Tools and Resources

In this latest edition of the Delaware PASRR Quarterly Newsletter we cover a few important topics, state providers may find useful. These include details on an AssessmentPro system update which launched on Wednesday, June 2nd, a preview of the upcoming July 14th-15th PASRR Overview training webinars, a best practice reminder on the importance of providing accurate mailing address information to help ensure protection of PHI, as well as some commonly asked questions regarding PASRR timeframes.
 

ASSESSMENTPRO UPDATE: Print Letters Functionality

A minor change launched last week on Wednesday, June 2nd for the AssessmentPro system's queue, which is viewable to Hospital and Nursing Facility users.  
 
What's changed?

Previously when a provider prints a letter from the Recent Outcomes queue (pictured below), the printer button in the Print Letters column disappears, and the Unprinted Letters column displays a No. To reprint letters, the provider must open the assessment record.

Following the update, when a provider prints a letter from the Recent Outcomes queue, the printer button in the Print Letters column will remain, and the Unprinted Letters column will display a No. So providers will need to rely on the Unprinted Letters column to tell them whether they've already printed outcome letters. To reprint letters, the provider can use the Print Letters button again to print directly from the queue.

How does this update help your current process?

This change will make life easier for providers if they need to reprint letters they've already printed.
 

SNEAK PEEK: Summer PASRR Training Sessions | July 14 - 15, 2021

This summer we are offering NEW training sessions to dive deeper into PASRR! Be sure to join the Delaware PASRR Training team for these insightful webinars, covering some critical topics. Stay tuned for more details on registration and planned topics coming soon!

HIPAA REMINDER: Address Accuracy Critical to Compliance
  
Did you know that PASRR has required mailings as a critical part of the process of getting individuals the services they need? Maximus relies on the submitter who initiated the screen to provide the correct mailing addresses for recipients, guardians, and when applicable, attending physicians. Maximus may be required to issue multiple surface mail notices at various points in the process - from the date of the decision to one business day from the decision.

The submitter plays a crucial role in protecting an individual's PHI from potential breaches. Entering correct and current mailing address information is one of the most important ways that a Provider can help ensure HIPAA compliance as each person is stewarded through the required PASRR documentation process.
 

FAQs: Insights into the PASRR Assessment Process

State provider questions fielded by the Delaware PASRR Help Desk cover many different topics. Some of the most common are related to various PASRR process timeframes. Here are a few frequently asked questions:

How long will it take to receive the results of my submitted Level I?

If there are no indicators that additional review is required, you should receive an immediate web reviewed approval.

If a clinical review is required, you will receive an approval within 8 business hours of your referral, if or once all information is received. Keep in mind that if additional information is required, the review is placed on hold until the information is received; therefore, it is vital that you submit all requested information as to not create any undue delays in processing the review. 

How long is the Level I "good?"

The Level I will remain valid for 60 Days, if the individual has not gone to a lower Level of Care (LOC). If they discharge for one night to the community or to a lower LOC setting, then the PASRR is no longer good.

What is the average wait time for an assessor to assess the individual?

The total turnaround time on a Level II assessment and determination can be up to 5 business days.
 

SUPPORT: Delaware PASRR Help Desk Contacts

Phone: 83.DEL.PASRR | 833.357.2777
Email: DEPASRR@maximus.com

For the Delaware PASRR Newsletter for Winter 2021, we cover several important topics that are critical for providers. Be sure to review these useful updates and reminders shown below, which include: 

• Reminder: The Importance of Post Admission Quality Audit Results (PAQA)
• FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions to the Help Desk
• Resource: Review PathTracker Training Content
   

REMINDER: The Importance of Quality Audit Results (PAQA) 

Maximus performs Post-Admission Quality Audits (PAQA) on a random sample of Level I screens that received a Web Approval and did not require an internal review by a clinician. This process is critical step toward ensuring assessment quality. Providers play a critical role in assisting to help maintain submitter quality.

During this quarter, Maximus generated a random sample of 10 Web Approved Screens per week. The admitting nursing facility for each screen was contacted in order to gain additional information about the individual that was not required during the initial screen. 

    Post-Admission Quality Audit Results

Of the 130 sampled, 56 were identified as having never admitted the individual or that the individual had already discharged from the nursing facility. There were 16 instances of the nursing facility not responding to Maximus' attempting to verify the individual's admission and 39 instances where the nursing facility did not return the PAQA form once it was faxed to the facility. There were 19 PAQA forms returned for quality review. Of those 19, none were found to require a status change. 
 

FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions to the Help Desk

Q: To ensure NF compliance when there is an expiring Short-Term (ST) Approval for someone who needs to stay longer, how far in advance should I submit the L1 screen indicating the need for a Resident Review (RR)?
 
