In addition to reprinting the PDF of the CMS CoPs and Interpretive Guidelines, we include key Survey and Certification memos that CMS has issued to announced changes to the emergency preparedness final rule, fire and smoke door annual testing requirements, survey team composition and investigation of complaints, infection control screenings, and legionella risk reduction.
Author: United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia
Monitoring CMS' vital signs : implementation of the Medicare prescription drug benefit : hearing before the Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia Subcommittee of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, United States Senate, One Hundred Ninth Congress, first session, April 5, 2005.
Hypertension remains a leading cause of disability and death worldwide. Self-monitoring of blood pressure by patients at home is currently recommended as a valuable tool for the diagnosis and management of hypertension. Unfortunately, in clinical practice, home blood pressure monitoring is often inadequately implemented, mostly due to the use of inaccurate devices and inappropriate methodologies. Thus, the potential of the method to improve the management of hypertension and cardiovascular disease prevention has not yet been exhausted. This volume presents the available evidence on home blood pressure monitoring, discusses its strengths and limitations, and presents strategies for its optimal implementation in clinical practice. Written by distinguished international experts, it offers a complete source of information and guide for practitioners and researchers dealing with the management of hypertension.
Thousands of measures are in use today to assess health and health care in the United States. Although many of these measures provide useful information, their usefulness in either gauging or guiding performance improvement in health and health care is seriously limited by their sheer number, as well as their lack of consistency, compatibility, reliability, focus, and organization. To achieve better health at lower cost, all stakeholders - including health professionals, payers, policy makers, and members of the public - must be alert to what matters most. What are the core measures that will yield the clearest understanding and focus on better health and well-being for Americans? Vital Signs explores the most important issues - healthier people, better quality care, affordable care, and engaged individuals and communities - and specifies a streamlined set of 15 core measures. These measures, if standardized and applied at national, state, local, and institutional levels across the country, will transform the effectiveness, efficiency, and burden of health measurement and help accelerate focus and progress on our highest health priorities. Vital Signs also describes the leadership and activities necessary to refine, apply, maintain, and revise the measures over time, as well as how they can improve the focus and utility of measures outside the core set. If health care is to become more effective and more efficient, sharper attention is required on the elements most important to health and health care. Vital Signs lays the groundwork for the adoption of core measures that, if systematically applied, will yield better health at a lower cost for all Americans.
Author: United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia
The rules of patient restraint and seclusion have changed. Is your staff up to speed? As of January 2007, CMS requires that your hospital comply with new Conditions of Participation for patient restraint and seclusion. The new requirements focus on patient rights and include additional staff training requirements regarding restraint and seclusion.Don t take chances with reimbursement and patient rights. Equip every member of your staff with "The CMS Restraint Training Requirements Handbook. "Sold in packs of 25, these portable handbooks are a necessary resource for easily and effectively informing your staff about the new CMS restraint and seclusion rules. This staff training tool explains the specifics of the new training requirements, including the following prescriptive requirements: Application of restraints Implementation of seclusion Monitoring of patients in restraint/seclusion Assessment of patients in restraint/seclusion Providing care for a patient in restraint or seclusion Concise and easy-to-use, the handbook also includes sample competency assessment skill sheets for staff who are involved in restraint and seclusion. "The CMS Restraint Training"" Requirements Handbook" offers a cost-effective and convenient way to ensure your staff knows how to comply with the latest rules. "
