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Reducing Hospitalizations & Emergent Care in HHAs
Reducing Hospitalizations & Emergent Care in HHAs
In 2005, Outcome Concept Systems (OCS) presented their findings from a recently completed Home Health Care research study.  This new data shows that V.A.C.® Therapy may help Home Health Agencies improve CMS Quality Initiatives like reduced hospitalizations and reduced need for emergent care as a component of an overall quality program.
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The purpose of the OCS study was to quantify the impact of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) in reducing acute care hospitalizations and emergent care due to wound infection or deteriorating wound status.

A retrospective analysis was conducted to determine the prevalence of Stage III and Stage IV pressure ulcers in the home health population using data from 1.94 million OASIS start-of-care assessments.  Patients using Negative Pressure Wound Therapy were evaluated and compared to patients using standard dressings.

In matched analysis, it was found that patients receiving Negative Pressure Wound Therapy experienced lower rates of hospitalization (35% vs. 48%), hospitalization due to wound problems (5% vs. 14%), and emergent care for wound problems (0% vs. 8%).

Click to view the Instances of Hospitalizations and the Instances of the Need for Emergent Care from the analysis:  Tina Schwien, MN, MPH, Jeff Gilbert, MS, CPHIMS, and Christine Lang.  Pressure Ulcer Prevalence and the Role of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy in Home Health Quality Outcomes.  Ostomy Wound Management 2005; 51(9):47-60.

These findings were presented during a KCI Breakfast Symposium at the 2006 NAHC meeting.  The symposium featured noted industry experts Dr. Robert Fazzi, Marian Essey and Amanda Twiss, whose bios are listed below.  To view their presentations, click KCI Breakfast Symposium.

Symposium Speakers
 

Dr. Robert Fazzi, President/CEO, Fazzi Associates and National Hospitalization Reduction Study Project Director
National Hospitalization Reduction Study: A KCI Briefing.
Founder and Managing Principal of Fazzi Associates, Bob Fazzi is a nationally recognized speaker, author, futurist and change expert. He is widely published in trade journals and is the author of a number of books including Management Plus™, named as a main selection on Fortune Magazine’s Book of the Month Club. He has directed many national studies and research projects and has provided organizational, planning and change services to hospital and home care agencies and associations in nearly forty states.

Marian Essey, RN, BSN, Director, Health Care Quality Improvement, Quality Insights of Pennsylvania
Reducing Hospitalizations: A QIO National Priority.
Marian Essey heads the Home Health Quality Initiative in Pennsylvania and has been the Director for Quality Insights of Pennsylvania since 2002. In 2005, Quality Insights became the national lead QIO for home health. Ms. Essey had 15 years home health experience prior to joining the QIO community.

Amanda Twiss, President and Co-owner of Outcome Concept Systems, Inc. (OCS), Seattle, Washington
An Analysis of Quality Outcomes and V.A.C.® Therapy.
With more than 15 years experience in medical information software and outcomes analysis, Amanda Twiss became President and Co-owner of OCS in 1997. A frequent speaker at national conferences in the areas of outcome information, provider profiling and benchmarking, Amanda holds a degree in Health Administration and Planning from the University of New Hampshire.