Software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider Pharmacy OneSource, part of Wolters Kluwer Health, US, is hosting a complimentary webinar with Steve Riddle, PharmD, BCPS, FASHP on 'An Update on Medicare's Value-based Purchasing and Readmissions Reduction Programs: Positioning Pharmacy as Team Leaders.'
The webinar is scheduled for October 31, 2012 from 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM ET. Participants can register at http://www.pharmacyonesource.com/webinars.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (aka Health Care Reform) has taken a bumpy ride, but with approval from the US Supreme Court the journey continues. Two key programmes of the Act that fell under the responsibility of CMS, the Value-based Purchasing and the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Programs, officially went into full operation as of October 1, 2012, and hospitals were provided the first definitive information on reimbursement penalties for the FY2013.
The fiscal impact of the programme will be notable for poor performers and hospital leadership is looking for answers. These programs provide tremendous opportunity for pharmacists and pharmacy departments to take leadership roles in improving care quality and efficiency. Alignment of pharmacy department goals and activities with the organizational mission is critical to ensure clinical services are well supported.
During this presentation, Riddle will review the key components of the VBP and HRRP, including the alterations and adjustments made by CMS in the last year that may shift for some hospital strategic improvement plans. The role of the pharmacist will be examined across the specific measures and examples of care services as well as business plan strategies related to the VBP and readmissions programmes will be discussed.
Steven Riddle currently serves as Vice President of Clinical Affairs for Pharmacy OneSource/Wolters Kluwer Health. He has over 25 years of healthcare experience including 15 years of clinical practice in med/surg, intensive care, bone marrow transplant, renal transplant, infectious disease and ambulatory disease management services.
