From an active diagnosis of endocarditis to an aphasia comorbidity, it is evident more than ever that physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech language pathologists need to thoroughly review full body systems during evaluation for identification of the patient’s underlying conditions and comorbidities.
Under PDPM these holistic assessments extend beyond the impaired system and will allow the clinicians to bring relevant, meaningful clinical information to the interdisciplinary table. This information will contribute directly to the identification of SLP related comorbidities and the non-therapy ancillary comorbidity score to ensure the patient’s clinical classification is accurate and representative of the potential resource use needs during their stay.
A breakdown in this interdisciplinary collaboration may lead to missed opportunities for proper reimbursement. However, with extensive therapy evaluations and interdisciplinary collaboration, these opportunities won’t slip through the cracks.
Begin exploring how team conversations will change under PDPM and identify areas to improve interdisciplinary communication. Be on the lookout for Reliant resources relevant to interdisciplinary team success.