Don't be a Scrooge this holiday season! Set you and your facility up for success in 2024 by investing in some of the following tools: 

primeVIEW

Our all-in-one online dashboard like primeVIEW, which allows you to track important data relating to your near real-time census, as well as your labor, financial and clinical systems. When it comes to post-acute care, having QAPI compliant data like this at your fingertips is invaluable to running a smooth and meticulous operation. By offering your staff near real-time access anytime, online they can better understand the how, what, where, and when! This powerful tool enables senior living facilities to efficiently manage and monitor the care of their residents by streamlining communication and coordination among healthcare providers so residents receive timely and appropriate care. By staying on top of your facility operations through digital platforms like primeVIEW, you will not only make residents feel well-tended to, but the increased level of organization will help simplify your day-to-day workflow as well. When used in combination with our managed care MASTER, embedded alerts within the primeVIEW morning meeting dashboard will allow for vital information regarding services rendered. 

managed care MASTER

managed care MASTER is your online case and contract manager. It is a case-to-contract app that ensures you meet the quality care requirements of your payers while capturing every dollar promised in the contract. The software contains integrations to EHR, therapy, contracts and pharmacy costs, as well as calendar functionality, contract alerts, authorization tracking, and pre-admission cost out, to name a few features. Simply put, it includes comprehensive authorization and payment documentation for rendered services, optimizing your revenue and streamlining your case management. With managed care MASTER, say goodbye to outdated reports, paper trails and poor cross-disciplinary coordination! Furthermore, when paired with primeCLAIMS, users have access to further capabilities that ensure that all work provided is on the claim by matching the resident number in source system and DOS/AR.

primeCLAIMS

primeCLAIMS is your revenue cycle management app built for, and supported by, post-acute billers. Designed to automate and simplify the tedious processes associated with ensuring you get reimbursed for the dedicated care hours you provide to your communities, the efficiency our claims app brings will reduce the staff and time needed to make sure you get paid every dollar, every day. The primeCLAIMS dashboard contains payment requests and payer responses, from remittance to denial. With two-way PointClickCare EHR integration, coupled with other senior care customization, the app drives up efficiency and productivity, better serving long-term, post acute communities! In addition, bidirectional data between primeCLAIMS and primeVIEW allows for instant alerts if a claim is stuck in primeCLAIMS, available on home screen, aging, and outstanding accounts.

ARC

ARC is your quality assurance and performance improvement platform (QAPI). Its comprehensive monitoring and oversight system provides the maximum legal protection that long-term care facilities need to minimize serious regulatory enforcement actions. As a web-based compliance system, it guides clinical and management staff through the complete audit process for ROP auditing standards for all federal regulations, and facilitates a collaborative review of audit results through real-time, interactive meeting templates in order to quickly correct issues and implement performance improvement plans to prevent systemic issues. ARC provides form-based corrective actions for every compliance issue to document and track all of your QAPI efforts. Say goodbye to costly CMPs and red hand alerts - It's time to move on to more cost-effective solutions with ARC. 

Does your IT team track reported security threats, vulnerabilities, and patches as often as weekly? We do. With primeCLOUD, you’ll have managed IT services at your fingertips. We partner with leading IT vendors to offer security services like ransomware protection, phishing training, multi-factor authorization (MFA), data backup/recovery, and assistance with other special projects such as a new location setup, data migration or integration. With 24/7 help desk services, primeCLOUD is your boots-on-the-ground service when needed, providing you with the strategy, security, cost control, operational efficiency, reliability, and agility to maximize your IT performance and increase your security. Furthermore, the same highly secure IT services we offer clients to support and integrate their most valuable healthcare data are available to all markets as part of our primeCLOUD managed IT services suite. We provide the tech, so you can provide the care. If your organization is considering IT outsourcing, we can help. Take a look at our primeCLOUD service suite or get in touch to discuss.

The new year is a time for new beginnings, and Prime Care Technologies wants to be a part of yours! We are confident that our software can uplift your facility through the leverage of data-driven tools. We strive to maximize the use of IT solutions in senior living facilities to save time so staff can focus where needed, with the residents.   

If there's anything you read above that caught your attention, or if you have any other products on your Holiday wishlist, we’d be happy to connect! Comment below, or email us, we’d love to discuss with you further.

The rise of technology in senior care facilities is largely a welcomed guest, allowing seniors to stay connected with loved ones through various communication tools such as smartphones, tablets, and computers, providing convenience and independence for seniors choosing to age in place and enhancing the overall level of healthcare. As we head into the final leg of 2023, we want to take a moment to recognize the different technologies that currently serve the senior living market and, more importantly, how these technological advancements are improving both the quality of life for older adults, as well as revolutionizing senior living facilities as a whole.

