Essential Features to Track Narcotics Counts in Private Duty Nursing Software

The Home Health Care Wire 

Your source for CareVoyant and industry news. MAY 10, 2023

Essential Features to Track Narcotics Counts in Private Duty Nursing Software

Private Duty Nursing Agencies may use paper-based forms or some tools outside their Home Care EMR software to track narcotic counts for the patients at home. Using paper-based forms to track narcotics may pose many challenges in effectively monitoring the administration and counts. Private Duty Nursing Agencies should leverage technology and use the right tools integrated with the Home Care EMR Software to track and monitor narcotics count.

This blog will discuss some essential features a Home Care Software should have to effectively track and monitor narcotics count for Private Duty Nursing Home Care agencies.

Private Duty Nursing patients usually have many medications, with one or more controlled substances (Narcotics), to be administered during the shift. Medication management is one of a Private Duty Nurse's most essential responsibilities while working with patients with chronic complex medical conditions. Private Duty Home Care agencies should have a corporate policy to monitor narcotic counts and the safe handling of narcotics. Effective Narcotics Monitoring Program will maintain compliance with regulations, prevent the diversion of drugs and medication errors, and maintain accountability.

This blog will discuss the benefits of the Narcotics Monitoring Program and the best practices for implementing the program in Private Duty Nursing Home Care agencies.

Home healthcare professionals and workers are some of the most dedicated, patient, and empathetic people. They provide care to patients under demanding conditions to age in place at their homes. However, demanding workloads and low wages have led many workers to leave home healthcare due to burnout. Providing the right balance between work and life will play a significant role in recruiting and retaining home care workers.

Achieving a healthy work-life balance is crucial for home healthcare professionals. The job demands can be physically and emotionally taxing, and home care workers must take care of themselves to provide the best possible care to their patients. To help home healthcare professionals strike a balance between their professional and personal responsibilities, it is crucial to establish clear guidelines and boundaries. This blog will discuss some of the guidelines that home healthcare professionals can follow to maintain a healthy work-life balance.


Home Healthcare Industry News

Latest TPE results: F2F/POC certification top list

“Face-to-face encounter requirements not met” and “no plan of care or certification” accounted for half of all denials in pre-payment reviews by Palmetto GBA in the last three months of 2022.

The MAC servicing 16 states released the Targeted Prove and Educate (TPE) results in April.

“No plan of care or certification” includes denials due to the physician’s signature missing on the certification or recertification.

The rest of the top five (with the percent of total denials) included:

13% — The Documentation Submitted was Insufficient to Support that the Skilled Nurse Service(s) Billed Was/Were Reasonable and Necessary

12% — No Physician’s Order for Services or More than Ordered

4% — Dependent Services Denied

2024 Hospice Proposed Rule Offers Hints On What’s To Come For Home Health Agencies

Many home-based care providers tend to offer both home health and hospice services. Thus, home health leaders pay close attention to proposed rules in hospice. Home health providers are still weeks away from getting a glimpse at their proposed rule for 2024.


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CareVoyant is a leading provider of cloud-based integrated enterprise-scale home health care software that can support all home-based services under ONE Software, ONE Patient, and ONE Employee, making it a Single System of Record. We support all home based services, including Home Care, Private Duty Nursing, Private Duty Non-Medical, Home and Community Based Services (HCBS), Home Health, Pediatric Home Care, and Outpatient Therapy at Home.

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