April 10, 2008 — RF Technologies said this week it is partnering with healthcare providers throughout the country to assist them in complying with new Medicare regulations that go into effect Oct. 1, 2008, which states healthcare providers will not be eligible for reimbursement of expenses related to preventable hospital injuries.
Under the new rules the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) will also bar providers from directly billing patients for expenses related to such injuries. Among the hospital-acquired conditions that Medicare will withhold reimbursement for are bedsores or pressure ulcers and injuries caused by falls and infections. According to Centers for Disease and Prevention, each year more than one-third of U.S. adults aged 65 and older fall, and each fall costs an average of $19,440.
RF Technologies said it is assisting healthcare providers in addressing this new regulation and mitigating the physical and financial risks. Its solutions used radio frequency identification (RFID) tags to track and monitor patients using WiFi systems. It offers the Code Alert Advanced 3-Way Care Solution helps with wandering management, a wireless help call feature and fall monitoring. Its Safe Place Hospital Security Solutions integrates with Advanced 3-Way Care and includes a Joint Commission reporting feature, which records an alert and the care administered to a patient, along with reports that document treatment. The company also offers the Safe Place Elopement Management Solution.
For more information: www.rft.com