Smart Home Solutions

To begin, technology has revolutionized aging in place for seniors, as it offers a range of features that promote safety, comfort, and convenience. Popular smart home solutions such as Amazon's Alexa and Google Assistant act as voice-activated assistants, allowing seniors to easily control various aspects of their home, such as adjusting the temperature, turning on lights, or playing music, simply by using voice commands. When combined with the integration of sensors and automation systems, which can detect falls, monitor activity levels, and even remind seniors to take their medications, smart home technology not only returns autonomy to seniors but also enables family members or caregivers to keep an eye on their loved ones from afar. 

These systems can provide peace of mind by alerting caregivers to any unusual activity or emergencies, allowing for quick intervention. 

Robotics and Automation

Robotics and automation have the potential to revolutionize senior care in various ways. One area where robotics is making an impact is in assisting with daily tasks. Robots can help with activities such as appointment or medication reminders, meal preparation, and housekeeping, reducing the burden on caregivers and promoting independence for seniors. Additionally, robotic companions are being developed to provide social interaction and emotional support for older adults, with robots that can engage in conversations and play games.

Senior care facilities are also implementing automation systems to streamline operations and improve efficiency. For example, automated medication dispensers can ensure the correct dosage and timing of medications, reducing the risk of errors. Automated monitoring systems can track vital signs and alert healthcare providers to any deviations from normal values.

EHR Systems and Dashboards

Technology has greatly improved the efficiency of facility operations in senior living facilities. One key technology is the advanced use of electronic health records (EHR) systems. These systems streamline the documentation and management of residents' health information, reducing paperwork and improving accuracy. EHRs also facilitate communication among healthcare providers, ensuring continuity of care and minimizing errors. 

Online Dashboards

Another technology that enhances facility operations is the use of automated scheduling and tracking systems. These systems optimize staff allocation, ensuring that the right caregivers are available at the right time. They also track tasks and workflows, improving accountability and reducing the risk of missed or delayed care. Dashboards, like our primeVIEW dashboard, are powerful tools that enable senior living facilities to efficiently manage and monitor the care of their residents by streamlining communication and coordination among healthcare providers so residents receive timely and appropriate care.

In summary, technology has revolutionized facility operations in senior living facilities, improving efficiency, communication, and maintenance processes.

In case you didn’t know, October 8^th-14^th is National Case Managers Week, so now is an opportune time to celebrate the important work performed by case managers everywhere, but specifically those within the healthcare industry.

So what are case managers, and what do they do?

Case managers play a vital role in maintaining the operational efficiency within the companies they work for, from admission to discharge. They are the keystone in all workspace systems, processing and creating productive workflows, organizing and delegating responsibilities, maintaining order, handling sensitive data, and ensuring that all tasks are being completed in a timely fashion. It’s a job that requires immense attention to detail, excellent communication skills, flexibility, forward-thinking, and a little finesse. It certainly is not an easy position to hold, and challenges are abounding, especially if relying on a manual case management method.

Common challenges that case managers face are:

• Ineffective collaboration between individuals and teams due to lack of flexibility and coordination.
• Lack of transparency for customers and stakeholders due to the complex, multi-faceted nature of the position.
• Decreased efficiency due to mismanaged assignments, poor team communication, inefficient data collection, and weak process structure.
• Increased documentation mistakes due to human error render data unusable, making analyzing trends more difficult and timelier.
• Information salad due to sources being scattered across multiple platforms and channels, making the information-gathering process cumbersome and frustrating.
• Lack of customization makes it difficult for case managers to adapt operations to streamline the company's processes and workflows, dramatically increasing operational costs.

Luckily, digital and technological advancements have helped to lighten the load ̶ case managers rejoice! Platforms like our managedCareMASTER make managing complex contracts, EHRs, Rx costs, therapy, and CRM easier than ever. managedcareMASTER is your automated case management and contract workflow platform, covering everything from contract summaries, organizational visibility, and contractual alerts to concurrent reviews, denials, and appeals. Case managers no longer have to rely on papers and binders to keep track of everything they need ̶ it’s available to them in one, all-inclusive dashboard. The executive dashboard includes useful functions such as a concurrent review and authorization calendar, facility-based cost-out template, PDPM grouper tool, high-cost medication search, and real-time alerts, allowing case managers to take charge of their facilities with resounding efficiency. Say goodbye to poor collaboration, incomplete data, visibility issues, compromised security, and avoidable errors!

Have any questions about how our technology can help you? We’d love to hear from you!

Drop us a quick email, and we’ll happily discuss our solutions further with you.

