This guest blog was written by Matt Anderson of Marden Rehabilitation With the recent CMS changes, it is going to be more important than ever to partner up with a quality therapy company. Because compliance and quality risks can be so costly to any facility and your vendor may not be insured in all instances, its important to understand your vendor’s approach and programs. If its time to review your therapy contract, Marden Rehabilitation Services Inc., has put together a checklist to help with reviewing your current provider.
Credentialing
Ask your vendor to describe their process to ensure that all background checks and reviews of the OIG Exclusion Lists have been completed. Compliance Program – Your vendor should describe their compliance program. Employees should have access to policies and educational programs to maintain high professional standards. And they should have to attest that the information has been read annually. Compliance Reporting – How can the employees communicate concerns related to compliance? Is there a hot line number for them to call?
Code of Conduct
Your vendor should have a Code of Conduct program to go along with the compliance program. This is needed to protect your interests. Denial Management – Review your vendors contract relating to denials. Ask about the vendor’s history in managing denials and probes. Talk with those client administrators.
Pricing Models
Understand what types of behaviors (extreme productivity or dropping service) your therapy provider pricing model incentivizes. Cost – Be aware of the true cost of service and what is being charged. The lowest price quote does not always mean the lowest cost.
Service Delivered
Understand how much time the therapist will really be in the facility and what compromises, if any, will be made to patient care as a result. True Partner – Does your current provider act as a true partner in business? How does your vendor increase census in your facility
Productivity
Ask your Vendor to represent the target productivity of the treating staff, both individually and as an aggregate. Excessive productivity may not be to your benefit or the patients benefit but could be to the vendors. Tone At The Top – When talking to your vendor, make a personal judgment regarding management’s setting of the proper tone for your compliant and quality program.
Documentation
Be familiar with how your vendor reviews and manages documentation. You can reach Matt at [email protected] or by phone at 614-374-4075. His website is www.mardencompanies.com
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Finally: If you know anyone who is looking at emergency call systems I would appreciate the opportunity to talk with them about Vigil Health Solutions.
