Opens Data Door to Consumers

Home Health Compare
     Opens Data Door to Consumers

Houston, TX - IPR Healthcare System, Inc. supports the concept of the federal government's new Home Health COmpare initiative. This program, set up by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will supply comparison data points about Medicare home health providers for the convinience of patients and their families.

Eleven quality measures were collected from home care agencies relating to patient mobility; meeting basic daily needs, such as help with dressing; medical emergencies; and mental status. Data were supplied by home health agencies to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on the federally mandated Outcome and Assessment information Set, known as OASIS. An OASIS checklist is completed for each patient upon his or her admission to a home health agency, and at several points during care.

"We are always happy to offer consumers information about the value of home health, and Home Health Compare appears to be another research tool for them" said Jo Ann Jones, Director of Nursing. " We welcome every opportunity to share the news about delivering home health care to our neighbors in Houston, Harris County and all surrounding counties which we serve."

Consumers ca call Medicare's help line at 1-800-633-4227, or visit the Home Health Compare websie at www.medicare.gov/HHCCompare/Home.asp. Consumers may also obtain infomration from Texas Department of Human Services OBQI Coordinator Ms. Botello at 12-438-2100 or e-mail her at rosie.botello@dhs.state.tx.us.

IPR Healthcare System, Inc. is a member of the National Association for Home Care & Hospice in Washington, DC. the world's largest trade association advocating for home care and hospice. For more information, contact NAHC at (202) 547-7424 or at www.nahc.org. For more information about IPR Healthcare System, Inc. contact Pabs Caluscos, Administrator at 713-5926776 or access our web site www.iprhealthcare.com.