Home Health & Hospice Week

Knowledge will be power.

Competitive bidding is at your doorstep, so be sure you've covered these bases: Read the fine print of quality standards. If you haven't done so already, dig in, coached Maryellen Conway, president of Capital Healthcare Group in Bethesda, MD, in a Dec. 18 American Association for Homecare audioconference. You'll be taking the first step in understanding the new demands accreditation will put on your business.
 
Read with an eye for detail. "Get your highlighter out," says Conway.

Some "inconspicuous" provisions to note include health screenings, drug tests and background checks for employees, infection control requirements, and, for mail order suppliers, the need to "verify" training and instructions at the time of initial delivery.

To see the quality standards, go to www.cms.hhs.gov/CompetitiveAcqforDMEPOS/04_New_Quality_Standards.asp. Select an accreditor. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services approved its final list of DMEPOS accrediting organizations Nov. 22 (see Eli's HCW, Vol. 15, No. 42). Review the list of 11 groups at www.cms.hhs.gov/CompetitiveAcqforDMEPOS/downloads/DMEPOS_Accreditation_Organizations.pdf carefully. Narrow the list based on your products and expectations.

A good preliminary step: Call all accrediting organizations that suit your needs--and consider your first impression. "That first call needs to be a comfortable experience," says Conway. "Did the person answer your questions? Was your call returned promptly?" Get a grip on your MSA. If you haven't done so already, familiarize yourself with the list of the top 25 MSAs: Miami, Kansas City, MO, Riverside, CA, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Houston, Dallas, Charlotte, NC, Orlando, FL, San Antonio, Virginia Beach, VA, Atlanta, San Juan, PR, Tampa, FL, Baltimore, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Washington, Boston, Detroit and San Francisco.

New York, Chicago and Los Angeles are also among the top 25 MSAs, but CMS has said that these areas will be excluded from the first round.