Changes to the "Announcements" page on homehealthcahps.org

Yesterday RTI announced some aesthetic and functional changes to the "Announcements" page of http://homehealthcahps.org.

The new design allows you to access information more quickly, enabling you to sort announcements by month,  topic, or category.  At the top of the page you'll find a "Recent Announcements" banner, which provides the title and link of the five most recent announcements. Below the Recent Announcements section, is a list of all announcements, with the announcement title and the opening paragraphs, with the option to read more.

Find a full explanation of features and benefits to the page here.

We applaud the new design; it is clean and user-friendly. RTI would like to hear feedback about your experience--send any suggestions or questions you may have to hhcahps@rti.org

For any questions about how you can make your HHCAHPS survey help your agency grow, contact Pinnacle Quality Insight, at 801-293-0700.

An HHCAHPS Testimonial

We would like to share a client testimonial recently sent to us:

Since I have a few minutes and while we are on the subject of quality. I want to thank you and your staff for the assistance that you have given us to comply with the CAHPS mandate. The transition was simple and you have made compliance with this program a breeze. Besides being an owner of an agency, I am also a consultant and I have seen what some of the other vendors are doing. No reminders to submit the names of patients, no reports or if there are reports they are not professional and do not furnish very much information. When I have had questions, your staff has responded to me quickly. I feel that if the vendor does not act professionally when I interact with them, how are they treating my patients? When the vendor interacts with my patients, they are projecting my agency. Again thank you for your assistance and help.

Sharon Kean, RN, MBA
Victorville HHA Services, LLC.

Article: Reduce Holiday Stress: 10 Tips for Children of Elderly Parents

The Holiday season can be a stressful time for anyone, but it can be especially stressful if you are the caregiver of your elderly parent. I read a great article on AOL Health's section, about how to reduce stress during the Holidays:

"Caregiving is a 24-hour-a-day job. It's tough even during "normal" times of the year. With the holidays comes a whole load of responsibilities and demands. Shopping, baking, decorating, sending holiday cards, family gatherings, preparing for out-of-town guests. Even fighting for that coveted last parking spot at the mall can be stressful.

It can seem impossible to cope with your overburdened life. However, not only can you get through the holidays, but you can also enjoy them and create fond memories that will last a lifetime. Consider the following suggestions to ease stress during the holidays." Click HERE for the rest of the article.

Craig Christiansen
Pinnacle Quality Insight
www.mycahps.com

CMS Publishes New Deadline for Filing HHCAHPS Exemption Report

CMS has published the official deadline for filing an exemption report. Those who are exempt from having to participate in HH-CAHPS are Home Health Agencies who have provided care to 59 or fewer UNDUPLICATED patients between April  1, 2009 and March 31, 2010. Their entire announcement is quoted below, and can be found on their website under the announcements section.

Craig Christiansen
Pinnacle Quality Insight

As recently announced in the 2011 Home Health Prospective System Payment Update Final Rule that was published in the Federal Register on November 17, 2010 (42 CFR 409, 418, 424 et al [17 November, 2010]), page 70409, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has extended the deadline for applying for an exemption from participating in the Home Health Care CAHPS (HHCAHPS) Survey for the calendar year (CY) 2012 annual payment update (APU) from June 16, 2010 to 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time on January 21, 2011.

As announced in the 2010 Home Health Prospective System Payment Update Final Rule that was published in the Federal Register on November 10, 2009, Medicare-certified home health agencies that served 59 or fewer unduplicated patients between April 1, 2009 and March 31, 2010 who met survey eligibility criteria may request an exemption from participating in the HHCAHPS Survey for the CY 2012 APU. All such agencies are required to count the number of patients served during that 12-month period who met survey eligibility requirements and report the count to CMS via an online form on the HHCAHPS Web site at the following link: https://homehealthcahps.org/ForHHAs/ParticipationExemptionRequestForm.aspx

For more information about the HHCAHPS Survey, contact the HHCAHPS Survey Coordination Team via email at hhcahps@rti.org or call toll-free at (866) 354-0985.

Can you still sign up for HHCAHPS?

Yes! Even though the deadline has passed, we can fill out an exemption report for you, and get you set up and ready. But contact us TODAY so we can get you started!!  Don't miss out on 2% of your APU, just because of a slight oversight.

Craig Christiansen
Pinnacle Quality Insight
inquiries@mycahps.com
877-532-1233

Final Deadline for HH-CAHPS!

October 21st is the final deadline for delivering patient information to your HH-CAHPS vendor in order to use September for your "Dry Run" month. September is the last possible month for the "Dry Run".

With that in mind, make sure to contact Pinnacle Quality Insight right away, we can get you up and running within a few minutes so you do not miss this important deadline. We don't know if there will be any available recourse if you don't get set up in time, but we do know it's better to be safe than sorry. So give us a call, we'll get you set up and on your way to full HH-CAHPS compliance within a few minutes!

Craig Christiansen
Pinnacle Quality Insight
801-293-0700

HHCAHPS--Time is running out!!

We are in the 11th hour of finding your HHCAHPS provider. In order to be HHCAHPS compliant, you must select a provider and go through your "Dry Run" with your provider sometime 3rd quarter. Meaning, we are in the last possible month to get started...

To conduct a Dry Run this last month of the quarter, you provide care for your patients during the month of September, and your HHCAHPS survey vendor conducts the HHCAHPS surveys the NEXT month. You have until a little after halfway through October to deliver your patient names to your vendor for your Dry Run.

So the bottom line... choose your vendor ASAP, so they can get started on your "Dry Run" right away, so you don't risk non-compliance with the HHCAHPS regulations.

Pinnacle Quality Insight is here to help you towards full HHCAHPS compliance. We can get you started QUICKLY and EASILY so this is off your to-do list. We can be your HHCAHPS vendor--so give us a call or email, and we'll show you how we can get this going as soon as possible.

Craig Christiansen
Pinnacle Quality Insight
info@mycahps.com
877-532-1233