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Hello!
Welcome to the July 2009 issue of THE PATHFINDER.
I checked this morning on the status of H.R. 2068 - the Medicare Telehealth Enhancement Act of 2009. It is still in committee. Like many of you, I am following this bill because it recognizes the benefit of telehealth activities to the patient with a chronic disease. Let's keep our fingers crossed that the bill makes it out of committee and on to the floor for a vote. For those of you who have not thought about the potential of telehealth, we have an article on telehealth by Audrey Kinsella MA, MS on our web site at
http://www.bethcarpenterandassociates.com/assets/articles/Inroads_Made.pdf One area of common concern for all agencies - regardless of product line or ownership status - is how to grow your business. The expectation is that each year you will service more patients. Hospitals are the source of many referrals for most providers based on the sheer volume of hospital discharges. The relationship between agencies and the hospital can be stressed at times over the provider's role in serving patients, and different interpretations of patient's freedom in choice of providers.
We are passing along three articles by Elizabeth Hogue this month. Two of the articles deal with specific aspects of your relationship with your hospitals: implementation of patient's right to freedom of choice of providers, and the status of post-acute providers designated as a vendor. We hope that you will find these articles valuable as you develop a stronger relationship with your local hospital.
The third article speaks to the use of preferred provider agreements by discharge planners/case managers. The use of this type of agreement forges a preferred relationship between the hospital and a post-acute provider to the benefit of both. We are sure that you will find it interesting reading.
On this bright, sunny July day, I can say that summer has finally arrived. Time to go for a ride - push back the sun roof, turn up the radio and listen to the "oldies"!! Take time to enjoy this wonderful time of the year.
If we can provide you with any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Best wishes, Beth Carpenter
"Let us realize that the privilege to work is a gift, that the power to work is a blessing, that the love of work is success" David O. McKay
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