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 model
Failure to report on the two OASIS criteria will result in a 2% reduction in annual payment updates for each year the measures remain unreported
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:
| |
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, which:
- 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
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