Home Health Blogger

Melissa Cott

Recent Posts

M1033 8 - Exhaustion: OASIS Hospital Admission Risk

If a patient is experiencing exhaustion - reported on OASIS M1033 Hospitalization Risk – 8 - Exhaustion, determining the reason as well as careplanning for exhaustion would be indicated for the home health clinician.

Posted by Melissa Cott on Aug 27, 2023

Atrial Fibrillation: Home Health Assessment & Patient Teaching

For the patient with Atrial Fibrillation, in addition to assessing Presence of Exhaustion M1033-8 and Shortness of breath M1400 on OASIS home health assessment, also include these MyHomecareBiz Best Practice assessment strategies:  

Best Practice Nursing Assessment Strategies for Atrial...

Posted by Melissa Cott on Aug 23, 2023

‘Etiology’ and ‘Manifestation’ Home Health Coding on OASIS

In certain cases, ICD-10-CM guidelines require more than one diagnosis code to report a condition. The use of two diagnosis codes in is called “mandatory multiple coding,” “dual classification,” “dual coding,” or “mandatory dual coding.” One specific example of such mandatory dual...

Posted by Melissa Cott on Aug 22, 2023

9 Differences Between LPNs and RNs

The essentials of nursing are the same for both LPNs and RNs. Both care for people who are suffering from illness and injury, providing medical and functional assistance to help them live as pain-free and as comfortable as possible, and hopefully move forward in their journey toward...

Posted by Melissa Cott on Aug 13, 2023

Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC) Assessment & Careplan

A peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) is used for patients needing venous access for I.V. fluids, long-term antibiotics, chemotherapy, or total parental nutrition (TPN). A PICC is also used for drawing blood.

Posted by Melissa Cott on Aug 8, 2023

OASIS M2020 Oral Medications: Medicare Guidance

In-home medication management includes assessing the patient's ability to self-manage oral medications. Use Medicare's own guidance & strategies for completing OASIS (M2020) Management of Oral Medications: the patient's current ability to prepare and take all oral medications reliably...

Posted by Melissa Cott on Aug 2, 2023

Can Your Governing Body Answer These 10 Questions?

Medicare's Conditions of Participation (CoP) requires a Home Health Governing Body that must oversee hundreds of policies and procedures to monitor and regulate infection control, quality assurance, fiscal performance and accounting, emergency preparedness, employee credentials and...

Posted by Melissa Cott on Jul 31, 2023

OASIS Guidance: M1600 UTI in the Past 14 Days?

Medicare requires HHAs to monitor for healthcare-associated infections (HAI) as part of its overall Quality Assurance Performance Improvement (QAPI) initiative. Medicare’s Condition of Participation (§484.70 Condition of participation: Infection prevention and control) requires HHAs to...

Posted by Melissa Cott on Jul 26, 2023