A: 10 days in advance of a short term approval expiring. Best practice is to submit the Level I screen 10 days in advance of a ST- Approval expiring. This ensures adequate time for Maximus to conduct a RR Level II assessment and provide a determination before there is a risk of NF non-compliance. Submitting the request the day of or day before approval expiration does not allow for enough time to complete the Level II process in most cases. Please note that if a submitter tries to request a Status Change 11 days or more days in advance of the ST expiration date found on the approval notice and in PathTracker, AP will prevent the submission.

Q: Which PASRR determinations are Short-Term (ST) Approvals?

A: In Delaware, ST-Approvals include the following:

• General, time-limited LII approvals (typically given for a range of 30-120 days)
• Convalescence Categorical (good for a maximum of 60 days)
• Respite Categorical (good for a max. of 14 days)
• Emergency Categorical (good for a max. of 7 days)
• Delirium Categorical (good for a max. of 7 days)

ST-Approvals will have an expiration date indicated on the cover letter of the determination. If an individual has received a ST approval and needs to stay longer than the approval indicates, a L1 Resident Review screen must be submitted prior to the expiration as not pose a non-compliance issue, ideally 5-10 days in advance via AssessmentPro.

Q: What if I need help or have a PASRR question?

A: Maximus offers a wealth of resources on our website available 24/7: https://maximusclinicalservices.com/svcs/delaware_pasrr
   
Maximus also operates a helpdesk for your convenience 8:00 am - 4:30 pm EST, Monday through Friday; support can be enlisted via Phone, Fax & Email as follows:

Phone: 83.DEL.PASRR | 833.357.2777
Fax: 877.431.9568
Email: DEPASRR@maximus.com

RESOURCE: Review PathTracker Training Content

AssessmentPro's PathTracker tool, which launched for the Delaware PASRR program last fall, allows Nursing Facilities to be more proactive and allows accessibility from multiple locations. If you've yet to do so - or would like a helpful refresher, be sure to check out the PathTracker presentation and recording listed below. These are also available under the "Education & Training" section of the Delaware PASRR web resources page.

• PathTracker Presentation | Slides
• PathTracker Presentation | Recording
   

SUPPORT: Delaware PASRR Help Desk Contacts

Phone: 83.DEL.PASRR | 833.357.2777
Email: DEPASRR@maximus.com
Web:  Delaware PASRR Tools and Resources

For this fall 2020 edition of the Delaware PASRR Newsletter, we've gathered some handy guidelines for determining when a new PASRR is needed, best practice tips for fax submission and a few recent FAQs fielded by the Program Support team, as well as other helpful resources to look to when you have AssessmentPro questions. Also, be sure to note the announcement below regarding an upcoming system outage planned for next Tuesday evening. 
 

UPDATE: Planned System Outage | Tuesday, 11/17

There is an AssessmentPro outage planned for Tuesday evening, November 17th from 7 p.m. - 12 a.m. CT / 8 p.m. - 1 a.m. ET, for system upgrades. Please plan any screen submissions and other system activity accordingly.
 

HOW TO: Determining When a New PASRR is Required

In most cases, a Nursing Facility (NF) resident's admission to an acute care setting for standard medical treatment does NOT require a PASRR for return to the NF (flu, broken bones, etc.). This is when they are medically admitted from a Nursing Facility, with no behaviors and it is not a psychiatric admission and they will be returning to the Nursing Facility.
 
A NF resident will need a new PASRR after a return from an acute setting when the individual:

• Demonstrates increased behavioral, psychiatric, or mood-related symptoms
• Exhibits behavioral, psychiatric, or mood-related symptoms that have not responded to ongoing treatment
• Has a significant physical change, but also has behavioral, psychiatric, or mood-related symptoms, or cognitive abilities, that may influence adjustment to an altered pattern of daily living
• Has a condition or treatment that is, or will be, significantly different than described in the resident's most recent PASRR Level II evaluation and determination
   

BEST PRACTICE: Fax Submissions Tips

When completing a Level I PASRR submission, providers should always plan to upload directly into the system. When you are unable to do so and need to fax instead, here are some reminders on that process. 

STEP 1: Click the checkbox next to statement "I cannot upload all required documents." > Click the fax icon next to I cannot upload. I will fax.

STEP 2: Select all the document types you will include in the fax. **
You can select more than one document type that you are including in a single fax.

STEP 3: Select the document types you will include in the fax. > Click Print Fax Coversheet. > Open the .pdf and include this as the first page of your fax.

More information regarding faxing tips and all key AssessmentPro processes are all available in the Training Checklist and other support resources on the Delaware PASRR Tools and Resources page.

NOTE: When submitting additional documents for a Level II, they must be faxed over at: 877.431.9568.
 

