Poor Posture Takes a Toll on Overall Health

Everyone has heard the phrase “Stand Up Straight! Don’t Slouch!” Behind those long forgotten words lies a very valuable and surprisingly simple message: Good posture is important because it helps your body function at top speed. It promotes movement efficiency and endurance and contributes to an overall feeling of well-being.

Our bodies change as we age. If you have poor posture, your bones are not properly aligned, and your muscles, joint and ligaments take more strain than nature intended. These natural changes make it especially important for older adults to maintain good posture, strength, flexibility and balance. Good posture can decrease your risk of falls!

Poor Posture Can Cause:

  • Headaches & Fatigue
  • Back, Neck & Shoulder Pain
  • Breathing Problems

Tips for Maintaining Good Posture:

  1. Avoid staying in one position for long periods of time; inactivity causes muscle tension and weakness.
  2. Maintain a healthy weight; excess weight exerts a constant forward pull on the back muscles and weakens the abdomen.
  3. Sleep on a firm mattress and use a pillow under your head just big enough to maintain the normal cervical-neck-curve.
  4. Wear comfortable and well-supported shoes. Avoid high heeled or platform shoes, which distort the normal shape of the foot and throw the back’s natural curves out of alignment.
  5. Walk with good posture; keep head erect with chin parallel to the ground, allow arms to swing naturally, and keep feet pointed in the direction you are going.

For more exercise and posture tips, talk with your doctor about physical and occupational therapy. Therapy can help correct your bad posture and help alleviate chronic pain. No matter what age you are, every BODY will feel the benefits of better posture.

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PDPM Claims Processing Notice Issued by AHCA

Update on CMS & MAC Claims Processing

Below is an update from AHCA on processing of Medicare claims under the Patient-Driven Payment Model. Please note particularly the part that suggests holding claims until Thursday, October 24.

On October 17th, CMS transmitted is quarterly update to all Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) as scheduled. CMS also indicated the MACs would need until October 24th to load, test, and launch the update.

Today, we have heard from several members about problems with claims submitted last Friday and yesterday. This likely is because the MACs require more time (e.g., until the targeted October 24th) to finish installation and testing.

Last evening, we informed CMS (both payment policy staff as well as MAC officers about the responses from MACs to-date (e.g., lower likely payments than billed). We will remain in contact with CMS in the coming days.

For now, we recommend holding submission of claims until October 24th – the date CMS indicated the MACs should be ready. On October 25th, COB, we will be in contact with membership about the result of claims submission. If problems persist, AHCA will escalate the issue quickly.

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PBJ Submission Deadline – 11.14.19

The final submission deadline for this quarter is November 14th, 2019. Only data successfully submitted by this time is used on the Nursing Home Compare website and in the five star rating calculations.

Tips:

  • Once information is uploaded, check your Final Validations Report which is accessed in the Certification and Survey Provider Enhanced Reporting (CASPER folder) to verify data was submitted successfully.
  • It may take up to 24 hours to receive the validation report.
  • QIES helpdesk is available for assistance help@qtso.com
  • Do not wait until just a few days before the deadline to submit PBJ data for the reasons above.

Click here to learn more.

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Therapy’s Role in Bone Health

According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, one in two women and one in four men age 50 and older will suffer an osteoporosis-related fracture. Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by low bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue, leading to weak and brittle bones. Breaking a bone is serious, especially when you’re older and broken bones can cause severe pain.

How Can Therapy Help?

Physical therapy can help manage and prevent osteoporosis as well as reduce falls and injuries for those diagnosed with the disease. Based on a thorough assessment of your posture, balance, strength and flexibility, a physical therapist will work one-on-one with you to target your specific areas of weakness. Also, an occupational therapist will work with you to evaluate your lifestyle, home environment and activities of daily living to ensure you can safely do all the things that you want and need to do. Talk to your doctor about your fall risk and ask if physical or occupational therapy could help. Be sure to have your doctor or pharmacist to review you prescriptions regularly.

Therapy Goals for Preventing & Treating Osteoporosis:

  • Maintain or Increase Bone Mass Density Using Exercise
  • Improve Muscle Strength, Balance, Posture, and Cardiovascular Fitness
  • Improve Psychological Well-being
  • Prevent Fractures
  • Reduce Falls
  • Provide Education

For more information, please contact the therapy department.

References: National Osteoporosis Foundation

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“I found this humerus.”

The Physical Therapy Team at Heritage Pointe Huntington Celebrates National Physical Therapy Month

We are certainly proud of our awesome Physical Therapy team at Heritage Pointe Huntington. One of the PT therapy students made these shirts for the therapists. How great is that?!

Follow along with our Facebook page to see how we’re helping communities just like yours!

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October 1, MDS 3.0 RAI Manual Takes Effect

CMS announced the MDS 3.0 RAI Manual v1.17.1 which will take effect on October 1, 2019 is now available. 
This version of the RAI manual provides clarification to existing coding and transmission policy.

Click here to download the manual.

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Power Through PDPM Workshop Series

Exclusive PDPM Training For HTS Partners

We are committed to supporting our partners by offering exclusive PDPM webinar and live trainings in critical areas to foster success as we “Power through PDPM.”

