Home Healthcare Technology: Point of Care Printing & Its ROI

The ROI of Point-of-Care Printing

How home health agencies can overcome challenges, drive growth, and realize savings with lightweight mobile printers

Home healthcare agencies prioritize high-quality care and patient satisfaction above all else. Yet the hurdles most agencies are facing today make it difficult to deliver on those priorities while also maintaining and growing revenue. So we took a look at some of the top challenges for home health agencies, and how point-of-care technology can help. See some of the ways advanced mobile printers empower agencies to overcome obstacles – and drive ROI.

1. High clinician turnover

   According to Home Health Care News, the home healthcare industry has an average turnover rate of 64 percent – a number that has actually dropped from a record high of 82 percent in 2018.¹ Needless to say, recruiting and retaining skilled staff is a constant battle for home health agencies. These staffing shortages can lead to other serious pitfalls, including stagnant patient rosters, limited growth, and overworked clinicians. And when talented clinicians are few and far between, the quality of care tends to suffer – resulting in hits to patient satisfaction as well.

   How point-of-care printing can help: With lightweight, easy-to-use mobile printers at their side, clinicians can print clear point-of-care documentation quickly in patients’ homes. This means less unnecessary travel time to the office and more time actually providing care. When healthcare mobile technology frees caregivers from the frustrations of time-consuming admin work, illegible handwritten documents, and compliance uncertainties, employee morale improves and agencies are better able to retain staff members.

2. Maintaining consistent cashflow

   As home health agencies strive to adapt to new payment standards under the comprehensive Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM), they need ways to manage both their operations and their revenue stream. Additionally, the global pandemic continues to impact home health agencies’ bottom lines. According to a study by the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC), over 82 percent of providers reported revenue reductions in May 2020².

   How point-of-care printing can help: Under PDGM, efficiency is key. And the ability for home health professionals to print what they need when they need it — specifically at the patient point of care — is an enormous benefit. Not only does it ensure consistent, compliant documentation. It also provides greater insights into the bottom line. Beyond those benefits, mobile printers can help clinicians complete an extra one to two patient visits each day³, which can be the difference between an agency being profitable or not.

3. Compliance

   Between new payment models and shifting CMS requirements, home health agencies have to keep up with the industries ever-changing list of rules and regulations. Compliance concerns can stand in the way of clinician efficiency and job satisfaction. And failure to comply with mandates can have serious consequences for agencies, including jail time, fines, or being dropped from payor programs like Medicare and Medicaid.

   How point-of-care printing can help: With lightweight, easy-to-use mobile printers at their side, clinicians can print clear point-of-care documentation quickly in patients’ homes. This means less unnecessary travel time to the office and more time actually providing care. When healthcare mobile technology frees caregivers from the frustrations of time-consuming admin work, illegible handwritten documents, and compliance uncertainties, employee morale improves and agencies are better able to retain staff members.

4. CMS Star Ratings

   Earning five-star status through the CMS Star Rating system offers home health agencies tangible benefits, including increased referrals (and higher reimbursements as a result under PDGM). Yet very few home health agencies are able to achieve that coveted five-star score (roughly five percent according to Home Health Care News⁴).

   How point-of-care printing can help: Compact mobile printers play a valuable role in helping to boost CMS scores⁵, particularly when it comes to patient education and communication. With these smart home healthcare technology devices, clinicians can print personalized medication lists that support medication management. They can also facilitate treatment and care coordination with signable documents and current care plans. All of this can be key to boosting patient satisfaction – and star rating scores.

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¹ https://homehealthcarenews.com/2020/06/caregiver-turnover-rate-falls-to-64-as-home-care-agencies-flatten-the-curve/
² https://homehealthcarenews.com/2020/07/82-of-home-health-providers-saw-covid-19-related-revenue-reductions-in-may/
³ https://brothermobilesolutions.com/insights/white-paper/mobile-printing-for-home-healthcare/
⁴ https://homehealthcarenews.com/2018/04/greater-proportion-of-home-health-agencies-earn-5-star-rating/
⁵ https://brothermobilesolutions.com/insights/article/home-health-star-ratings/