Housing has long been a hot topic among healthcare organizations striving to address the complex needs of populations at risk of homelessness. Over half a million people were living on the street during the January 2019 annual point-in-time count, and this number is expected to dramatically rise courtesy of COVID-19.
Housing is a hot-button issue for any organization building programming to address the social determinants of health (SDoH). From 2017-2019, the majority of hospital spending on the SDoH went to housing initiatives, including $1.6 billion for the following:
A total of 57 health systems have taken this plunge, with high financial return on investment reported, particularly for programs that incorporate staffing in these initiatives, encompassing social workers, community health workers, and case managers. Someone who hasn’t lived in stable housing for years can’t just be given a key to an apartment or room; more is involved.
However, new housing challenges face a society grappling with the pandemic. Eviction protections, plus unemployment assistance provided through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act were set to expire last week, though the issue remains up in the air. These valuable resources helped keep those struggling due to job losses in their homes. Eviction rates usually sit at 3.7 million annually, although current unemployment rates of close to 50 million people and loss of protections mean large looming increases. One out of every 20 renters face eviction annually, and for renters of color, that number is one out of 11. Racial inequity is a major challenge for Blacks and Latinx populations, who more frequently rent their homes than whites. As a result, more headaches are expected as hospitals and organizations working to provide safe and appropriate care and discharges find themselves with more patients experiencing housing insufficiency.
Last fall’s report by the California Policy Lab identified significant self-reports of health challenges for homeless adults:
A report from the Homelessness Research Institute identified $11.5 billion needed for new shelter beds to address anyone unsheltered, to ensure appropriate social distancing, and to implement the creation of quarantine sites for those sick and exposed to the virus. With unsheltered homelessness continuing to trend upwards, further rises of up to 25 percent of the population are anticipated, at least.
During last week’s Monitor Mondays survey, we asked if our listeners are caring for more patients who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The results can be viewed here.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released a report on the Acute Hospital Care at Home (AHCAH) initiative, a program allowing select
If you’ll recall, a couple of weeks ago, I reported on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Proposed Rule for the social determinants
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Join Angela Comfort, DBA, MBA, RHIA, CDIP, CCS, CCS-P, as she presents effective strategies to strengthen collaboration between CDI, coding, and quality departments in acute care hospitals. Angela will also share guidance on implementing cross-departmental meetings, using shared KPIs, and engaging leadership to foster a culture of collaboration. Attendees will gain actionable tools to optimize documentation accuracy, elevate quality metrics, and drive a unified approach to healthcare goals, ultimately enhancing both patient outcomes and organizational performance.
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This webcast, presented by Angela Comfort, DBA, RHIA, CDIP, CCS, CCS-P, a recognized expert with over 30 years of experience, offers essential strategies to improve outpatient clinical documentation integrity. You will learn how to enhance the accuracy and completeness of patient records by adopting best practices in coding and incorporating Social Determinants of Health (SDOH). The session also highlights the role of technology, such as EHRs and CDI software, in improving documentation quality. By attending, you will gain practical insights into ensuring precise and compliant documentation, supporting patient care, and optimizing reimbursement. This webcast is crucial for those looking to address documentation gaps and elevate their coding practices.
Dr. Ronald Hirsch provides critical details on the new Medicare Appeal Process for Status Changes for patients whose status changes during their hospital stay. He also delves into other scenarios of hospital patients receiving custodial care or medically unnecessary services where patient notifications may be needed along with the processes necessary to ensure compliance with state and federal guidance.
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During this RACmonitor webcast Dr. Ronald Hirsch spotlights the areas of the OIG’s Work Plan and the findings of their most recent audits that impact utilization review, case management, and audit staff. He also provides his common-sense interpretation of the prevailing regulations related to those target issues. You’ll walk away better equipped with strategies to put in place immediately to reduce your risk of paybacks, increased scrutiny, and criminal penalties.
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