Stars! Stars! Stars! We are all so familiar with the star system. We see it all the time when we google a product and look at its reviews. From tennis shoes to movies to books, everything has a star rating!
Medicare wants people to be able to “shop” for home health services and has announced Home Health Compare as a resource for potential home health care recipients to review their choices of vendors.
Medicare hopes that users will be able to review home health providers in key areas and make a selection that suits them based on the ratings the home health agency has received.
The rating system focus on key areas and includes:
- Managing daily activities
- Managing pain and treating symptoms
- Treating wounds and preventing pressure sores (bed sores)
- Preventing harm
- Preventing unplanned hospital care
Sharing patient experience is a new way that Medicare has shown its commitment to helping individuals make the most informed choices regarding their care provider.
The agencies receive “star ratings” from 1 to 5 to show their scores amongst the various variables and assist individuals in picking the best provider for them. Remember, the star rating is important. It will become increasingly more important as care recipients start becoming more familiar with the system and start using it more to make their decisions. So, start now and keep driving that star rating higher and higher in order to make sure your agency continues to succeed. Everyone at your agency is a star, make sure you all get the stars you deserve!
For more information check out the Medicare Blog here.
Sources: https://blog.medicare.gov/2015/07/16/choosing-a-home-health-agency/
