Hershey and O’Rourke (2009) argued that the CMS reimbursement changes on “never events” had not only payment implications but also affected the liability risks of inpatient healthcare providers whether there was involvement of the federal payer or not. As a result, the inpatient care providers had to adopt new strategies in the mode of service delivery in the institutions to avoid liability. Some of the shifts in the patient care delivery model include the following.
Inpatient providers have increased precautions when handling “never event” complications that have led to an improved safety culture associated with the high-reliability organizations (Leslie and Brittany, 2011). The strategies adopted depends on the type of “never event.” For instance, the hospitals apply four strategies to prevent ulcers and falls. These include optimal assessment including the use of evidence-based tools and changes in targeted care mandates like prioritization of cases and early intervention. Others are 360-degree support encompassing point-of-care staff support and use of efficient reminders for repositioning; and the use of technological innovations for patients with complicated conditions like Fluid Immersion Simulation that prevents pressure ulcers as wells cost-effective observations initiatives like multiple-room video monitors.
Besides, high-reliability organizations have adopted electronic reporting systems that enable the institutions to meet the needs of the patients, regulatory bodies as well as financiers. Electronic reporting reduces medical errors and consequently improves the safety of the patients significantly. Moreover, ensuring early interventions lowers the risks to manageable levels. To make sure that there is optimum service delivery, some of the institutions have had to increase their staff and also adopt motivation strategies that create a high-performance environment and inculcate the culture of safety. At the same time, the institution had to invest on refining of skills of the staff to make them more efficient and reduce the occurrence of errors. In a nutshell, the CMS reimbursement changes triggered positive change in the overall safety procedures in the hospitals including safety cultural shift, training, and adoption of technology, among others.
References
Hershey M. K., & O’Rourke, T. P. (2009). Never-Event Implications. Retrieved on September 4, 2016, from http://www.the-hospitalist.org/article/never-event-implications/
Leslie, M., & Brittany, C. (2011). Preventing never events: What frontline nurses need to know. February 2011, Volume 9 Number 1. Retrieved on September 4, 2016, from http://www.nursingcenter.com/cearticle?tid=1111761
