Discharge planning is CMS' focus

Abstract

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced its intention to add three new questions about discharge planning to the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey in 2012. Case managers should make sure that patients have a choice of options for the next level of care. Make sure there are beds available and then give the patients a list of appropriate provides from which to choose. CAHPS scores are increasing in importance as CMS moves to value-based purchasing.