In the accountable care organization era, controlling costs and maximizing the efficiency of care has become a priority for many organizations, particularly when it comes to patients with high-cost, complex needs. The question is: How can organizations save money without sacrificing the quality of care or increasing avoidable readmissions?
Editor's note: Jugna Shah, MPH, president and founder of Nimitt Consulting, writes a bimonthly column for Briefings on APCs, commenting on the latest policies and regulations and analyzing their impact on providers.
CMS' 2014 IPPS final rule redefined inpatient admissions when it implemented the 2-midnight rule, which requires a validated physician order, documentation of medical necessity, and the expectation of a stay crossing two or more midnights.
Quality measures, such as the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program, the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program, and the Hospital-Acquired Condition (HAC) Reduction Program, form the basis of the 2015 IPPS final rule, released August 4.
