10 To-Do’s to Prepare for OASIS-E Implementation
Posted Wednesday, June 22, 2022
The OASIS-E implementation date is targeted for January 1, 2023. To give home health agencies a jump on getting ready, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid released the manual for OASIS-E in mid-May.
Corridor is recommending agencies take advantage of the next six months by preparing staff now. With employee shortages and revenue challenges, a little planning can avoid a last-minute crunch to meet the deadline. Most importantly, don’t be afraid of OASIS-E; you’re already using 75% of the information that will not change on the new form. Download Corridor’s OASIS-E Crosswalk Guide for a helpful visual in understanding the expected changes.
Your OASIS-E To-Do List
- Identify today the most common OASIS-D1 challenges, particularly around VBP/Star OASIS items.
- Have a QAPI program that focuses entirely on improving outcomes.
- Evaluate your OASIS comprehensive assessment forms. Eliminate redundancy and ensure the assessment is set up for full optimization for accurate coding and OASIS-E.
- Implement OASIS D-1 training based on the individual clinician’s current OASIS performance by analyzing OASIS and outcome reports.
- Utilize technology and online resources for OASIS-E training to get professional education directly to the clinical staff. (Pro Tip: Sending a few people to a training session and having the information passed on can be an unreliable approach to ensuring OASIS understanding. Read more below)
- Understand what your electronic health vendor is doing to support you in the implementation of OASIS-E and the timing of the updates.
- Engage and measure your clinician’s understanding using professional training techniques such as role play scenarios, games and polling questions.
- Use microlearning opportunities to emphasize why and how these new items will improve the care the clinicians deliver. (Pro Tip: Adult learners need to know why the information is pertinent to their role. It helps them retain it and perform better.)
- Celebrate high performers, stay positive. Prepared leadership is confident leadership that positively influences clinicians’ behaviors.
- Foster a work environment that is flexible with change.
Results-Oriented Training Requires Professionals
Many home health organizations don’t have the resources to send all their clinicians to formal OASIS training. Home health agencies are already straining thin resources, so they may send a few people to a training program with the expectation that they can return and train the rest of the staff. This “train-the-trainer” approach usually results in information gaps. Training is a special skill set all its own, and while clinicians may be experts in patient care, classroom technique and learning methods are usually not among their core competencies. Training works best when the program material is professionally designed and delivered. An expert OASIS training program is capable of engaging learners in ways that reinforce retention of the material and result in the application of new skills to their jobs. A well-trained employee can completely and accurately complete the new OASIS-E to achieve prompt, full reimbursement.
So, You’re Not a Training Guru? Corridor’s Educational Experts Can Help
Contact Corridor to get expertise in OASIS training and education services. We can assess your staff’s OASIS competency, look for knowledge gaps, and offer professional training to make sure you excel at your OASIS-E implementation when January 1 rolls around.
