HJBR Mar-Apr 2019

Healthcare Journal of baton rouge I  MAR / APR 2019 31 “We believe that we surround the hospital with quality options for discharged patients. The hospital is judged based on what happens in the hospital, as well as out of the hospital.” What is post-acute care?   It is the care that follows a hospital stay with the purpose of providing healing, comfort, and dignity. Why design post-acute care as its own sys- tem of care?   We believe that we surround the hospital with quality options for discharged patients. The hospital is judged based on what hap- pens in the hospital, as well as out of the hospital. How does a post-acute care network com- municate with primary care providers and acute care hospitals? The Carpenter Health Network is commit- ted to providing timely feedback. That may be accomplished with something as sophis- ticated as interlinked software, or as basic as face to face communication with primary care MDs. We find the preferred method of our customer, and we adjust to meet that need. Please explain the benefits of providing home care to patients. How is a home care system designed? Heart patients don’t bring pork rinds to their MD visits. It is amazing howmuch more we learn about patients and families in their home. This allows us to adjust and impro- vise based on the individual situation. What are nurse navigators? Nurse navigators are virtual case managers that, if selected, may serve patients by rec- ognizing a pending crisis, or something as simple as helping schedule transportation to their MD. We think of nurse navigators as a constant resource to provide healing, com- fort, and dignity to patients. How important is end-of-life management in the healthcare system? Very.The reasons vary from futile cost avoid- ance to better outcomes for patients and families. How is it evolving? It is evolving byminimizing institutional days and maximizing good days. What are some non-traditional care features that The Carpenter Health Network can provide?   The Carpenter Health Network can provide physician and nurse practitioner house calls, telehealth, palliative home health, inpatient hospice, and nurse navigators. Can you describe the adequacy of third-party payors in post-acute care?   These payors have a job to do, and they do it well. We have recently named Wendy Knight as vice president of managed care. Wendy had to dragme kicking and screaming to the real- ization that if we do a great job documenting on the front end, we get paid. Are you satisfied with the current payment models ? For the most part. I do believe that physician and nurse practitioner house calls should pay more so providers don’t losemoney providing this highly effective care model. Also, I would love to see Medicaid dedicate more funds to home health. This increase in home health access will reduce Medicaid patient readmis- sions to the hospital. How important is the volunteer aspect of your services? Volunteers are very important. These wonder- ful people help patients in many ways, such as sitting with a patient while a family mem- ber takes a break. Some have built wheelchair ramps, provided pet therapy, etc. I can’t say enough good things about our volunteers. What do you see as the future of post-acute care services in the healthcare system? We cannot help but become more effective and efficient. We must care for the aging baby boomers with quality and compassion, while managing cost. n