We ensure complaints are acknowledged, addressed, and proper action is taken by utilizing LEAP.

Attributes of Service Recovery:

If we all incorporate LEAP in our everyday practice of exemplary customer service, our customers will walk away satisfied and very likely to return as customers when they require our services in the future.

 

As communicated over the last few weeks, the MANDATORY MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PRESCRIPTION DRUG FRAUD, WASTE, AND ABUSE competency is due NOW. It is available to every employee in the organization (VNA Care Network, VNA of Boston, VNA Hospice Care, and VNA Care Advantage) on the ED PORTAL. EVERY EMPLOYEE (CLINICAL AND NON-CLINICAL) MUST COMPLETE THIS MODULE BY NOVEMBER 30. It takes no more than 30 minutes.

By Molly Lukason, Behavioral Health Program Manager

 

As the Behavioral Health Program grows, there are some frequently asked questions that we thought would be helpful to answer and review.

 

It is important that a patient be medically stable prior to making a referral to Behavioral Health. Often, clinicians are helping the patient in a variety of ways, initially, and the patient can be quite overwhelmed with the number of visits and different clinicians coming in and out of their home. So, we ask that a Behavioral Health referral be considered when the RN is preparing to discharge the patient-preferably two weeks prior to termination of medical/nursing services. fF PT or OT is active with patient, a referral to behavioral health is encouraged while these particular services are still active.

 

In preparation for a referral to Behavioral Health, we ask that you refer to Behavioral Health at least two weeks prior to a planned termination of services. In this way, the Behavioral Health Clinician has time to go out and evaluate the patient for the appropriateness of the program. If the patient is not appropriate for Behavioral Health, this gives the primary clinician time to possibly refer to other potential services. If the patient has been determined by Behavioral Health to be appropriate for the program, the Behavioral Health Clinician will contact the primary clinician to work out termination of the primary's services. Please do not terminate services automatically once you have made the referral to Behavioral Health. We know this can be confusing as Behavioral Health Clinicians are RN'S but an evaluation must be performed and a determination made.

 

When the primary clinician is preparing to terminate their services, please do not discharge the patient from VNA services. We ask that the primary clinician and the Behavioral Health clinician work together coordinating a smooth transition to Behavioral Health as primary. This coordination would involve the primary clinician completing a discharge summary and then transferring the case to Behavioral Health as well coordinating a possible transfer in the midst of a recert window.

 

The Behavioral Health Program continues to help those patients suffering with depression, anxiety or early onset dementia. As you are planning to refer or to coordinate services for your patients, please consider behavioral health as an important part of the care plan.

 

On behalf of the Behavioral Health clinicians, we want to thank all clinicians and managers for their help and patience during the growth of the program. Our Behavioral Health clinicians are:

• Kay Diane-Dennis (617-947-1544)
• Sarah Bernd (617-733-6892)
• Christine Mello-Byrne (617-913-5667)
• Lynda Wallack (617-851-3902)
• Susan Alberto (774-432-1654). 

Please feel free to contact Molly Lukason, Behavioral Health Program Manager, at 774-502-5545 or email Molly at mlukason@vnacarenetwork.org with any questions or concerns.

The HHA department has developed a new process for when a patient is discharged from the agency and the HHA dept is not notified. When this occurs, the aide continues to visit the patient until the HHA department terminates the aide with their company.

 

This is very serious as it creates a huge liability for the VNA. When the aide visits a discharged patient, we are sending an unskilled caregiver, in a home in which they are most likely involved with a patient transfer, WITHOUT supervision and WITHOUT MD orders. It is also a financial burden as we have to pay the HHA agency for services which we cannot bill the patient's insurance.

 

Effective immediately, a SERS report must be filled out for every occurrence. In SERS, please pay special attention to "Program where event originated" and use the drop down bar and chose HHA Dept.

 

Our department is working to develop electronic reports to identify this before it happens but we cannot always catch these up front. The best practice is when discharging a patient, check to see if there is an aide involve and make sure the loop is closed.

 

Thanks so much for your help with this. Please feel free to contact Elaine Buckley with any concerns or ideas at ebuckley2@vnab.org.

Please be aware that the roundabout driveway at the Worcester office will be unavailable beginning next Monday, November 30 - Friday, December 4. Repairs will be happening between the hours of 8a-4p, but the area will be inaccessible for the entire week.

 

The Facilities Department will begin cleaning carpets this week. This will mostly take place on weekends or after hours to minimize the inconveniences involved. The schedule for the carpet cleanings as follows:

For Encore issues including communications, Encore laptops, WebVPN and general technology

• Through Friday, November 27 11:59 PM - Sean Carroll: (508) 868-0615
• Beginning Saturday, November 28 12:00 AM - John Severin: (781) 775-7982

For McKesson issues including iPads and laptops and general technology (support is provided weekdays 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM, weekends and holidays 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM)

• Through Tuesday, November 24 10:00 PM - Carol McDonald (617) 913-3003
• Beginning Wednesday, November 18 6:00 PM - Jose' Parra (617) 913-3003

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