Never Events are twenty-eight occurrences on Medicare’s list of inexcusable outcomes in a healthcare environment such as a hospital, nursing home or long-term care facility. The occurrences are defined as “adverse events that are serious, largely preventable, and of concern to both the public and healthcare providers for the purpose of public accountability.”
As of October 2008, an occurrence of an event on the list will no longer be reimbursed by Medicare and many other insurance carriers and secondary payers. As a result, hospitals and nursing homes will be responsible for the treatment of impacted patients and residents. Most significantly, the facility will be burdened by being responsible for 100% of the cost of such treatment.
According to the Institute of Medicine, medical errors contribute to nearly 100,000 deaths each year in the U.S. The errors are ultimately paid for twice…once for the error and again for the subsequent treatment. The result is almost $10 billion in excess annual charges
For many hospitals and nursing homes the cost burden associated with one or more never events in their facility could mean the difference between operating at a profit or operating at a loss. In addition, due to the publicity associated with a death in a nursing home or hospital a never event occurrence could result in losing potential patients or residents.
The investment in products to prevent falls, wandering, infections, etc. is incredibly low when compared with the cost of non-reimbursable treatment. Personal Safety Corporation is a leading manufacturer of fall, wandering and wound care management products. As a manufacturer selling directly to nursing homes and hospitals, we can save you 30% or more on resident and patient safety products when compared with similar competitive products.
Please feel free to browse our website and review our complete line of resident and patient safety products. If you are interested in learning more about our product line, please click here and make a toll-free call or email our customer care team.
If you would like to view the list of Never Events as defined by the National Quality Forum and commonly agreed upon by health care providers Click Here.
