Published on: Oct 17, 2016 | 08:34

Keeping your employees on task is critical, but keeping them motivated can be more challenging. Unfortunately, not everyone is naturally willing to go the extra mile in their everyday efforts. Field workers tend to lose morale easily as they don’t feel part of a team or a greater purpose.

Individual and team morale are essential elements of productivity. You can boost your team morale by:

Set clear goals–get everyone on the same page
Start by finding a common ground for everyone.This could be a challenge for a home health provider given that clinicians mostly work by themselves on the field.

Break goals into smaller objectives and communicate how they contribute to your long term goals. While setting goals for both your stay-in office team and field workers, encourage collaborative learning and build camaraderie across teams while aiming towards a common goal.

 

Promote positive communication
Don’t just tell employees what to do, make them feel they’re in charge. Good communication creates strong employee-admin bond– it keeps them in the loop, making them feel that their work matters. It’s also a creative way of gaining insights about your business policies and tactics.

 

Empower the workforce
Invest in continuous staff development. This will contribute to your workers personal development goals and make them more professionally competitive. Don’t forget to relay how trainings are vital for growth and how it contributes to business goals.

 

Give out incentives
The way you reward people impacts how they do business every day. Take the time to acknowledge accomplishments and milestones– employees like being proud of their work, giving them opportunity for personal growth.

Boost employee engagement through recognition and reward systems — even a timely dine-out can excite your team make them feel more enthusiastic to work.

 

Make them feel you care
Since you cannot see your field clinicians all the time and given that you have other critical things to attend to, keeping a constant watch on them is very essential. Check out how your field staff are doing from time-to-time. A simple question of “how are things are going?” can actually make your staff feel valued.

Take your team a level higher with Qavalo

Never miss-out on your clinicians’ work performance– Qavalo’s feedback and reporting mechanisms help you keep track of clinicians’ performance for long term process improvement. Our QA and process solutions take the burden off your clinicians so they can focus on patient care.

Experience us firsthand– get a FREE TRIAL with no strings attached, no payment details required up front.

Dial 916-282-9868 or email info@qavalo.com for more info.

The post How to Motivate Your Field Clinicians and Boost Team Morale first appeared on Qavalo.

Published on: Oct. 11, 2016 | 11:58

On August 3, 2016, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) initiated the Pre-Claim demonstration to minimize cases of fraud and inappropriate billing by requiring that agencies prove claims authenticity earlier in the care period. The rollout was first introduced in Illinois, with scheduled demonstrations in other states that have since been postponed.

CMS sees pre-claim as an eventuality rather than a possibility, and experts anticipate significant rates of denials, delayed payments and complicated appeals as part of the big transition.

If pre-claim is pending for rollout in your state, there are measures agencies can take to increase rates of accepted documents and minimize risk of denied or delayed payments:

1) Train clinicians to improve their notes by reviewing your agency’s documentation protocols.

2) Manage the overwhelming paperwork with innovative approaches like IT solutions and process outsourcing to take the burden off and save staffing costs.

3) Organize a system for collection and submission of the required documentation for the pre-claim review request. Efficient tracking mechanisms should be put in place to monitor which episodes are submitted and their status in the pre-claim process. It should also track reviewer’s decision for each request.

“Prior to submission, agencies must pay attention to presentation of documents– it should easily be understood by the  reviewer.  A summary page of cases will be helpful. The goal is to prove in the simplest manner, that a specific care is medically necessary to each patient’s claim.”

4) Reposition your workforce and evaluate internal processes to integrate pre-claim review request monitoring.

5) Educate patients about the current situation and make them aware of concerns and changes that might occur. Assure them that care and services will maintain as it is, if not improved.

Outsource QA with Qavalo

Leave the QA work to our trained RN’s and stay on top of the pre-claim work. You can save up to 40% in salary and overhead costs with our competitive and flexible outsourcing services.

We’re more than happy to offer you a FREE TRIAL anytime and experience how Qavalo can help bring your company to the next level.

