It’s Christmas time in the city. That’s what we’ve been singing to stay chipper during the short Chicago winter days. Despite temperatures being lower in Chicago than Mars—yes, really—we were sure to keep readers up to date on the latest happenings in the home health industry.
Most notably, we reported that the Pre-Claim Review Demonstration (PCRD) will start in its second state this coming spring and brought readers news about a major acquisition that could be valued as high as $1 billion.
Here in the newsroom, we were calling out girl power, after a new Harvard study found that elderly patients treated by a female doctor in a hospital were likely to have better results after being discharged compared to male counterparts.
Most Read
CMS Sets Pre-Claim Start Date for Florida—The controversial PCRD will expand into its second state, Florida, on April 1, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced. The move comes several months after further implementation of the demonstration was put on hold.
CMS Releases Data on Hospice Quality, Home Health Use—CMS published on Friday new updates to two different hospice data sets—one on the thoughts of consumers, and the other on hospice quality measures. CMS also published the second-ever Home Health Agency Public Use File, which includes 2014 data.
Bain Capital Acquires Nation’s Largest Pediatric Home Health Provider—After speculation earlier this year that Epic Health Services could be acquired for as much as $1 billion, a deal has been announced. Epic, a national home health care services and pediatric skilled nursing company, has signed a definitive agreement to be acquired by Bain Capital Private Equity, a global investment firm.
Around the Web
America’s Home Care Agencies: Leading the Way in Promoting Public Health—Marki Flannery, executive vice president and chief of provider operations of the Visiting Nurse Service of New York, pens an essay on how home care continues to play a growing role in the care of the elderly, particularly around flu season.
Three Major Hurdles for Home Care Operations in China—As China’s aging population grows, there are three major hurdles—unclear regulations, lack of trained caregivers and inaccessibility to public funding—to achieving its lofty home care goals, Health Intel Asia reported.
Amy’s Adds
Patients Cared for by Female Doctors Fare Better Than Those Treated By Men—Harvard researchers found that female doctors who care for elderly hospitalized patients were less likely to die or return to the hospital after their discharge, NPR reported.
Written by Amy Baxter
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