August 2018
brought to you by the Home Health Quality Improvement National Campaign (HHQI)
FEATURED RESOURCES
HHQI's online resource library has literally hundreds of free resources that home health agencies can use for staff and patient education. The volume of resources can be overwhelming, and we want to make it easy for you to find our most popular tools. So each month, we'll highlight a favorite resource from an HHQI team member or a campaign participant.

This month, we asked HHQI RN Project Coordinator Misty Kevech to share one of her favorite HHQI resources.
" My Emergency Care Plan is one of my favorite patient tools for self-management. It's similar to a ZONE or Stoplight tool, but this health literate tool is focused on symptoms rather than specific diseases, which makes it perfect for patients with multiple diseases, in lieu of multiple ZONE tools. It's available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Russian & Vietnamese."
What's your favorite HHQI resource? We love to hear how our resources have helped agencies, and you could help someone else in the HHQI community. We can give you credit or keep your recommendation anonymous. Please email us !
August Observances


(August 12-18)
HHQI has free resources to help you promote many of August's annual healthcare observances among your patients and staff. Visit the August Featured Resources page on the HHQI website.
A new course has been added to the Home Health Aide course catalog in HHQI University! The Reducing Avoidable Hospitalizations course focuses on integrating aides into your agency’s effort to prevent unnecessary hospitalizations. Home health aides are an important and unique part of the patient’s healthcare team, and this course helps explain how their role impacts the team’s ability to provide the best patient care. 
  • Free 60-minute online course is applicable for home health or hospice aides & community health workers.
  • Course includes videos, online activities, and a short post-test.
  • Everyone who successfully completes the course earns a complimentary certificate which is available immediately.
CAMPAIGN NEWS
HHQI Agency of the Month
This month, HHQI recognizes Altru's Home Health and Hospice of Grand Forks, North Dakota for their dedication to improving home health quality.

Home health agencies that are active in the HHQI National Campaign and closest to the national, risk-adjusted ACH 20th percentile and/or the national, risk-adjusted Oral Medication Improvement 80th percentile (or better) are eligible for random selection as HHQI Agency of the Month. 

BE IN THE SPOTLIGHT. Nominate your agency today! If you are selected, your organization will be prominently featured here in HHQI Inside Edition which reaches nearly 13,000 subscribers and on the HHQI website. Your achievement will also be shared via HHQI's social media channels.
CAMPAIGN EVENTS
Join Us for LiveChat!
August 16, 2018 | 2-3pm ET
Got home health questions? 
Get answers during HHQI LiveChat!

Networking regularly with other home health professionals can fast-track your quality improvement efforts. No matter what challenge your agency is facing, there's a good chance that another agency can offer some valuable first-hand insight. HHQI's quarterly LiveChat is an excellent opportunity to connect and learn what worked and what didn't work for other agencies when they were in a similar situation. 

LiveChat is similar to an online chat room. There is no audio. You will type to ask questions and share your knowledge. It's a fun, casual way to learn from each others' experiences. You can also email your questions to us ahead of time  to be addressed during the event.

Visit the LiveChat page on the HHQI website to schedule an email reminder or add the August 16 LiveChat to your Outlook calendar now. You can also browse past events.
'Third Thursdays' Event Schedule
Home health professionals are busy. Now, there's an understatement. In order to make the most of your limited time, HHQI's three primary online Networking events LiveChat, Cardiovascular Learning & Action Network (CardioLAN) webinars, and Underserved Populations (UP) webinars will each be held quarterly. 

Events will rotate and always begin at 2pm ET on the third Thursday of the month unless otherwise noted below.
Click on the networking event type above for links to past event recordings and upcoming event registration. You can also subscribe to our mailing lists to receive details (topics, objectives, speaker info, & registration links) as soon as they are available.
QIN-QIO CORNER
Prioritizing Preventive Care
The August 2018 issue of QIO News is focused on how the QIO Program and other stakeholders are promoting preventive care — from immunizations to home health.

Be sure to watch the new video from Health Services Advisory Group that explo res what home health agencies are and the benefits they provide to people with Medicare. It explains how home health providers can help patients learn about their medications, educate them and family members about the care that clinicians have recommended, and help them move around safely during the recovery process. 
INDUSTRY NEWS & EVENTS
Speak Up: CMS Needs to Hear from You!
A new CMS proposed rule would remove the regulatory text that allows a state to make payments to third parties on behalf of an individual provider for benefits such as health insurance, skills training, and other benefits customary for employees. Comments will be accepted through August 11, 2018

CMS is seeking comments on how to address any undue regulatory impact and burden of the physician self-referral law . Comments must be received by August 24, 2018.  

CMS has issued a proposed rule outlining proposed Calendar Year (CY) 2019 Medicare payment updates and proposed quality reporting changes for home health agencies, and proposed case-mix methodology refinements and a change in the home health unit of payment from 60 days to 30 days for CY 2020. This proposed rule also discusses the implementation of temporary transitional payments for home infusion therapy services to begin on January 1, 2019 and includes proposals related to full implementation of the new home infusion therapy benefit in CY 2021. Comments on the proposed rule will be accepted until August 31, 2018. 

CMS has proposed to expand Medicare coverage for telehealth services and to make it easier for physicians to provide care through in-person home visits. Public comments accepted through September 10, 2018 .
Webinars, Courses & Other Events
August 8
1:00 p.m. ET
Host: ElevatingHOME
August 8
2:00 p.m. ET
Host: HEALTHCAREfirst
August 10
1:00 p.m. ET
Host: ElevatingHOME
August 14
3:00 p.m. ET
Host: ElevatingHOME
August 15
12:00 p.m. ET
Host: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
August 15
1:00 p.m. ET
Host: ElevatingHOME
August 15
1:30 p.m. ET
Host: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
August 16
1:00 p.m. ET
Host: TMF Quality Innovation Network
August 16
1:00 p.m. ET
Host: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
August 22
12:00 p.m. ET
Host: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
August 28
2:00 p.m. ET
Host: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
August 29
12:00 p.m. ET
Host: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
August 29
3:00 p.m. ET
Host: QIO Program Antibiotic Stewardship National LAN
August 30
1:00 p.m. ET
Host: ElevatingHOME
September 5
12:00 p.m. ET
Host: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
September 5
2:00 p.m. ET
Host: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
September 12
1:00 p.m. ET
Host: ElevatingHOME
September 12
2:00 p.m. ET
Host: HEALTHCAREfirst
On-demand
Host: ElevatingHOME
* Continuing education credit(s) included, available or pending.

Reference to any specific organization or its products or services is for information and convenience and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by Quality Insights, the Home Health Quality Improvement National Campaign, or the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
STAY CONNECTED:
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-MMD-080718