Genesis Healthcare is “working diligently” to prevent the potential spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus after one of its patients tested positive for the respiratory disease. 

“At this time, we have a single, confirmed case of COVID-19 in one of our 387 centers,” said Richard Feifer, M.D., senior vice president of Genesis Healthcare and chief medical officer of Genesis Physician Services, Tuesday morning during an earnings call. “Rest assured we are working diligently to minimize any potential spread but we are also preparing should any more of our facilities experience the coronavirus.”

The provider has since restricted most visitor access throughout its facilities, including an admissions ban at the facility with the infected patient.

The chain also established an email hotline to monitor concerns in real-time, set up employee and patient screenings at entryways, increased supplies for staff and residents, and is currently making arrangements that would allow video conferencing between residents and their relatives.

“We realize these measures will be challenging for our patients, residents and their families that are doing everything they can to support them during this very difficult crisis,” Feifer acknowledged. 

CEO George Hager Jr. noted that the “full impact of the virus has yet to be seen” on the company or national level and that close monitoring continues.

High on PDPM

Genesis executives also revealed the company has seen higher reimbursements since implementing the new Patient Driven Payment Model in October. 

“Although it’s still early in the transition, we are increasingly confident that PDPM is a viable reimbursement model for the future, a model that more effectively accounts for the broad array of medical complexities and care needs of our patients,” Genesis Chief Financial Officer Tom DiVittorio said.

The company reported that its average Medicare rate per patient day has been about 5% higher under PDPM — after adjusting out the 2.4% market-basket increase — than its average payment rate under the prior Resource Utilization Group system. 

“On the rehab side of PDPM, we successfully met our goal to offset, dollar-for-dollar, the impact of third-party contract pricing changes, by adjusting our labor model and better leveraging more cost-effective modes of delivery, such as group and concurrent therapy,” DiVittorio added. 

Overall, Genesis reported a net income of $14.6 million for the year.