ConvaTec Solutions® Program(s) for Home Healthcare

YOUR CHALLENGES

  • Improve patient outcomes while remaining efficient and cost-effective

New Medicare requirements—in addition to coding complications and errors—can affect your bottom line

Performance on publicly reported OASIS outcome measures will affect an agency’s reputation and will ultimately affect payments under the pay-for-performance model1,2

  • Failure to report on the two OASIS criteria will result in a 2% reduction in annual payment updates for each year the measures remain unreported3

Targeting and improving key outcomes—with standardized, evidence-based protocols and products—will be key to successfully navigating in a pay-for-performance environment

Integrating modern wound care and standardized protocols in order to achieve improved outcomes and reduce clinical practice variations

Evidence-based protocols impact clinical outcomes and cost-effectiveness

  • Healing time
  • Number of visits
  • Consumption of material

Cost comparison of saline/gauze and advanced moist wound dressing:4

  Saline/gauze Advanced moist
wound dressing
Cost per dressing change $ 2.91 $ 11.52
Dressing changes Twice daily Three times a week
Material cost per week $ 40.74 $ 34.56
Cost of 1 nursing visit $ 100.00 $ 100.00
Wound reduction after 4 weeks 50% 100%
Cost for 4 weeks of care
(including materials and labor)		 $ 5,762.96 $ 1,338.24

Adapted with permission from Ostomy Wound Management. Kingsley A. The wound infection continuum and its application to clinical practice. Ostomy Wound Manage. 2003;49(7Asuppl):1-7.

Instead of using advanced moist wound dressings, many physicians rely on gauze (wet-to-dry) dressings, which4:

  • Can cause patient discomfort
  • Require more labor; more frequent changing helps to maintain moist optimal healing environment, but can also damage delicate wound tissue
  • Provide no physical barrier against external bacteria

Clinical efficiency may lead to improved outcomes and cost-effective treatment

References [+]

  1. Home health compare. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Web site. http://www.medicare.gov/HHCompare. Accessed March 3, 2008.
  2. Abt Associates. Home health pay-for-performance demonstration: demonstration design (October 2007). Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Web site. http://www.cms.hhs.gov/DemoProjectsEvalRpts/downloads/HHPP_General_Info.pdf. Accessed March 3, 2008.
  3. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Medicare program; home health prospective payment system refinement and rate update for calendar year 2008: final rule. Fed Regist. 2007;42:49765;49863.
  4. Ovington LG. Hanging wet-to-dry dressings out to dry. Home Healthcare Nurse. 2001;19(8):477-484.

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ConvaTec can provide you with more information about Wound & Skin Products and Services.

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AQUACEL® Ag with Strengthening Fiber
> A new way to manage abscesses
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*Compared with the original AQUACEL® Ag Dressings
1AQUACEL® and AQUACEL® Ag with strengthening fiber. WHRI3178 TA155. October 31, 2008. Data on file, ConvaTec.
Medicare & Reimbursement - Wound
Versiva® XC®