased their fall risk due to decreased balance and strength.
THAT is the REASON for the need for skilled care! Stroke (which is one of the 12 clinical groups for PDGM).
Are your Home Health Marketers “skilled” in having the conversation about how to ask the right questions and get the clinical documentation to support a “good” referral?
If you are from In-Home Care and you are reading this article – GOOD FOR YOU! It means you care enough to be a solid care partner for your referral sources.
I would also share that these residents may benefit from in-home care support too!
Together home health and in-home care will create better outcomes.
2020 brings many changes for Home Health. It starts with the referral. Marketing is the key to success. Identifying clinical information to support the billing team and the plan of care is critical to the success of the agency.
This MUST happen at the point of the referral with MARKETING! Time to empower your Home Health Marketers.
In-Home Care Marketers: this is your time too! If you know what PDGM means for your Home Health Marketing friends you can help augment their care to their patients.
If you are looking to gain a competitive advantage, starting with the referral!
