o What is the difference between “process” and “outcome” care measures?

Instructions:  Go to the CMS.gov Home Health Compare website at: http://www.medicare.gov/HomeHealthCompare/search.aspx

 Source: Home Health Compare. Medicare.gov. Retrieved from http://www.medicare.gov/HomeHealthCompare/search.aspx

 Explore the site including the green link “About the Data” and the blue side bars “Home Health Spotlight” and “Additional Information” and answer the following questions:

o List a way in which “Home Health Compare” can be utilized;

o What is the difference between “process” and “outcome” care measures?

o What are the current data collection periods for the home health available measures?

o What is the data source for the majority of the process and outcome measures?

o How is the data collected?

o What is meant by the term “risk adjusted” as it relates to outcome measures?

o Review the Medicare coverage for Home Health. What are the typical services covered and not covered?

o What is the HHABN and how it is utilized?

 Conduct a search for a home health agency in your state by using the “find a Home Health Agency” search box. Narrow your search by using the “Modify Your Results” if you choose.

 Choose three agencies to compare and click “compare now.”

o What type of services are provided? Are there any services not provided?

o Write a 2-–3 paragraph summary of the results of the “Quality of Patient Care” results for your three agencies. Include the following:

 Provide an explanation of the data and why the information is important for the selected measures. 2

 How your selected agencies compare to the state and national averages for the selected measures.

 Why is preventing unplanned hospital care important? Requirements

 Provide the answers to the questions and your 2–3 paragraph summary in a Word document submitted to the Unit 7 Dropbox. Please be sure to download the file “Writing Center Resources” from Doc Sharing to assist you with meeting APA expectations for written Assignments.