Last week, our team attended the annual Ohio Health Care Association (OHCA) convention. Our Senior Customer Success Director Debi Damas also lead a session on the state of senior care. She discussed pandemic challenges and encouraged the exchange of strategies to mitigate change. The following is a recap of this valuable session.

Where does senior care stand and what the heck happened?

• Nursing home staffing shortages only worsened as 2020 came to a close
• 48 states saw occupancy of 80% or less, with some as low as 56%

What can senior organizations do right now?

• Develop purpose-driven, compassionate staff
• Adopt technology to increase connectedness, efficacy, and optimal health
• Embrace telehealth
• Develop a culture of positive aging framed by wellness
• Establish trust by being prepared for emergencies and unexpected events

What happened with senior living census?

• Increased push to home health care
• People wanted no part of facility-based care
• Long-term care (LTC) facilities were not admitting
• Skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) turned beds/halls into COVID units
• Senior care providers are now seeing slight increases in census

How can senior organizations build census?

• Marketing value-adds to prospective residents:
• Amenities
• Telehealth
• Wellness focus
• Sharing positive performance data with hospitals:
• Vaccination rates
• Infection control
• Outcome data, readmission rates
• Identifying an ideal niche based on ICD code(s)

How does revenue look in senior care?

• 55% of SNFs are operating at a loss
• Significant increases in claims denials, resulting in more reviews
• Some managed care is moving from PDPM to levels
• Per Mark Parkinson (CEO of AHCA/NCAL), long term success comes down to: 
• State Medicaid rates
• Payer mix
• Financing
• Operational excellence

What staffing trends emerged among senior care employers?

• Rigid schedules/Inflexible call off policies
• 23% of nursing homes had direct care staff shortages in May
• 96% received some government assistance
• 47% received funds from Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP)
• 82% received funds from CARES Act/Provider Relief Fund
• 52% received Medicaid add on or increase from state government

What can senior care organizations do to improve staffing?

• Increase the ways you make staff feel valued
• Change your pay structure
• Offer bonuses – sign-on, working all scheduled shifts, etc.
• Revise staffing policies to benefit employees
• Increase flexibility to accommodate child/eldercare challenges
• Provide a career path; demonstrate benefits of added skills and education
• Be attentive and thorough with screening and hiring
  

To reiterate one of Debi's earlier points, technology can help. Here are three senior care providers who are benefiting right now from our software.

• Embassy Healthcare saves $1.5M in labor with primeVIEW App
• Symphony Care Network increases revenue $1,200/stay with Managed Care MASTER app
• Hyatt Family Facilities rely on primeVIEW app to consolidate data for monitoring Five Star and PBJ reporting

Recently, CEO Jim Hoey and Sales VP Jae Sparks attended Reimbursement-Con by Zimmet Healthcare. CMS' Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM) was a hot topic, with speakers offering strategies for skilled nursing facilities (SNF) to maximize reimbursement.

To fully appreciate these strategies, let's back up to what we know, what we expect, and some wildcards with PDPM. 

What We Know

• PDPM was the biggest overhaul in SNF payments in a generation.
• PDPM was supposed to be budget neutral.
• Before the March 2020 public health emergency, experts said PDPM was more generous than CMS intended. 

What We Expect

• CMS wants $1.7 billion back, which could mean a 5% recalibration.
• Using average daily rates in a post-pandemic world could cause a larger recalibration next year, more like 10-12%.

The Wildcards

• CMS did not compensate SNFs for COVID care until April 1, 2020.
• CMS assumed all SNFs were affected by COVID in the same way.
• ACOs and value-based purchasing are forcing shorter lengths of stay with sicker patients.
• Due to transitional care units, hospitals are seeing most of the PDPM benefits.

While legislators seek reform, SNFs must still try to survive in the PDPM world. To this point, speakers discussed the best practices. An overriding theme here was using Interim Payment Assessments (IPAs). Only 3% of SNFs are, and it's to your disadvantage.

IPAs

• CMS wants IPAs to help SNFs track the status of a patient’s conditions and needs for a higher level of care.
• The purpose of IPAs is to establish a payment rate or billing code for billing Medicare Part A.
• Implement IPAs when a resident condition changes and may last 14 days or more.
• Conduct IPAs as a routine when resident stays hits day 21; a lot can change in three weeks.

Other Suggestions

• Offer specialty care and therapy, like speech and language.
• Stress the importance of documenting all work, using multiple documenters, where possible.
• Correct coding, correct coding, correct coding; billers may need refresher courses.
• Applaud payers when they do the right things, but never take that as enough.

Technology can help.

• Our primeVIEW and Managed Care MASTER solutions allow you to customize alerts on certain clinical conditions or changes that should trigger staff to conduct an IPA. 
• Our primeCLAIMS solution makes coding and editing simple and its backed by a support team experienced in post-acute billing.