Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare The Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) Quality Measure Calculations and Reporting User’s Manual Version 5.0, Change Table, Risk Adjustment Appendix File, Imputation Appendix File, and Hierarchical Condition Categories (HCC) to International Classification of Diseases (ICD) -10 Crosswalks are now available. These documents serve…… Continue reading IRF and LTCH QRP Quality Measure Calculations and Reporting User’s Manual V5.0 and Accompanying Documents Now Available

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is issuing this Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Update to share new information with clinicians, public health authorities, and the public about locally acquired malaria cases identified in the United States. On August 18, 2023, a single case…… Continue reading Important Updates on Locally Acquired Malaria Cases Identified in Florida, Texas, and Maryland

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare The growth of managed care over the past several years has changed fundamental aspects of the Medicare and Medicaid programs. This significant shift transformed how the Government pays for and covers health care for approximately 100 million enrollees. Due to the growth of managed care (in…… Continue reading OIG Publishes New Featured Topic Webpage on Managed Care

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare During a pandemic or other emergency, health care facilities face significant challenges to quickly onboard additional health care providers when hospital admissions and intensive care units’ occupancy rapidly increase. The recently updated Health Care Facility Onboarding Checklist (1 page) can help facilities ensure new employees are…… Continue reading Updates from ASPR TRACIE – Emergency Preparedness Resources

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare Emergencies can create a variety of hazards for workers in the impacted area. Preparing before an emergency incident plays a vital role in ensuring that employers and workers have the necessary equipment, know where to go, and know how to keep themselves safe when an emergency…… Continue reading Know How to Prepare For and Respond to Natural Disasters

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) is an annual observance held in August to highlight the importance of routine vaccination for people of all ages. As of January 1, 2023, your Medicare Part D drug plan now covers most vaccines at no cost to you. All adult vaccines…… Continue reading Immunization and Vaccine Resources

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare For many in the U.S., this week is going to be a hot one!  Many areas have already had extreme heat warnings and advisories.  OSHA’s Workplace Safety Reminder for today addresses heat illness. Heat-related illnesses can be prevented. Hydrate before, during and after work. Drink 1…… Continue reading Prevent Heat Illness at Work

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CDC has created a new, web-on-demand, self-paced module for healthcare providers who will be administering COVID-19 vaccines. The Immunization Course update on COVID-19 Vaccine Training: What Healthcare Professionals Need to Know is now live. This module provides healthcare providers with comprehensive information for all currently approved…… Continue reading COVID-19 Vaccine Training: What Healthcare Professionals Need to Know is Now Live

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare Here’s a resource that’s always relevant to all health care settings:Implementation Guide for AHRQ’s Making Informed Consent an Informed Choice – Training Modules. This 57-page guide is rich with information to help you and your team promote/improve informed consent. This guide is a companion to the…… Continue reading Making Informed Consent an Informed Choice (AHRQ Resource)

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CDC has updated the Infection Control Assessment and Response (ICAR) Tool for General Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Across Settings to include Module 11 – Water Exposure.  It appears that this Module was added June 27, 2023. ICAR tools are used to systematically assess a healthcare…… Continue reading Updated: Infection Control Assessment and Response (ICAR) Tool for General Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Across Settings