Moving From RUG-IV to PDPM:  The Transitional IPA

Wednesday, September 25, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Join us for the 1st High Impact PDPM Workshop where we will review how to successfully navigate the upcoming transition from RUG-IV to PDPM. This webinar will focus on completion of the required transitional Interim Payment Assessment (IPA) for current Medicare Part A beneficiaries including gathering quality assessment data and considerations for ARD scheduling.

Presented by: Eleisha Wilkes, RN, RAC-CT

 

PDPM Billing Processes

Wednesday, October 23, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

The importance of billing accuracy becomes more important than ever under the PDPM (Patient-Driven Payment Model) effective October 1, 2019. This session will focus on tools and strategies to establish a robust Triple Check process that providers cannot afford to overlook.

Presented by: Stacy Baker, OTR/L, CHC, RAC-CT

 

Please contact us to register. Not a partner? Contact us to learn how we’re providing even more value to our partners.

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Fall Prevention Safety Tips

Have you recently experienced a fall? If so, you are not alone. Each year, one in three adults 65+ experience a fall that requires medical attention. Falls can lead to hip fractures and other serious injuries. Falls are not a normal part of aging and most falls can be prevented.

Outdoor Hazards & Safety

▶ Use a walker or cane for added stability.
▶ Wear warms boots with rubber soles for added traction.
▶ If sidewalks look slippery, walk on the grass for better traction.
▶ Carry a small bag of rock salt or kosher salt and sprinkle on slick surfaces.
▶ Beware of highly polished marble or tile floor surfaces in public buildings. Stay on carpet runners whenever possible.
▶ Allow for extra commute time to ensure safe travel.

Home Safety Tips

▶ Keep all rooms free from clutter, especially on the floors.
▶ Wear supportive, low-heeled shoes even at home.
▶ Remove rugs or use double-sided tape to secure rugs so they won’t slip.
▶ Put a non-slip rubber mat or self-stick strips on the floor of the shower or tub.
▶ Install easy-to-reach grab bars in the bathroom.
▶ Use a shower chair or transfer bench.
▶ Place a lamp close to the bed where it’s easy to reach.

How Can Physical & Occupational Therapy Help?

Maintaining proper balance and sense of body position is critical to preventing falls. A physical therapist can help you prevent falls by designing an individualized program of exercises and activities with an emphasis on strength, flexibility, and proper gait. Occupational therapists can review your home environment for hazards and assess any individual limitations. By identifying these factors that contribute to falls, the occupational therapist can recommend strategies to safely perform daily tasks, modify the home environment, and change activity patterns and behaviors.

Talk to your doctor about your fall risk and ask if physical or occupational therapy could help. Be sure to have your doctor or pharmacist to review you prescriptions regularly.

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The Key to Successful PDPM Transition Navigation

The transition to PDPM will be on October 1, 2019 resulting in a “hard stop” of RUG-IV on September 30, 2019. Strategies for a successful transition include:

  • Development of a plan for data collection for IPA look-back periods which may creep back into September dates of service.
  • Completion of a triple check process to assure COTs are accurate and completed (missed COT will be provider liable).
  • Assuring no principal diagnoses map to “return to provider”.
  • Collection of section GG interim performance data.
  • Completion of resident interviews on or before the transitional IPA ARD.
  • Optimization of processes to code diagnoses for Nursing, NTA, and SLP components accurately.

A transitional IPA will be required for each Medicare A resident present in the facility on October 1, 2019. Transitional IPAs are not to be confused with an IPA. See below for key differences:

Click here for the Variable Per Diem Adjustment Factor Fact Sheet.

 

Transition to PDPM Example

Admission Date: 9/22/19  |  5 Day ARD: 9/29/19  |  Transitional IPA ARD: 10/4/19

Source: McGill J., (Producer). (2019). Strategies for PDPM transition and IPAs [Video Webinar].
Retrieved from www.aanac.org

  • RUG-IV will be used for payment for admission of 9/22 through 9/30.
  • Payment for the transitional IPA begins 10/1 and continues through the end of the Medicare stay unless another IPA is done.
  • The Transitional IPA ARD window is October 1-7. The provider may select any of these 7 days.
  • For this example, the transitional IPA will be 10/4.
  • The variable per diem begins 10/1.
  • The NTA is adjusted by 3.0 for Oct 1-3.
  • PT/OT component will not decrease by 2% until Oct 21.

Successful transition to PDPM will undoubtedly involve optimization of efficiency in providing care and improving patient outcomes. It’s never too late to reassess and tweak your facility’s operational strategies to get ready for the transition. Don’t know where to start or stuck on a process change solution? Contact your HTS Regional Director or the HTS Director of Clinical Outcomes today!

 

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We LOVE Supporting Our Communities with our Partners!

We had a Great Time at the MCHS Back-to-School Bash

Thanks for including us, Metcalfe Health Care Center, at the Back to School Bash. We are proud to be your partner in therapy!

“Starting the School Year off Strong! We had a great time at the MCHS Back to School Bash last Thursday. Amy Neighbors and our therapy department conducted grip strength testing for both adults and kids and made it a bit of healthy competition. We are proud to provide outpatient therapy services for all ages. Just another way we serve our entire community. Here’s to a great 2019-2020 school year. Go Hornets!”

Follow along with our Facebook page to see how we’re helping communities just like yours!

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