Home health care workers’ compensation cases discharged prior to 'order-end date'

Thirty percent of the home health care workers’ compensation cases managed by Total Medical Solutions (TMS) were discharged prior to the “order-end date,” the last date the physician had anticipated that services would be required.

The figure comes from an internal review of 250 cases with an intake date between March 1 and July 15, 2009. Of the early discharges, 27 involving RN or LPN services were discharged an average of nine days early. Twenty four of the cases involved physical therapy and were discharged an average of 10 days early and 10 cases involved home health care aides and nine involved intravenous or infusion services.

“With home health care adding hundreds of dollars a day to a claim, earlier discharge represents significant savings for our clients,” said Cara Barde, president of TMS.

TMS has a policy of having staff in patients’ homes within 24 hours of the receipt of doctors’ orders. “We start treatment early and provide the level of professional expertise these complex cases require,” she added.

Getting the right equipment, right treatment and right people into the home at the right time facilitates faster recovery and shorter length of home health care services, according to Barde. TMS attributes much of its success to having staff who have a great deal of experience in managing complex workers’ compensation home health care cases. “Our rehabilitation technicians and other staff have comprehensive knowledge of very specialized, assistive technologies and how to best use them in treatment plans for workers’ compensation patients,” Barde said. “Whether it’s wound vac, lift chairs, or finding the most economical and medically expedient way to schedule nurses and nurse’s aides, TMS customizes programs to each patient and to that patient’s home environment.”

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