The GG section of the OASIS will have a huge impact on all home health agencies through the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Model.
The GG items on the OASIS document have been included for several years and were originally taken from the SNF Assessment. When they were added to OASIS, we were informed that they would eventually replace the 1800 section entirely. However, the 1800s are staying for now because they directly affect outcome measures in the Home Health Quality Reporting Program (HH QRP) and play a crucial role in determining our payment through the HIPPS code calculation.
The GG items are set to dominate the functional category in the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Model. Specifically, GG items 0130 and 0170 will fully replace the 1800s, becoming part of what will be known as the Discharge Function Score. This new score will take the place of the Total Normalized Composite (TNC) change measures for self-care and mobility that were previously based on the 1800s.
When your clinicians complete an OASIS at the Start of Care or Resumption of Care, the GG item calculation will use those responses in the Discharge Function Score algorithm developed and approved by CMS. This algorithm will then determine the expected discharge status of your patient based on the responses provided at the Start of Care or Resumption of Care.
When your patient is discharged, the responses your clinicians provide on the discharge OASIS will be compared to the Expected Discharge Status calculated by the algorithm. If the Observed Discharge Status identified by your clinicians on the OASIS matches or exceeds the Expected Discharge Score from the algorithm, it will result in a positive outcome.
It has been somewhat overwhelming for agencies to grasp how impactful these items will become in just a few months. It’s even more of a reality check to realize that you have patients on service today, in August 2024, who will be discharged in January 2025 or later. The discharge OASIS for these patients will be compared to the Starts of Care and Resumptions of Care, which some of you may have already completed, to calculate the outcome.
Education is essential. If your field staff who complete OASIS documents and your QA teams who review them haven’t received detailed training on GG item responses, it’s crucial to start that process immediately.
Your clinicians must fully understand the impact of the GG items, how they should respond to those questions, and the effect of the Discharge Function Score on Value-Based Purchasing. Most importantly, your field staff must recognize that the GG items are different from the 1800 items, requiring distinct assessment methods and response types.
Healthcare Provider Solution is ready to assist you with this education. On September 4, 2024, Jennifer Osburn, who recently joined our team after working as a nationwide OASIS and Coding educator, will be leading our workshop “Mastering OASIS GG Items for Discharge Function Score, Quality, and Payment Excellence Workshop” in Nashville. This session will cover everything from how to complete GG items and their importance to understanding the Discharge Function Score. Both you and your staff need this training. To register for this workshop, click here.
HPS stands ready to assist you with any GG education or assistance you might need, whether virtually or in-person. For more information regarding GG education, please reach out to us.
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