Helping CHF patients ­manage their condition and avoid unnecessary ­readmissions

April 1, 2012
Case Management Monthly

When case managers are looking at patients who are frequently readmitted to their facility within 30 days of their last discharge, chances are they'll find a lot of chronic heart failure (CHF) patients among them. That's because CHF patients typically have a higher readmission rate than any other disease, says Jan Lear, RN, CMC, director of case management at ­MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center (MFSMC) in Baltimore.

HHS confirms ICD-10 delay. What's next?

April 1, 2012
Case Management Monthly

It's no longer a mere possibility; the Department of Health and Human Services HHS has confirmed its intent to delay the ICD-10 compliance deadline, according to its latest press release.

Mastering the handoff: Tips to avoid dropping the ball

April 1, 2012
Case Management Monthly

One of the riskiest times for patients comes when they are leaving the hospital and heading home or to aftercare. This is the time when medications are mixed up, follow-up doctors' appointments are missed, or discharge instructions get lost in the fax machine. Poor handoffs with poor communication can lead to unnecessary readmissions.

A (controversial) case for ending the marriage between UR and case management

April 1, 2012
Case Management Monthly

Utilization review (UR) and case management are as traditional a team as peanut butter and jelly. But some facilities are asking whether this longtime duo is really the best combination.