Resources for new Home Health Nurses

[Tigerlily8]

I am an experienced RN but new to home health. Can anyone recommend a reference manual that would be helpful? My assessment skills are fine, i need help with documentation requirements, reimbursement issues. I welcome any suggestions.

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Highly recommend 5th edition of Tina Marelli MSN, RN's

Handbook of Home Health Standards & Documentation Guidelines for Reimbursement

I've gotten every edition published over the past 20 years to keep up with the changes in documentation requirements.

Reading this spiral bound book helps you to understand the business side of home health care and how your documentation or lack of it affects reimbursement for services you performed. It has a detailed section on OASIS --the US government required Comprehensive assessment tool for Medicare/Medicaid clients which documents clients primary diagnosis reason for homecare, home safety assessment, functional status + deficits, self care ability for ADL's, and ability to self administer medications.

It teaches you how to create the homecare plan of care/treatment plan in collaboration with the certifying physician who is expected to sign the document within 30 days. Provides detail instruction on required plan of treatment wording required for Medicare patients in order for agency to get services paid.

The section on diagnosis includes diagnosi medical coding (ICD9 -no longer used since 10/1/15 -- changed to ICD10), assessment characteristics, rehab potential and patient specific goals needed for the care plan along with patient teaching.

I kept my edition in the car for first 10 years and then later in office and still pull 5th edition out from time to time to review when i am responding to Medicare denials of care for client home bound status not clearly listed by doctors on face to face encounter form --gives me ideas how to phrase home bound status and where in clients chart I can look to highlight charting to prove we've documented reason homebound.

[Tigerlily8]

Thanks for the recommendation. Do you find it easy to read? One reviewer complained that the print was too small.

[James613]

I am looking for a resource for Medicaid (not Medicare), also that apply to with or without agency collaboration; would this publication suffice?

[mrod15]

There is a book called "Home Health Pocket Guide to OASIS-C1:A Reference for Field Staff". Although as an OASIS Reviewer and Coder, I like "Instant OASIS Answers 2016 C1 ICD-10 Edition" better.

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Those looking for assistance writing home care care plans (Skilled nursing orders, goals, functional deficits, visit patterns etc) + learning ICD 10 diagnosis codes then, Handbook of Home Health Standards & Documentation Guidelines for Reimbursement is my go to book.

Looking for indepth info on how to correctly answer Medicare/Medicaid 's required home health assessment document called OASIS C-2 (starts 1/1/2017) then would wait to get Home Health Pocket Guide to OASIS-C2 ...

Instant OASIS Answers C2 book is best for QA/Coders, not for those new to homecare -too overwhelming It's another referance book that resides on shelf beneath my computer screen.