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Archive: January 2016

Choosing a home health agency keeps getting easier

28 January 2016
ephraim fuchs
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Categories: ADL News

Choosing a provider of home health services can be overwhelming. Home health agencies can differ in the safety and quality of care they provide. That’s why we’ve made it easier to use the information on our Home Health Compare site by adding patient experience of care star ratings. Known as Home Health Care Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HHCAHPS) Survey star ratings, these ratings summarize, in a consumer-friendly format, patients’ experiences with different home health agencies.

Compare websites are a valuable source of information about the quality of health care furnished by providers and facilities. Previously, you could select multiple agencies at a time on Home Health Compare to compare agency performance on individual HHCAHPS items, like how often the home health team delivered care in a professional way. You could also access summary Quality of Patient Care star ratings for each agency. With today’s addition of the HHCAHPS Survey star ratings, now you can compare summarized, easy-to-understand information on patients’ experiences with these agencies by viewing the following HHCAHPS Survey star ratings:

  1. Care of patients
  2. Communication between providers and patients
  3. Specific care issues
  4. Overall rating of care provided by the Home Health Agency
  5. Survey summary star rating

The HHCAHPS Survey Star Ratings report patients’ experiences of care ranging from 1 star to 5 stars using data from patients (or the family or friends of patients) that have been treated by the agency. Out of over 11, 000 agencies with data on Home Health Compare, you’ll find more than 6,000 agencies with patient survey star ratings data.

Sharing patients’ experience of care through star ratings is just one example of how we’re committed to helping you make health care decisions based upon available information. Learn more about the HHCAHPS Survey.

Filed under: Uncategorized
Source: US Govt Medicare

ADL Updates Support 64-bit Servers & Databases

27 January 2016
ephraim fuchs
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Categories: ADL News, Technology

The major software release upgrades many system components and ADL middleware to the latest versions of the operating system. The update is expected to increase system performance by 20-40%. The new software will support 64-bit Operating Systems and Windows 7-10 64-bit.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

ADL Adds SSL Encryption to Website

25 January 2016
ephraim fuchs
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Categories: ADL News, Technology

To Improve Website Security ADL Adds SSL Encryption

ADL has added SSL Certificates to our website to enhance the security of the website and the download material.

Why SSL Certificate? SSL is the standard used to secure the Internet and it protects sensitive information as it travels across the world. It keeps the Internet from being ruled by anarchists and criminals and provides many direct benefits to our clients.

Benefits of SSL: Encrypt Sensitive Information

The primary reason SSL certificates are used, is to keep sensitive information sent across the Internet encrypted so that only the computer of the intended recipient can understand the messages/data. This is important because the information sent via the Internet is passed from computer to computer to get to the destination server. Any computer in between you and the sending server can see your credit card numbers, usernames and passwords, and other sensitive information, if it is not encrypted with an SSL certificate.

When an SSL certificate is used, the information becomes unreadable to everyone except for the server sending the information and the recipient that requested the information. This protects the data from hackers and identity thieves.

Detect cervical cancer early – get screened

25 January 2016
ephraim fuchs
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Categories: ADL News

All women are at risk for cervical cancer, but did you know it occurs most often in women over 30? About 12,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year. Fortunately, it’s one of the easiest female cancers to prevent. Medicare covers 2 types of screening tests – the Pap smear and human papilloma virus (HPV) test – that can help prevent cervical cancer, or find it early when treatment can work best.

January is Cervical Health Awareness Month. Watch our Cervical Health Awareness Month video and visit our cervical & vaginal cancer screenings page to learn what these tests do and how often they’re covered.

Also, visit the National Cervical Cancer Coalition website to find ways you can raise awareness about cervical cancer and how you can make a difference.

Filed under: Medicare coverage, Uncategorized
Source: US Govt Medicare

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

CMS Infection Control Pilot Project 2015-12-23

12 January 2016
ephraim fuchs
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Categories: MDS

Project Overview

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has begun a three year pilot project to improve assessment of infection control and prevention regulations in nursing homes, hospitals, and during transitions of care.

Survey details

All surveys during the pilot will be educational surveys (no citations will be issued) and will be conducted by a national contractor. New surveyor tools and processes will be developed and tested, focusing on existing regulations as well as recommended practices (such as those for antibiotic stewardship and transitions of care). Ten pilot surveys to be conducted in Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 will occur in nursing homes. Surveys in FY17 and FY18 will be conducted in nursing homes and hospitals.

Project Outcomes

New surveyor infection control tools and survey processes that can be used to optimize assessment of new infection control regulations.

Other MDS Technical News

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