September 2017
The Quarterly Newsletter of the HHQI Underserved Populations (UP) Network

 

  UP NETWORK ANNOUNCEMENTS
  
Quarterly UP Network Webinar | October 19, 2017 | 2-3pm ET
Creating a Dementia-Capable Systems of Health Care
 
During this webinar, presented by the Home Health Quality Improvement National Campaign (HHQI), we will discuss ways an organization and clinicians can improve the care of dementia patients in the community setting. Register now.
  
HHQI has applied for 1.5 hours CEs for Nursing (ANCC) through the Alabama State Nurses Association and for Social Workers CEs through the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). Learn more.

Guest Speaker: 
Debra Cherry, B.A., M.A., PhD
Executive Vice President
Alzheimer's Greater Los Angeles
Now Available: July 2017 UP Network Webinar Recording

Check out the Meals on Wheels: Delivering Health, Independence & Food UP webinar recording that looks at how the program can offer more than just meals. There are free nursing & social worker continuing education credits are still available with the recording in  HHQI University.
Save the Date: 2018 UP Network Webinar

All webinars will be held from 2-3pm ET.  As soon as more details are available, they will be accessible via the UP page on the HHQI website and emailed directly to those who are subscribed to our  UPDate and Educational & Networking Opportunities mailing lists .

 

  UP NEWS & HIGHLIGHTS
  
September 22, 2017 is the 10th annual Falls Prevention Awareness Day. The day is to promote awareness about fall-related injuries among older adults. Home health agencies (HHAs) serve this at-risk population.

Falls Facts:
  • Leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries among people > 65 years old
  • 1 out of 5 falls causes a serious injury (e.g., fractures or head injury)
    • More than 95% of all hip fractures are the result of falling, usually sideways
    • Women experience 75% of hip fractures related to falling more than men and often having osteoporosis
  • 1 out of 4 older people fall each year, but < 50% report the fall to their healthcare provider
  • 2.8 million people are treated in emergency departments each year for fall injuries
  • Over 800,000 patients a year are hospitalized due the fall injury
( CDC, 2017; CDC, 2016) 


( CDC, 2016) 

So Why Do Falls Matter to HHAs?
  • Quality of life
    • Falls decrease patients' confidence with ambulation that will further increase risk of falls and dependence
      • History of previous falls doubles or triples a seniors risk for another fall
    • Falls affect a person's ability to remain in the community setting
      • Just one fall increases the risk three times for nursing home placement; and one injurious fall increases the risk for placement ten times (NCOA's presentation at the 2015 White House Conference on Aging)
        • More than 800,00 patients annually are hospitalized with a fall injury (CDC, 2016)
    • Watch this 1 minute video to see what seniors think about falls
  • Home Health Quality of Patient Care Star Ratings
    • Ambulation and acute care hospitalizations rates are two of the 9 outcome measures that calculate the Quality of Patient Care Star Ratings
    • Emergent care has been recommended to be added to Quality of Patient Care Star Ratings, but is not official at this time
    • Falls can affect all three of these outcome measures
  • IMPACT Act
    • The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is recommending a new IMPACT measure for all post-acute providers including home health

  

  FREE TOOLS & RESOURCES

  
For more information or to suggest future UP topics or speakers,  please contact us at HHQI@qualityinsights.org. Visit our website to  learn more about  HHQI .

This material was prepared by Quality Insights, the Medicare Quality Innovation Network-Quality 

Improvement Organization supporting the Home Health Quality Improvement National Campaign, 

under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an agency of the U.S. 

Department of Health and Human Services. The views presented do not necessarily reflect CMS policy. 

Publication number 11SOW-WV-HH-ADL-092217