NHPCO NewsLine Fall 2020 - 19

COVID-19 PHE, staff need to be
continuously updated/educated
as the organization's emergency
plan is updated. Staff also need
to be educated about revised
regulatory requirements during
an emergency event and how
clinical practice will be adjusted.
For example, CMS is allowing
telehealth visits for patient in the
routine home level of care during
the PHE. Staff need to be
educated about the components
and expectations of a telehealth
visit for them to feel in control
and educate the patient and
family in turn about what to
expect. They also need to
understand how deliver quality
care in this medium.
Communication is an important
key to success. By taking these
topics into consideration in
creating an individualized
approach for care in the agency,
hospices increase staff
understanding by communicating
the plan and practices. This in
turn can positively impact the
patient and family perceptions
regarding quality of care. Figuring
out how to communicate
compassion through virtual touch
and hugs could be the above and
beyond that drive positive quality
outcomes in this difficult time.

Jennifer Kennedy, EdD, MA, BSN,
RN, CHC, is NHPCO's senior
director, regulatory and quality.
Melissa "Missy" Ring, MSN, BA,
RN, is NHPCO's director,
regulatory and compliance.

Quality Matters Now and Moving Forward
Additional thoughts from Jennifer Kennedy

The 2020 Virtual Conference in July, presented
in collaboration between NHPCO, AAHPM, and
HPNA, focused on quality and provided hospice
and palliative care providers with realistic and
insightful information related to quality
assessment and performance improvement
(QAPI) in their organization during the
COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. The message
from every speaker was clear that quality
matters now as we navigate this public health emergency and into the
post COVID-19 health care environment. The incentives to provide
high quality care now and moving forward are more important than
they have ever been.
The U.S. health care system is making its way towards a pay for
performance reimbursement model where providers will need to meet
quality of care outcomes to qualify for payment beyond baseline
reimbursement. A provider's performance related to provision of care
and service will be key in this type of system to achieve full
reimbursement potential, high quality reporting scores, and good
standing among health care partners and consumers. The connection
of quality to payment will allow high performing providers to be paid
for the quality of care they provide and will place them at the head of
the class compared to average or low performing providers. This is a
key incentive for organizations to embed quality into their strategic
plans and culture to ensure its integration into everyday operations,
staff activity, care provision, and community involvement.
There is an ever-bigger incentive for providers to commit to quality
improvement in today's competitive health care environment; it is the
right thing to do. Seriously ill individuals receiving palliative care
require high quality service to help them achieve their goals for care
and quality of life every day. The difference between high quality care
and average care could mean unnecessary emergency room visits or
hospitalizations which can impact an individual's disease trajectory
and overall wellbeing.
In terms of end of life care, whether an individual receives hospice care
for three months or three days, they deserve to receive quality care
that addresses their needs and the needs of their family to ensure a
supported dignified death. The time is now to focus on quality as it is
and will be the guidepost for the future of health care.

Newsline / Fall 2020

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NHPCO NewsLine Fall 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NHPCO NewsLine Fall 2020
