Insights and Trends
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Congratulations to our Partners Named American’s Best Hospitals
May 21, 2020Each year, HealthGrades America’s Best Hospitals list rewards hospitals that consistently exhibit exceptional, comprehensive quality service. Thirty-two conditions and procedures are measured to determine which hospitals are distinguished as America’s best for high-quality clinical outcomes.
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Part B Reimbursement Changes: What You Need to Know
March 12, 2020In late 2019, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services finalized the Physician Fee Schedule for this calendar year, which includes several updates and changes to the provision, payment and paperwork related to Medicare Part B Physical Therapy services. These changes included new rules that have already gone into effect earlier this year, and for new initiatives coming in 2021 and 2022.
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Recovery at Atlantic Rehabilitation Institute, a Walk in the Park
January 28, 2020Atlantic Rehabilitation Institute (ARI), a joint venture partnership between Atlantic Health System and Lifepoint, is a state-of-the-art, 38-bed inpatient acute rehabilitation hospital dedicated to the treatment and recovery of individuals who have experienced the debilitating effects of a severe injury or illness.
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Preparing for the Transition from FIM to QI
January 21, 2020We began working with our internal teams and partners in 2014 to prepare for the changes mandated through the IMPACT Act that would ultimately go into effect in 2019. In order to effectively transition from the long-used FIM tool to section GG, the IRF industry required a revised strategy with new tools, resources and training to succeed. In preparation for the changes to the new IRF-PAI system and new requirements, we developed a comprehensive training and implementation plan to ensure a smooth transition for all of our hospital partners.
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JAMA Study Findings: IRFs Best Setting for Patients Recovering from Stroke
December 18, 2019A recent study conducted by the University of Texas Medical Branch adds to the research indicating that inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) are the best possible post-acute care option for patients who have suffered a stroke.
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Bayhealth and Lifepoint: Two Decades of Success
November 21, 2019Partnerships thrive over decades in part because of their ability to succeed and adapt to change. Take Lifepoint Rehabilitation and the acute rehabilitation unit (ARU) at Bayhealth Sussex Campus in Milford, Delaware, which Lifepoint has managed for more than two decades. The program continues to excel and recently moved to a 40-bed inpatient rehabilitation unit at Bayhealth’s new hospital located in the southernmost of the three Delaware counties, which is experiencing an influx of retirees.
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Value-Based Care Reforms Cause Rise in Outsource Partnerships
November 04, 2019As value-based care reforms challenge hospitals to reduce costs and improve outcomes, one solution pursued by more and more hospitals and inpatient organizations is to outsource certain clinical and non-clinical services to third-party vendors.
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3 Strategies to Improve Patient Access
September 11, 2019Today’s healthcare environment is changing rapidly, resulting in increasing challenges for providers running acute rehabilitation programs. One of the most common obstacles is patient access.
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The Importance of CARF Accreditation
August 26, 2019Being accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) can help your program stand out. CARF accreditation ensures physicians are providing patients with care that meets internationally accepted standards; reinforces person-focused standards that emphasize an integrated and individualized approach to services and outcomes; establishes accountability to funding sources, referral agencies, and the community of a commitment to quality; and provides guidance for responsible management and professional growth of personnel.
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5 Strategies for Reducing Reimbursement Disputes
August 06, 2019The world of healthcare is becoming increasingly complex. Consequently, providers running inpatient rehabilitation programs are confronted with growing challenges – including the issue of reimbursement.
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How Does Florida’s Repeal of Certain Hospital Certificate of Need Requirements Impact Rehab Hospitals?
July 02, 2019Certificate of Need (CON) is a public policy tool which seeks to slow healthcare cost growth, avoid duplication of programs and services and ensure that new development meets the needs of the community. Nationally, only 12 states have no CON requirements. In Florida, the CON program was enacted in 1973 and applied to the building of new health centers or expansion of certain, complex medical services – including hospitals, nursing facilities, hospices and intermediate care facilities for the developmentally disabled.
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St. Catherine’s Rehab Unit Showing Positive Measures After the Introduction of RehabTracker
January 28, 2019Patient engagement is especially critical in rehabilitation, but can technology drive greater engagement and thus improve functional measures?
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Quality Clinical Outcomes Vital to Value-Based Care: Part 2
October 09, 2018This is the second in a two-part series breaking down everything you need to know about quality clinical outcomes and the move to value-based care.
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Quality Clinical Outcomes Vital to Value-Based Care: Part 1
October 09, 2018This is the first in a two-part series breaking down everything you need to know about quality clinical outcomes and the move to value-based care.
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IRF Final Rule Raises Important Concerns
August 16, 2018On July 31, 2018, the IRF Final Rule was issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which will take effect FY 2020. In addition to the updates to IRF payment rates and other measures designed to streamline care and reduce inefficiencies, one of the most important takeaways from the Final Rule relates to the removal of the Functional Independence Measure (FIM™) Instrument and Associated Function Modifiers from the IRF-Patient Assessment Instrument (PAI) and Refinements to the Case Mix Classification System.
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How to Work with Patients Who Refuse Therapy
May 15, 2017Most therapists experience patients who do not want to engage in care from time to time. These guidelines help therapists adjust their approach and encourage a patient to actively participate in treatment.
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Understanding the New Long Term Care Facilities “Megarule” Conditions of Participation Regulation and Phase 1
February 28, 2017The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services finalized a major new rule approximately one month ago to make significant changes to improve patient care and safety. The new rule’s compliance obligations, which will be implemented in three phases that begin this year and extend through 2019, represent the largest update the industry has seen since 1991. The “megarule" as some in the industry are calling it sets high standards for care and targets infections, hospital readmissions, staffing practices and resident safety among other areas.
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Freezing Nerves Before Knee Replacement Improves Recovery, According to Study
February 28, 2017The results of a recent study at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine found that freezing nerves through cryoneurolysis before knee replacement surgery led to better outcomes.
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At 66, Pat Conroy Turns His Health Around
February 28, 2017Pat Conroy makes no bones about it in a recent Washington Post article – his road to recovery, which began three years ago after a failing liver and Type 2 diabetes landed him in the hospital, has not been easy.
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Moving Forward After Lower Extremity Amputation
February 28, 2017Each year, approximately 30,000–40,000 lower extremity amputations are performed in the United States. 30% of lower extremity amputations are performed above the knee (AKA), and 70% are performed below the knee (BKA). In every instance, intensive and specialized rehabilitation is required to adjust to a prosthesis and adapt in order to return to activities of daily living and the hobbies a patient enjoyed prior to surgery.
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