You can always reach us at 916-282-9868 or email info@qavalo.com

The post 5 Tips to Prepare Your Agency For Pre-Claim Rollout In Your State first appeared on Qavalo.

Once you have finally decided to outsource, how do you get buy-in from your staff?

In a study conducted by Thomas Kern and Leslie Willcocks of 250 companies in U.S. and Europe that were outsourcing components of their business process, an overwhelming 85% of companies reported that the cost benefits were lessened due to a disconnect between the people and the vision of the outsourcing program. Integration of an outsourcing program will naturally spark some anxiety with your team, but there are ways to address their concerns proactively. Remember–they’re just afraid of what they don’t know:

1) Explain the change / the goals / the vision – your staff needs to know your goals, and plans must be outlined in detail. However, don’t forget to let your staff see your vision– it will garner your team’s support for the big change.

2) Empathize – acknowledge their concerns; change can even send your most positive staff into frustration. Be receptive to opinions, while being honest as to why you need to outsource and how the changes will take place; you might be surprised to discover they will have useful insights to assist in your transition. Let your staff be part of the change and in addressing the problems. Don’t take negative feedback personally. Instead, strategize to address the concerns and finally ask your staff’s support as you roll out your initiative.

If layoffs are possible, be honest with your team; discuss the conditions that could make necessary restructuring possible. Being transparent could strengthen staff loyalty and motivation and ultimately keep the business more sustainable.

3) Align your workforce –  Before you move forward, align the retained functions with your team’s personal career plans. Identify each employee’s skills, knowledge and strengths, and complement them with the business goals. Repositioning may be required to cover weak points and keeping the team aligned.

4) Keep your staff motivated – Maintain worker engagement, motivation and productivity. Plot out organizational goals one step at a time and give due recognition to your people’s contributions. Let them know their work makes a difference. Celebrate accomplishments– when change creates positive results, tell your staff about the success.

Propel your workforce– experience Qavalo

Outsource your documentation and position your team for process improvement. We can scale to your company’s evolving needs so you can focus on your patient care goals. Our client-efficient feedback & reporting mechanisms enables you to monitor your clinician’s progress as well as areas of development for long term process improvement.

Find out how you can avail of our FREE TRIAL — no strings attached, no payment details required up front. Experience Qavalo quality–today!

Contact us at 916-282-9868 or email info@qavalo.com for more info.

The post Positioning your Workforce for Growth: 4 Ways to Prepare Your Team for Outsourcing first appeared on Qavalo.

Published on: Sept. 26, 2016 | 10:01

CMS introduced Star Ratings to help the public compare quality of service among providers, but it is a known fact among agencies that the results can make or break your business and even put reputations on the line.

While home health providers continue to deal with the challenges of an ever-evolving industry, opportunities to pull away from the pack lie in documentation and process improvement tools.
But how? Agencies are already overwhelmed with increasing regulatory measures from CMS, and pressure is mounting further with pre-claim regulations on the way.

Be proactive– 3 ways to manage your documentation and improve clinical process.

1. Concurrent care and data entry- Patient care and data recording should be done hand-in-hand; clinicians need continuous training on how to effectively complete discipline documentation during their patient visits. This will increase chances for a complete data set.

2. Systematic workflow- A clearly-defined and organized workflow keeps clinicians on track and ensures reporting accuracy. A checklist of tasks or a third party chart review will take your data one step further.

3. Problem recognition and fix- Effective reporting and feedback mechanisms are critical to an effective process improvement program by objectively identifying problem areas and, more importantly, problem clinicians.

The documentation is overwhelming, and patient care will inevitably be compromised if new solutions are not considered. Process innovations, ranging from IT solutions to process outsourcing, increase efficiency and the trickle down effect will boost your star ratings. While such options may initially seem risky or unfamiliar, the right partner is out there and can help bring your agency to the next level.