FAQs: Tackling Your AssessmentPro Questions
 
The Help Desk support team continues to track questions fielded from AssessmentPro system users. Below are a few recent ones to keep in mind. To review more, be sure to download the Delaware PASRR FAQs resource guide here.

Q: How do I print a copy of  a completed Level II?

A: To print out a completed Level II, you should go to the Facility Screens tab and select Print. It cannot be printed from the My Screens tab for completed reviews.

Q: I don't see a Back button. How do I return to where I was previously in the system?

A: To return to where you were, you have a few options: 

• Use your browser's back button; or
• Instead of clicking on a link to open a screen or feature, right click on it and open the item in a new tab. When you are finished, you can close that tab and return to where you started; or
• Click the home icon to return to the home page and navigate within the system.

AssessmentPro Toolkit

Be mindful that several helpful resources are still available for guidance when you have AssessmentPro questions. Download the files shown below for handy reference.

SYSTEM TRAINING
Training Checklist | Download
Links to video tutorials and instructional PDFs on all the major features you'll need to know about AssessmentPro.
 
Training Recording | Listen
If you would like a refresher on AssessmentPro, click the link to review a recording of one of the webinar sessions presented earlier this year. 

REFERENCE GUIDES
System FAQs | Download
Explore some of the questions most often fielded about the PASRR process and using the AssessmentPro system.
 
MCO/AAA Users Guide | Download
This informative guide walks through each of the steps required to add an Agency user to the system.

WEB RESOURCES
DE PASRR Web | Explore
Stay up-to-date with the program's latest announcement, guides and relevant state links. Be sure to bookmark this important resource, if you've yet to do so previously.

SUPPORT: Contacting the Help Desk
 
Have questions on a recent submission? We'd like to hear from you! Contact theDelaware PASRR Help Desk:

Email: DEPASRR@maximus.com    

Phone: 83.DEL.PASRR (833.357.2777)

Web:  Delaware PASRR Tools and Resources

We invite you to join the Delaware PASRR Training team for a helpful overview of the PathTracker tool in AssessmentPro coming up early next month. During this informative one-hour session, attendees will learn more about what PathTracker is, why its a critical tool to use, and all the basics you'll need to know on how to use it.

Some key features of PathTracker that will be covered include: 

• Allows nursing facilities to be more proactive
• Accessible from multiple locations

Who should attend? This webinar is geared toward nursing facility users.

Click the link below to register:

PathTracker Overview | 10 a.m. Tuesday, October 6, 2020

In the two-months since the Delaware PASRR program's 7/15 transition to the web-based AssessmentPro system, the program support team has continued to remain focused on ensuring the provider community has the necessary resources needed to submit referrals and maximize all the features of this industry-leading system. Below are a few topics you might find helpful, including a few AssessmentPro FAQs, a best practice tip on avoiding duplicate referral submissions, and reminder on accessing training content.

FAQs: Turnaround Times for Level I Submissions

Q: How long will it take to receive the results of my submitted Level I?

A: If there are no indications that additional review is required, you should receive an immediate web reviewed approval.

If a clinical review is required, you will receive an approval within 8 business hours of your referral, if or once all information is received. Keep in mind that if additional information is required, the review is placed on hold until the information is received; therefore, it is vital that you submit all requested information as to not create any undue delays in processing the review.

Have other questions? Check out the DE PASRR FAQs to learn more. 

BEST PRACTICE: Preventing Duplication Submissions

If you're unsure whether someone else on your team has already submitted a screen for an individual, you are able to look that up in AssessmentPro. Save time and prevent duplication by taking the following steps before beginning a new screen:

Step 1: Search for the individual in AssessmentPro
Step 2: Check in Assessment History for existing records
Step 3: Be sure to look in your Facilty Screens section to see if a coworker has already started a Level I for this person that is in Draft Status.

REMINDER: Opening PW-Protected Documents

The Delaware PASRR Tools and Resources site has several useful training resource guides available, if you have "how to" questions about using AssessmentPro. Some of these documents are password-protected, which helps to ensure that we can share all of the in-depth instructional content that you may need.

To open any training file links on the site that are pw-protected (indicated with a "lock" icon next to the link), follow these simple steps:

1. Under the Education & Training header, click the file link you would like to open
2. You will be prompted to enter your AssessmentPro system Username (your email address) and Password
3. Click Log In

You will then have full access to all protected documents located on the Tools and Resources page for the remainder of your web session.

SUPPORT: Contacting the Help Desk
 
Have questions on a recent submission? We'd like to hear from you! Contact theDelaware PASRR Help Desk:

Email: DEPASRR@maximus.com    

Phone: 83.DEL.PASRR (833.357.2777)

Web:  Delaware PASRR Tools and Resources