Caring : National Association for Home Care magazine
-
All health care providers, clearinghouses, and health plans that transmit health information electronically in connection with a standard transaction (e.g., claims, coordinating benefits, payment and remittance advice, claims status, etc.) are subject to compliance under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). The effective date of the regulations was April 14, 2001, and all health providers must be in full compliance by April 2003. It is extremely important that you and your organization understand HIPPA and the final privacy rule and begin working toward compliance now.
-
This article examines risk factors for falls in the home with special consideration of psychotropic medications, and it recommends an evidence-based approach for fall prevention and management. Given that 85% of falls that do occur take place in the home (Abreu et al, 1998), the home care nurse is in a unique position to assess and intervene in the very context where falls emerge.
-
Long-term care represents the interface between health care and social services and thus includes a multitude of services and staff that deliver long-term assistance. The range of services, consumers, and environmental circumstances under the home care umbrella creates a considerable challenge for both providers and regulators. This article examines five principles to assure high-quality care: Know your customers, listen to your customers, collect good information for decision-making, understand that the group is smarter than the individual, and realize that sub-optimization is a critical challenge facing organizations.