Primaris Press Release
| For immediate release: Nov. 1, 2007 |
Contact: Matt Heger Primaris Communications Department (800) 735-6776, Ext. 136 |
Staying out of the hospital focus of National Home Care Month
In celebration of November as National Home Care & Hospice Month, this year home health agencies across the nation are working to help their clients avoid unnecessary hospital visits.
Unnecessary hospitalizations can create emotional and financial burdens for patients and their families. At the same time, they drive up the cost of care for everyone. Efforts to curb those ill effects are reflected in this year’s theme of “Preserving Health Independence and Freedom.”
Key to this effort is the Home Health Quality Improvement (HHQI) National Campaign, which was launched in January 2007. Currently more than 5,500 (about 65 percent) of the nation’s home health agencies are participating in the campaign, an initiative that has united the home care community under a shared vision of reducing avoidable hospitalizations to improve patient quality of care.
In Missouri, 135 home health agencies are participating. Primaris, a Columbia, Mo.-based nonprofit, is providing the state’s participating home health agencies with tools, guidelines and resources to reduce avoidable hospitalizations. In addition, Primaris continues to provide educational materials, monthly performance reports and quality improvement consulting to many of Missouri’s 159 agencies statewide.
“Home care professionals and volunteers, along with modern medicine and technology, make it possible for sick citizens to be cared for in their homes where they can be surrounded by loved ones and precious mementos as they live their best quality of life,” said Val J. Halamandaris, president of NAHC.
“The great response to the HHQI National Campaign is indicative of the dedication of our nation’s home health agencies to providing the right care at the right time for every patient,” said Barry M. Straube, MD, Chief Medical Officer of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and Director of the Office of Clinical Standards and Quality. “CMS is confident that the diligent work being done by these agencies will contribute to a reduction of avoidable hospitalizations which will improve quality outcomes, patient and family satisfaction while avoiding unnecessary complications and costs.”
More information about the campaign can be found on the official Web site, www.homehealthquality.org.
About Primaris
Primaris is a nonprofit, health care consulting firm and contracts with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to serve as the Quality Improvement Organization for Missouri. Primaris’ mission is to improve health care delivery and outcomes by promoting excellence, advancing knowledge and developing innovative solutions for physicians, other providers, businesses, government, patients and consumers.
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Editor’s Note:
To find local information on the percentage of home health patients that had to be admitted to the hospital, look online at: www.medicare.gov/HHCompare/Home.asp