TIP OF THE WEEK
Best practice intervention package: medication management
The National Home Health Quality Initiative Campaign has released the May Best Practice Intervention Package on Medication Management. See below for the packet contents. Due to the file size of the “Full Contents,” you may want to right-click on the link and select "Save Target As" to save a copy of the file to your desktop.
- Leadership Track (PDF)
- "Be Safe & Take" Clinician Enrichment Program (PDF)
- Nursing Track (PDF)
- Therapy Track (PDF)
- Medical Social Worker Track (PDF)
- Home Health Aide Track (PDF)
- Fast Track (PDF)- The Fast Track package is ideal for the agency that has limited time and resources. This provides a "fast track" review of the tool and key points only.
- Full contents: Best Practice Intervention Package -Medication Management (PDF)*
ASSOCIATED RESOURCES
- HHQI Medication Management Poster (PDF)
- Electronic post-tests (Word)
- Medication Assessment Protocol (PDF)
- Universal Medication Form (PDF)
- Spanish Universal Medication Form (PDF)
- Medication Discrepancy Tool (PDF)
- Medication Non-Adherence (PDF)
- Medication Simplification Protocol/BEERS (PDF)
AUDIO RECORDINGS
Right-click on the audio file link below to select "Save Target As." This will allow you to save the audio recording to your hard drive. You may then listen to the audio from your computer or burn it to a CD-ROM.
- Medication Management for Clinicians Audio Recording (MP3 - 10.4 MB)
- Medication Management for Home Health Aides Audio Recording (MP3 - 4.26 MB)
EDUCATIONAL WEBEX
The Medication Management WebEx provides a quick overview of this Best Practice Intervention Package. The presentation introduces clinician education resources, which include the Medication Management..."Be Safe & Take” Clinician Enrichment Program. Several key national tools are highlighted.
The WebEx purpose is for a general overview for leadership of the package and/or for clinicians to learn more about the Best Practice Intervention Packages, specifically Medication Management.
Please read the instructions for downloading the WebEx software. Even if you have previously installed WebEx, you will need to download the software. Once you have installed the software, right-click on the WebEx file link below to select "Save Target As..." This will allow you to save the WebEx recording to your hard drive. You may then view the WebEx.
- Download the WebEx file (WRF)
- Download the handouts (PDF)
- Download the Power Point presentation of the WebEx (PPT)
SAMPLE REPORT
Individual agency reports will be provided exclusively to registered participants. These reports will include actual and risk-adjusted acute care hospitalization (ACH) rates. National and statewide ACH benchmarking based on Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) data will also be provided monthly. Not a registered participant? It's not too late to register for the campaign.
RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT
Look Alike, Sound Alike Medication List
Review these sound-alike, look-alike drugs in order to prevent medication errors involving the interchange of these drugs. (Joint Commission)
Have you completed the Home Health Immunization Survey for 2007?
Please take five minutes to complete the 36 survey questions relating to your immunization practices. We are re-measuring the immunization practices in Ohio home health agencies and we need your help. The results of this survey will be compared with last year’s survey to identify trends over time.
IN THE NEWS
NUTRITION: SHORTAGE OF VITAMIN D MAY WEAKEN THE ELDERLY
May 1, 2007 -- NYTimes -- Too little vitamin D is a common problem among the elderly that may help bring on medical conditions that cause weakness and disability. Now a new study suggests that a shortage of vitamin D may play a direct role in poor physical performance among the elderly.
Read more >>
CMS PROPOSES INCREASE IN MEDICARE PAYMENTS TO NURSING HOMES FOR 2008
May 1, 2007 -- CMS -- Medicare payments to nursing homes would increase by about $690 million in fiscal 2008 under new rates proposed today by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). This 3.3 percent increase would affect payment rates to nursing facilities that furnish certain skilled nursing and rehabilitation care to Medicare beneficiaries recovering from serious health problems. The proposed rule for the skilled nursing facility prospective payment system (SNF PPS) was placed in the Federal Register. Read more >>
SENIORS UNFAIRLY STEREOTYPED AS GROUCHY AND FRAIL
May 1, 2007 -- EurekAlert -- A study of caregivers of Alzheimer's disease patients and non-caregivers done by the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada revealed that seniors are being stereotyped as grouchy, inflexible to change, and mostly living in nursing homes, when the opposite is true. Read more >>
HHS MUST PENALIZE NURSING HOMES THAT FAIL TO MEET QUALITY STANDARDS, EDITORIAL STATES
April 27, 2007 -- Kaiser Network -- A recent Government Accountability Office report concludes that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) "is failing to make sure that nursing homes correct their shortcomings and then continue to meet quality standards," a Boston Globe editorial states. The Globe believes that HHS "must continue to insist on basic standards" and be prepared to take action against nursing homes that do not meet them. Read more >>
COMING ATTRACTIONS
COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE CONFERENCE CALLS
May 8, 2007, 9:00am -- Pain
May 8, 2007, 3:00pm -- Oral Meds
May 9, 2007, 9:00am -- Telehealth
May 8, 2007, 3:00pm -- Organizational Culture
May 10, 2007, 9:00am -- Transferring
May 10, 2007, 3:00pm – Acute Care Hospitalizations
Dial in: 1.877.326.2337
Conference ID: 2143198
SAVE THE DATE
Home Health Quality Affair: Celebration of Your Success
June 27, 2007 | Columbus, Ohio
