Visiting Nurse / Hospice Atlanta Blogs

The Importance of CMS Star Ratings

The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) uses a five-star quality rating system to measure Medicare beneficiaries’ experience with their healthcare provider. This rating system evaluates the overall performance of the type of services a provider would offer and shows the rating in an easy-to-follow format available online at Home Health Compare.

Visiting Nurse Demonstrates Best Practices in Care at Home – and Raises CMS Rating

As a leading nonprofit provider of home healthcare, long-term care at home, and hospice services, it’s important that our patients and healthcare professionals understand the CMS five-star rating and how it affects everyone. CMS established its home healthcare star rating as a tool to use when choosing a home healthcare provider. It is designed to be a source of authoritative information regarding home care assistance. The CMS star ratings are based on nine measures of quality that give a general overview of performance. The indicators of home healthcare quality are known as quality measures and are divided into categories, such as:

  • Managing pain and treating symptoms
  • Managing daily activities
  • Preventing harm
  • Treating wounds and preventing pressure sores
  • Preventing unplanned hospital care

 

Over the last year, Visiting Nurse’s home healthcare division has improved its rating to 3 ½ stars, which is above the national average. The improved rating is attributed to improving processes and providing education to the clinical team to ensure best practices are utilized for assessment strategies and care delivery. In addition, we have worked closely with our referral sources to ensure a smooth transition from the inpatient setting to the patient’s home.

Why It’s Important to Patients and Healthcare Providers

Home health agencies play an increasingly important role in caring for homebound patients, especially the elderly. Jordan Rau, a writer for the Kaiser Health News mentioned, “last year 3.4 million Medicare beneficiaries received home health care services, with nurses, aides, and physical and occupational therapists providing treatment.” With home care, it’s not like walking into a nursing home where you can see for yourself and evaluate quality. Assessing quality is both a challenge for patients and their healthcare provider partners, such as physicians and nurses. With the CMS star rating system, patients, family members and guardians have a rating that they can use to evaluate the level and quality of home care.

All around, the federal government’s star rating system for home health agencies is designed to bring clarity to a fragmented yet fast-growing medical industry segment where it’s been difficult to distinguish between the quality of different providers.

 

Connect with Us on Instagram
Honored to bring together distinguished individuals from across Georgia at this week's Healthcare Champions community event at the Buckhead Club. We are grateful for our sponsor, Cadence Bank, for their support, and to the amazing keynote speaker Amaka Eneanya, MD, MPH, FASN, whose insights and expertise inspired meaningful dialogue among the packed room of leaders. hashtag#community hashtag#healthcareforall hashtag#georgia hashtag#visitingnursehealthsystem hashtag#hospiceatlanta

...

7 2
🎉We celebrate 77 years of caring for you, Georgia! 

Since our founding in 1948, Visiting Nurse has grown from just two nurses serving Fulton and DeKalb counties to today, your trusted in-home healthcare, hospice and aging services provider, bringing you the FULL healthcare continuum in the comfort of the place you call home!

We are proud of our history—and even more excited for the future. Thank you for allowing us to care for you, Georgia, for 77 years and growing! 💙

#77YearsStrong
#caringforgeorgia
#gratitude
#inhomecare
#visitingnursehealthsystem
#hospiceatlanta
#Georgia

...

4 0
Today Is National Grief Awareness Day
📸 Let’s turn awareness into action.
📢 Text 'CampSTARS' to 71777

#CampSTARS
#GriefAwareness
#GriefSupport
#NationalGriefAwarenessDay
#NoOneGrievesAlone

...

2 0
Our Camp STARS bereavement camp is designed to help those that have lost a loved one know they are not alone and that their feelings of loss are normal. This weekend family camp provides a safe environment for both children and adults to share their feelings, meet others in similar situations, and have fun while learning how to grieve in an emotionally healthy way. This year's camp is November 7-9, learn more here. https://vnhs.org/hospice-atlanta/camp-stars/
#griefawareness #CampStars #hospiceatlanta #visitingnursehealthsystem

...

5 1
In honor of National Grief Awareness month...

Tag someone who’s been there for you during grief. 
Share your memorable moments of remembrance. 

#NationalGriefAwarenessDay
#NoOneGrievesAlone
#HealingTogether

...

3 0
3 Days to National Grief Awareness Day, August 30. 

What Will You Do?”

📲 Click here and donate or fundraise! https://fundraise.givesmart.com/vf/CampSTARS 
Hospice Atlanta's Camp STARS Bereavement camp
#countdown
#CampStars
#griefawareness
#griefsupport

...

0 0
Grief Can Look Like this. 
Grief is complicated — especially for children.
Grief Awareness Month: we invite you to please share your story and tag us to raise awareness this month!
#childgriefawareness #hospiceatlanta #visitingnursehealthsystem #hope

...

3 0
Supporting our community as they grieve is important this month, National Grief Awareness Month, and every month here at Hospice Atlanta. 

Another way we support those who have suffered a loss is with Camp STARS- our weekend family bereavement camp. For 31 years, we've provided a safe environment for adults and children to share their feelings, meet others in similar situations, and have fun while learning how to grieve in an emotionally healthy way. 
Hear from our campers how important Camp is to their journey. 

📱Text CampSTARS to 71777 to support healing.
#hospiceatlanta#visitingnursehealthsystem#CampStars #healing

...

4 0
August is National Grief Awareness Month. 
Grief isn’t something we ‘get over’ — it’s something we learn to live with. This August, please join along in honoring all who grieve, and let's raise awareness around grief, together.
#CampStars#griefsupport#nationalgriefawarenessday#hospiceatlanta#visitingnursehealthsystem

...

2 0
💙 Compassion in Action. Care at Home. 💚
At Visiting Nurse Health System | Hospice Atlanta, we are your solution to healthcare and aging in the home. 
For over 75 years, we’ve served metro Atlanta with trusted healthcare in the home rooted in dignity, respect, and clinical excellence. We bring expert, compassionate care directly to the homes for every stage of your healthcare journey. From home health after an injury, surgery or life event, to safe & compassionate end of life care with Hospice Atlanta, we’re honored to be part of your care journey.

📍 Proudly non-profit. Proudly local.

Learn more or refer a loved one: www.vnhs.org
#HospiceAtlanta #HomeHealthCare #HospiceCare #AtlantaNonprofit #CompassionateCare #VisitingNurseHealthSystem #carethatcomestoyou

...

3 0
Come and learn with us! 
Hospice Atlanta is a proud vendor at the upcoming Made Whole Senior Resource Fair and we'd love to see you there!
This even has Free Admission AND Free Parking! 
Come and learn from the best in Georgia's aging industry experts! #aginggracefully #seniorliving #hospiceatlanta #visitingnursehealthsystem

...

2 0
It's been a great month celebrating our July Employee of the Month! 

Thank you Chintan! 
#gratitude #celebrate #service #MissionDrivenCare #visitingnursehealthsystem #hospiceatlanta

...

6 0