Things are heating up as PDPM (Patient-Driven Payment Model) gets ready to roll out this October. And the clock is ticking. Are you ready?

By Susan Saldibar

If you are a long-term, post-acute care provider (LTPAC), you’re anything but bored these days, particularly if your organization has skilled nursing exposure. Things are heating up as the Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM) nears roll out this October. And the clock is ticking. Are you ready?

MatrixCare is. They have been busily working in the background on new solutions to help LTPAC providers not only navigate PDPM but position themselves for growth. And, providers are listening. (MatrixCare is a Senior Housing Forum partner.)

Providers are hungry for solutions. And ready to take action.

MatrixCare’s “Directions” National User Conference, held late last month, unveiled an ambitious new plan and platform of services to its largest audience yet, resulting in a level of engagement by attendees that was, as CEO, John Damgaard, put it “off the charts.” It’s no wonder. Many of today’s LTPAC providers are just now coming out of the haze of the last couple of years as CMS worked, alongside providers, to hammer out a new playbook for PDPM, replacing the old volume-based RUG-IV model with a new “value-based” care model.

Knowing the challenges that lie ahead, providers are hungry for solutions and showing signs that they’re ready to take action. The Directions conference helped pave the way, starting with a pre-conference CIO Digital Health Summit for industry leaders to collaborate on ways to succeed under PDPM. Then, at the conference, venues like the “Genius Lab” allowed attendees to schedule one-on-one consultations with MatrixCare product experts to learn how to maximize their technologies. A Partner Pavilion presented third-party solutions that integrate with the MatrixCare ecosystem.

MatrixCare has new solutions to get savvy providers out in front of the pack.

MatrixCare also used the conference to welcome their new COO, Brian Peters, along with presenting a couple of keynote addresses on topics like how to outperform the competition under value-based care. And, they announced the rollout of a spate of new solutions. Among them . . .

  • MatrixCare’s modernized platform that works across all care settings. It includes what they describe as “purpose-built” workflows to accommodate the needs of out-of-hospital providers. It also integrates with other proprietary ancillary products, as well as third-party technology partners.

  • Brightree home health and hospice solution, which will integrate into the modernized platform, thus completing MatrixCare’s full spectrum out-of-hospital solution.

  • eMAR offline, which allows seamless medication administration in the event a provider loses internet connectivity (during hurricanes, storms, earthquakes).

  • Intake Management Software (a new pilot project), which MatrixCare says will enable providers to tap into local referral networks and quickly evaluate whether a referral is a good match for the services provided by the organization, thereby helping to ensure optimal outcomes under PDPM.

I have to say that it’s good to see technology providers, like MatrixCare, looking out on the horizon on behalf of their clients, taking the time to study PDPM and make what appear to be intelligent development decisions with these new product announcements.

This is a challenging time for LTPACs and collaboration between technologists and providers is needed now, more than ever. As an observer, it’s nice to see it happening.

As CEO John Damgaard said at the Directions user event, “There’s a lot of uncertainty in the industry right now as value-based care becomes a reality under PDPM and that has many providers re-thinking their approach to business. Bringing them together to share ideas and best practices and allowing them to see, first-hand, all of the ways that MatrixCare has been investing in helping them succeed under value-based care created enormous excitement and optimism.” Well said.

You can learn more about how MatrixCare is preparing providers for PDPM here.


For more information about MatrixCare, please visit their website.

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