Hospitals to include Hospice Compare info to patients at discharge

An interesting application of Hospice Compare quality data - hospitals must inform patients of hospice quality data at discharge. For assistance with Hospice Compare results, see Hospice Analytics' new Hospice Compare Reports. (Article summarized by Hospice News Today, 9/27/19.)

CMS Rule—Hospitals Must Inform Patients of Hospice Quality Data
Hospice News
September 26, 2019

The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has published a final rule on hospital discharge planning that underscores the need for hospices to leverage their publicly reported quality metrics as a competitive advantage. The new rule requires hospitals to inform patients about their choices related to post-acute care providers—such as hospice, home health care, skilled nursing facilities and other options—including those organizations’ performance on quality and resource-use measures. “This rule raises the stakes relative to the quality metric scores reported on Hospice Compare, as it will drive broader use of it. It underscores the importance of hospices working to ensure their processes support continuing quality improvement and timely data filing,” Theresa Forster, vice president for hospice policy for the National Association of Home Care & Hospice, told Hospice News. “It also means that hospice stakeholders must work directly with CMS to ensure that any hospice-specific information that is posted to Compare is clearly understandable and relevant for use by patients, families and referral sources.” … Professionals in the hospice field largely praised the rule, but some further work may be necessary to advance its objectives. “I think this rule is a step forward because it mandates that discharge planning focus on the patient’s goals and preferences, not just on hospital priorities. Publicly reported quality measures are a good thing, and they do give hospices a competitive advantage (as long as the individual agency’s metrics are good,” Brad Stuart, M.D., chief medical officer for the Coalition to Transform Advanced Care (C-TAC) told Hospice News.

[Editor’s Note: See related article in Home Health Care News: CMS Announces New Hospital, Home Health Discharge Planning Requirements.]