OASIS-E-Changes-and-its-Impact

OASIS-E Changes and Their Impact on Home Health Agencies

Since its introduction in 1999, OASIS (Outcome and Assessment Information Set) has been the foundation of patient assessment and quality reporting in home health care. With the introduction of OASIS-E, CMS introduced the most significant update to the assessment framework, aligning it with the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation (IMPACT) Act and the broader goals outlined in the OASIS Act of 2023.

Whether you're wondering what is OASIS-E, looking for OASIS-E training for home health, or preparing your agency for implementation, understanding these changes is essential for maintaining compliance, improving documentation quality, and supporting better patient outcomes.

What Is OASIS-E?

OASIS-E is the latest version of the Outcome and Assessment Information Set used by Medicare-certified home health agencies to assess patients receiving skilled home health services. OASIS-E home health assessments expand these capabilities by introducing standardized patient assessment elements (SPADEs), improving data sharing across healthcare settings.

Why Was OASIS-E Introduced?

The OASIS-E 2023 update was developed to satisfy the requirements of the IMPACT Act while improving communication between post-acute care providers. These OASIS-E changes create a more comprehensive picture of patient health while supporting CMS quality initiatives.

The primary objectives include:

• Standardized patient assessments
• Better interoperability
• Improved care coordination
• Enhanced quality measurement
• Consistent documentation across healthcare settings

OASIS sections have been reorganized and named from A to Q. Moreover, new elements have been added and grouped together with the previous OASIS-D1 elements under these OASIS sections.

A - Administrative Section
B - Hearing, Speech, and Vision
C - Cognitive Patterns
D - Mood
E - Behavior
F - Preferences for Customary Routine Activities
G - Functional Status
GG - Functional Abilities
H - Bladder and Bowel
I - Active Diagnoses
J - Health Conditions
K - Swallowing/nutritional status
M - Skin Conditions
N - Medications
O - Special treatment, Procedures, Programs
Q - Participation in Assessment and Goal Setting

• 2. Introducing new elements to align with the patient assessment elements found in other post-acute settings.

OASIS-E now includes new and modified elements, while certain previous elements have been eliminated. Some of the OASIS guidance for existing elements have also been changed in lieu of these changes. Furthermore, the OASIS guidance for existing elements has been adjusted to accommodate these changes. Moreover, the newly added elements adhere to the naming convention and structure used in other post-acute care (PAC) assessment instruments. This facilitates the collection of patient assessment elements across various post-acute settings, enabling data comparison, outcome evaluation, data exchange, and quality assessment within and across PAC settings.
 

• 3. Additional assessments for Mental Status, Mood, Behavior, etc.

OASIS-E has implemented additional assessments to assess the mental status, mood, behavior, and related factors of patients, in accordance with the requirements of the IMPACT Act. These new assessments include:

• 1. Reconciled Medication List and Transfer (Section A):

This assessment focuses on reconciling the patient's medication list during the transfer process.

• 2. Cognitive Patterns (Section C):

This assessment aims to evaluate the patient's cognitive patterns, including their memory, attention, and decision-making abilities.

• 3. Signs and Symptoms of Delirium from CAM (Section C):

This assessment focuses on identifying any signs and symptoms of delirium using the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM), which is a validated tool for diagnosing delirium.

• 4. Mood - Expansion of PHQ-2 to PHQ-9:

The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) is expanded from a 2-item questionnaire (PHQ-2) to a 9-item questionnaire (PHQ-9) to comprehensively assess the patient's mood and screen for depression.

These additional assessments have been introduced to fulfill the requirements of the IMPACT Act and enhance the evaluation of mental health-related aspects in patient care.

What is the impact of OASIS-E changes on Home Health agencies?

Home Health Agency operations, quality of care, and patient outcomes were directly impacted by the OASIS-E changes. Although it improves interoperability and the transfer of health information within and across PAC settings, the estimated additional 2.5 minutes to complete the OASIS became an undeniable concern for clinicians for the past months since the introduction of OASIS-E.

What can Home Health agencies do?

• Ensure Continuous Education and Training:

Continuous education and training initiatives are crucial for Home Health Agencies to enhance their service quality in light of the OASIS-E changes. By providing ongoing education and training to clinicians and staff, agencies can equip them with the necessary knowledge and skills to navigate the updated requirements effectively.

• Develop and Update Policies and Procedures:

It is essential to review and update existing policies and procedures to align with the changes introduced by OASIS-E. Developing a streamlined process that meets the OASIS-E requirements will enable agencies to better adapt to the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Model (HHVBP) and ensure compliance.

• Establish a Reliable Coding and Quality Assurance (QA) Partnership:

Collaborating with a dependable coding and QA partner will play a critical role in helping Home Health Agencies address the challenges associated with the OASIS-E changes. This partnership can assist in effectively addressing clinician pain points, such as OASIS-E documentation and other clinical aspects, allowing agencies to concentrate on delivering high-quality patient care.

By implementing these strategies, Home Health Agencies can proactively respond to the OASIS-E changes, enhance their operational efficiency, and maintain a focus on providing excellent patient care.

About Cliniqon

Cliniqon is committed to delivering Guaranteed Quality, Ensured Compliance, and Unparalleled Outcomes in Home Health agencies.

Cliniqon is a rising outsourcing business process management company with an outstanding reputation for delivering unparalleled outcomes to its clients. Cliniqon’s focus is for our partners to have peace of mind knowing that they are assured of guaranteed quality and ensured compliance throughout their journey with us.

Our thorough review process will further improve the quality of your clinical documentation, leading to accurate claims, and ensuring you receive the reimbursement you earn.

Cliniqon offers a complete and systematic approach, focused on improving the agency's quality measures and patient outcomes as we code and review OASIS. (SOC, ROC, Recertification, Transfer, and Discharge), Plan of Care, and Concurrent Documents for Star Rating Management and Survey Preparation so the agency can focus on providing high-quality care.



For more information, please visit Cliniqon or call us at 1800-826-2477.