Outsource your documentation with Qavalo:

Our team of experts will eliminate the burden of documentation and let you focus again on patient care. Beyond QA, our useful reporting and analytics can elevate your documentation standards, clinician performance and ultimately improve Star Ratings.

Contact us today and experience the Qavalo standard of documentation for yourself with our FREE TRIAL– no strings attached, no payment details required up front.

Call 916-282-9868 or email info@qavalo.com for more info.

The post 3 Ways Process Improvement Will Help Boost Home Health Star Ratings! first appeared on Qavalo.

What has changed? Why should you give outsourcing another chance? Here’s why:

Outsourcing your Home Health Agency’s Key Functions– What’s in it for you?

Cost savings are only part of the package– let’s take a look at the other benefits of healthcare outsourcing:

1. Less stress, more profit:  By doing outsourcing, businesses can slash up to 60% off their costs, plus minimizing the burden of staff hiring, skills development and process improvement.

2. Quality work, guaranteed: Outsourcing promises quality work by investing in an expert workforce exercising extensive clinical judgement from years of experience in the clinical setting.

3. Focus on core process and services: Remove the burden of documentation and focus on your agency’s main patient care goals.

4. Client satisfaction means higher Star Ratings:  Deliver a better patient experience and bring up your star ratings.

5. Long term process improvement: We provide clients efficient feedback & reporting mechanisms so you can monitor your clinician’s progress as well as areas of development for long term process improvement.

Try Outsourcing with Qavalo

We’re a specialized QA outsourcing company, helping home health agencies elevate their documentation standards and bill those charts faster. Our team of experts can scale to your company’s evolving needs so you can focus on what matters most.

Give us a ring and let’s explore how Qavalo can help take your agency to the next level!

Find out how you can avail of our FREE TRIAL — no strings attached, no payment details required up front. Experience Qavalo quality–today!

Contact us at 916-282-9868 or email info@qavalo.com

The post The burden of EMR documentation—why you should give QA outsourcing a second look. first appeared on Qavalo.

It can be recalled that CMS has scheduled Pre-Claim Review Demonstration in five States, namely, Illinois in August, Florida in October, Texas in November, Michigan and Massachusetts in January 2017, respectively.  CMS goal for the Pre-Claim Review Demonstration among this five states is to test whether pre-claim review improves methods for the identification, investigation, and prosecution of Medicare fraud occurring among Home Health Agencies (HHAs) providing services to people with Medicare benefits.  Also, CMS is also testing whether the demonstration helps reduce expenditures while maintaining or improving quality of care.   

Based on what happened in Illinois, CMS believes that an additional educational efforts is required prior to initiating the demonstration in Florida.  This educational effort will focus on how to submit pre-claim review requests, documentation requirements, and common reasons for non-affirmation. CMS views these efforts as crucial to the long-term success of the demonstration for beneficiaries, providers, and the Medicare program.

The start dates for Florida, Texas, Michigan, and Massachusetts is yet to be announced; but, CMS will provide at least 30 days’ notice on this website prior to beginning in any state.

Source: https://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Monitoring-Programs/Medicare-FFS-Compliance-Programs/Pre-Claim-Review-Initiatives/Overview.html

The post CMS Pre-Claim Review Demonstration for Home Health Services in Florida and Other States Delayed first appeared on Qavalo.

We offer a new, affordable business solution that lets your home health organization
— no matter how big or small –lower costs and deliver responsive, quality care for your patients.

At Qavalo, our team of trained QA specialists can scale to your company’s evolving needs
so you can focus on what matters most.

Contact us for your free trial today!
Call +1 (916) 282-9868

• watch time efficient chart review and OASIS submission
• monetization_on up to 40% savings on payroll and operational costs
• star_half process improvement feedback mechanism to improve star ratings
• group_add full-time dedicated nursing professionals
• search have charts 3x triple-reviewed for ADR so your agency is SURVEY-READY
• timeline flexibility to scale up or down depending on seasonal census

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The post Streamline your Home Health Business first appeared on Qavalo.