It’s that time again.
Time to look back at the year, learn from successes, determine areas for continued internal growth, and develop plans for future messaging.
We have all seen the positive or negative impact messaging has had on communities’ Patient Driven Payment Model successes as determinants for accurately reflecting, documenting and coding clinical needs.
Teams that developed strategic internal interprofessional messaging made the transition from the RUG-IV model to PDPM much smoother than those with disjointed, or consistently limited messaging.
For those teams, the road has been more difficult to navigate.
My loyal readers also know that each year at this time, as guaranteed as the arrival of our elves Chippy and Rose, my Amazon account gets hacked.
The reason for the account compromise depends on a few key variables:
- The tiny culprit(s)
- The message the culprits were trying to achieve
- The driver behind their wants
Let’s look back at the past three years.
2017: The message was a year to be selfless and person-centered
2017 was the year that the SNF industry saw the implementation of the Phase II ROPs survey process. The message sent from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services was one of person-centeredness, interdisciplinary use of critical element pathways, and truly treating our patients holistically as individuals.
2017 also was the year Joseph, then age 6, completed his infamous Amazon order because “Mommy, it’s just one click” x 13.
The result, a person-centered order with items for each family member, based on their their individuality.
2018: The message of the year was intense strategic planning.
2018 was the year we consumed and planned strategically based on rulings specific to PDPM and PDGM development.
Isaac, 8 years old, was planning a party … and totally locked our entire Amazon account.
The realization of his scheme occurred to me when I didn’t receive our monthly order of essentials (Tide, toilet paper, paper towels, etc.)
What I soon learned when speaking to a very kind Amazon representative was that “someone” had tried to order an industrial-sized disco ball and fog machine, along with throwing daggers, to the sum of … SEVEN thousand dollars.
They thought the order was suspicious so they locked the account and our family had to start fresh with new access.
2019: The message was a year of recognizing the impact that persistence and determination have on success.
2019 has been the year we have seen the implementation of PDPM and the overall persistence of teams to focus on value, quality, and collaboration.
Nov. 25, 2019 — picture this: Walmart, five kids collaborating, a mom
Me: “I don’t think so, Emmy (age 5). Throw all the fits you want — no more toys until Christmas!”
Persistent, she came home, wrote the items in a letter to Santa, we read it to Rose the elf, and placed it under her with some cinnamon. And waited.
Two days later, Nov. 27, the items on her list magically arrived at the door in boxes with a smile (i.e. Amazon boxes).
No one has yet to admit they placed the order for her, the five kiddos holding strong on their collaborative effort.
Assess your 2019.
Me? I’ve disabled the one-click order option on Amazon and I’ve given a firm pro-active NO to the kids’ request for an Alexa. (Can you imagine? “Alexa, order! Alexa, order!”)
What has your message been?
More importantly, what were the drivers behind your messages? Did they help you to achieve your desired outcome? How did the messages impact the individual patients you serve?
2020 — the year is yours to create. What will your message be?
Renee Kinder, MS, CCC-SLP, RAC-CT, is Vice President of Clinical Services for Encore Rehabilitation and 2019 APEX Award of Excellence winner in Writing–Regular Departments & Columns category. Additionally, she serves as Gerontology Professional Development Manager for the American Speech Language Hearing Association’s (ASHA) gerontology special interest group, is a member of the University of Kentucky College of Medicine community faculty, and is an advisor to the American Medical Association’s Relative Value Update Committee (RUC) Health Care Professionals Advisory Committee (HCPAC).
