As contractual rehab service providers, we were compelled to provide better outcomes in our clinical patient programs to attract more business. When reimbursement concerns led to the era of case management, reviewing our cases with utilization representatives helped us identify efficient clinical pathways while still achieving patient success. The Balanced Budget Act gave us further insight into homecare management when we re-engineered our SNF contracts to address BBA reforms. We quickly noted that the adaptation of techniques required to address PPS changes also applied in the Medicare home health environment.

The resultant programming flexibility was a direct product of our SNF rehab style; achieve functional and safe return to home quickly, then efficiently establish (or provide) homecare services. This assertive, outcome-based model enabled us to provide services up and down the ever-evolving continuum of care. As Medicare established compliance regulations and voiced concerns regarding fraud and abuse, HHSM found their lean but efficient service model could do more than effect a single patient. At HHSM we developed the ability to help associates achieve desirable results with thousands of patients as we introduced our program to multiple agencies.

Eventually, our publishing and seminar ventures allowed us to refine and define our exciting clinical homecare training program. We currently provide a number of progressive home health tools and coaching services. Contact us for your opportunity to hear what we can do for your agency’s patients, staff, fiscal and quality outcomes.

The Remington Report - "Audits & Denials On The Home Health Front"; July/August 2009 www.remingtonreport.com

The Remington Report - "Potential Reforms For the Home Health Model" May/June 2009 www.remingtonreport.com

The Remington Report - "Medicare Solvency, PPS, Parts A & B"; March/April 2009 www.remingtonreport.com

Home Care Outcomes (Decision Health) Expert Advisor Column - "Functional Item Review Can Lead to Better Outcomes"; March 2009

The Remington Report - "Utilization Review: Combining Medical Care With Healthcare Resources": January/February 2009  www.remingtonreport.com

Caring Magazine - "Manage Therapy Utilization as a guide to Home Health Success": February 2009 www.nahc.org

ADVANCE for Occupational Therapists and OT Assistants (Merion Publishing) –“Rehab Takes Center Stage under 2008 Medicare Home Health Reforms”: March 31, 2008.

ADVANCE for Physical Therapists and PT Assistants (Merion Publishing) – Cover story“Rehab Takes Center Stage under 2008 Medicare Home Health Reforms”: February 25, 2008.

Home Care Outcomes (DecisionHealth) Expert Advisor Column “Formalize Your Case-Management System”: May 2007.

ADVANCE for Physical Therapists and Physical Therapy Assistants (Merion Publishing) Home Health Forum Print and Online question and answer columns bi-weekly since September 2005.

Kentucky Home Health Association; Conference, "UR for OASIS admissions and OBQI Case Conference scores" November 18 & 19, 2009

Missouri Alliance for Home; Audio Conference, "How to proceed in our contemporary homecare landscape" November 4, 2009

Health Care Synergy Seminar; "Staff utilization and various practices aimed to improve quality of care, while minimizing costs" October 30, 2009, Chicago, IL

Home Care Association of New York State, "Improving quality outcomes and documentation methods to enhance appraoches to care" October 26, 2009

Home Care Association of New Jersey; Seminar, "Prospective Payment System that governs Medicare Home Health" October 22, 2009

National Association Of Home Care & Hospice; OBQI Case Conference, October 10-14, 2009, Los Angeles, CA

Health Care Synergy, "Home Health and Reforms and Audits: Where do we go from here?" October 9, 2009, Los Angeles, CA

National Quality Outcomes & OASIS-C Conference; "Functional item review can lead to better outcomes: dyspnea, pain, urinary incontinence" September 15, 2009

Indiana Association for Home & Hospice Care; "Winning Strategies for Home Health and More" August 19, 2009

Kentucky Home Health Association Therapy Workshop July 30, 2009

Florida Home Care Association 2009 Annual Conference & Trade Show; "The Future of Medicare Home Health-Where Are We Going and How Do We Get There?"

Arizona Association for Home Care 2009 Annual Conference; "Optimizing Therapy Utilization" June 11, 2009

 Iowa Association for home Care 2009 Annual Meeting; "The Future of Medicare Home Health: Where Are We Going and how Do We Get There?"; June 10, 2009

Michigan Home Health Association 2009 Annual Meeting; "The Future of Medicare Home Health: Where Are We Going and how Do We Get There?" "Innovative PPS/P4P Strategies"; May 20, 2009

Home Care Association of New Jersey 2009 Annual Meeting; "Innovative PPS/P4P Strategies"; April 30, 2009

Missouri Alliance for Home Care 2009 Annual Conference; "Innovative PPS Strategies: Dress Rehersal for P4P"; April 28, 2009

American Health Care Association Spring Conference 2009; "The Future Of Medicare Home Health and Rehab Services";  April 23, 2009

Illinois Homecare Council 2009 Annual Conference; "The Future of Medicare Home Health: Where Are We Going and how Do We Get There?" "OBQI Case Conference - A New and Productive Twist on Multi-disciplinary Care Conferences";  February 26-27, 2009

Please see Upcoming Events

Arnie Cisneros, P.T., president of Home Health Strategic Management, has provided clinical services, program development and management consultation in the areas of geriatric rehab, sports medicine and home health since 1979.  His clinical background is primarily orthopedic based from his tenure with The Ohio State University Sportsmedicine Department. 

He is renowned for his adaptation of traditional care philosophies to address current and future healthcare initiatives.  His status as a currently practicing clinician provides a working level insight into program development and care consultation needs for Home Health providers.  He authors "Home Health Forum", a bi-weekly column addressing contemporary homecare issues and is a contributor to "The Remington Report", Caring, and Decision Health publications.  He presents nationally on homecare topics including S.U.R.C.H. - UR for Home health, OBQI Case Conference, and PPS/P4P strategies.