The American Health Care Association (AHCA) recently issued new three-year goals for skilled nursing facilities. These rules mandate that the providers improve a number of factors in rendering care. If you work in skilled nursing, read on to see just how these rules may affect your practice.
Reducing rehospitalization
The AHCA seeks to “improve rehospitalization rates by 10 percent, or maintain a rate of 10 percent or less.”
Improving outcomes
The AHCA requires providers to “improve functional outcomes” — specifically mobility and self-care — by 15 percent.
Increasing patient satisfaction
Another new requirement by the AHCA is that providers “improve long and short stay satisfaction by 10 percent, or reach a rate of 90 percent or more.”
Decrease the use of antipsychotics
Finally, the AHCA seeks to have providers “safely decrease off-label antipsychotic use by 10 percent, or maintain a rate of eight percent or less in long stay residents, and a rate of one percent or less in short stay residents.”
How respiratory therapy can help
Respiratory therapy can help with a number of these initiatives, including reducing rehospitalization rates, increasing mobility and self-care, and improving patient satisfaction. To find out how, contact PEL/VIP for more information.
