In This Issue:                                                                                                                   April 2007 

 

---

Reports of the Month

Each month Rock-Solid Intelligence features a report from Home Infusion Reports that give you critical business information from the data you already have.  

   

90 Day Trending Reports 

 

Knowing how your business trending is critical information to have when looking at current numbers and projecting where business will be in the short and mid-term.  Too often our report options show us where we are but not necessarily how we got there or what parts of our business are going in the wrong direction.  The two trending reports developed for the CPR+ system show total revenue by physician and payer trends for a 90 day period.

Sample Report  3 PayerMonth Descending Revenue by Physicican
Sample Report  90 Day Revenue Trend by Payer 

---

NHIA Listserv Lessons
The NHIA Listserv is a members-only resource for home infusion providers to get quick answers to any question or concern they have from their peers across the country. Each month Rock-Pond Solutions selects a listserv thread and summarizes it here for you.

Power PICC Flushing Protocols

We are seeing an increased use of double & triple-lumen Power PICC lines in some local hospitals. When these patients come home for line maintenance, there seems to be confusion as to what the proper flushing protocol is. The manufacturer recommends 1 ml of "heparinized saline" (no conc. given) every 12 hours daily to each lumen. However, one local hospital uses a protocol of 10 ml of saline daily to each lumen. Thus, two questions for the board: (1) Is there a standardized conc. for "heparinized saline" as I have seen both 2 units/ml and 100 units/ml reported in the literature? (2) What is the flushing protocol you use in the home for the Power PICC? (3)  Doesn't it seem odd if not dangerous for the manufacturer not to state the conc. of "heparinized saline" or have I missed the boat & EVERYONE knows what this means?

Learn from the NHIA member responses.

 

These and other questions are posed, discussed and answered every day on the NHIA listserv. The listserv is a member benefit you should take advantage of.  If you are not a NHIA member, Rock-Pond Solutions recommends you join today.

---

Partner Connections

We are pleased to offer some great experience and advice directly from our Rock-Solid partners. 

Can a blood test predict a heart attack? By HHLA Clinical Staff

Exciting new research suggests that the simple diagnostic tool of an easy inexpensive blood test may help doctors determine the risk of cardiac events in patients with heart disease.  The research revealed that the higher the level of the peptide known as NT-proBNP in a patient’s plasma, the greater the chance that the patient has of dying or having a cardiovascular event such as a heart attack or heart failure.

Read more.

 

Dealing with Denial Code 204 (Replacement for PR 96): By Linda Payne, Reimbursement Concepts, LLC.

Just when we had figured out how to deal with the denial code PR-96, Medicare decided to replace it with code 204.  Linda discusses the impact of the change as well as some suggestions to deal with it.  Read more.

 

Software Implementations - do it perfect the first time: By Pete Tanguay, Rock-Pond Solutions

Companies going through a software conversion often make the commitment - "We are going to do everything right this time".  Is this a realistic or a set up for failure?  Read more.

 

Drug of the Month – Lynezolid (Zyvox®): By Alicia Thorne and Willis Triplett

The increasing number of infections caused by resistant gram-positive bacteria has led to a search for new antimicrobial agents. Oxazolidinones, a novel class of synthetic antimicrobials, have been shown to have potent activities against gram-positive pathogens such as vancomycin-resistant enterococci, Streptococcus pneumoniae, coagulase-negative staphylococci, and Staphylococcus aureus. Linezolid, the first drug issued from this class, is active against gram-positive bacteria and displays nonbactericidal, time-dependent activity in vitro against staphylococci.  Read more.

 

---

TechnologyTip of the Month

Each month Rock-Solid Intelligence shares a technology tip or software program that has made our work a little easier.

 

Invest in cheap real estate - add a second monitor to your laptop / desktop

 

A good indication of your age is whether you remember using a computer without a mouse.  I remember when Microsoft Windows first came out it took people a long time to realize you could have something running in more than one window at a time.  Have you ever sat and watched a process run on your screen instead of minimizing it and going on with something else while it finished? 

 

Today, with two monitors, you can work as if you had 2 computers.  Sounds unnecesary or too techie?  Try it.  With 19" flat screen monitors in the $200 range, this will be one of your best productivity investments.  It's hard to understand until you try it - and then you'll wonder how you worked with only one monitor. 

 

Learn How.

Rock-Solid Intelligence is sponsored by:
The following companies are recognized industry leaders and financial sponsors of Rock-Solid Intelligence.  Take a minute to click on their logo to find out how their producs and services will make a difference in your business.