Night Hawk

In the previous blogs, we’ve explored the profound impact of CMS star ratings and identified critical vulnerabilities during surveys – particularly around documentation and the absence of robust plans of correction. Now, we turn to the solution: how cutting-edge technology, like Nighthawk Pro, provides the precise data and proactive insights needed to not only overcome these challenges but also achieve higher CMS ratings and significantly improve resident quality of life.

The cornerstone of CMS compliance and quality improvement is accurate, actionable data. This is where advanced AI-powered systems transform the landscape of care:

Solving the Unwitnessed Fall Dilemma & Perfecting Incident Reports:

1. A staggering 95% of falls are unwitnessed, making detailed incident report completion incredibly challenging. This lack of accurate information fuels deficiencies and risks financial penalties.

2. Nighthawk Pro provides unparalleled detail: When a fall occurs, even if unwitnessed, Nighthawk Pro offers precise date, time, and imagery of the resident’s position when found. Crucially, it can also provide details surrounding the cause of the fall – were they attempting to exit the bed, standing, or sitting? This objective data is invaluable for completing accurate incident reports, aiding investigations, and demonstrating a facility’s commitment to understanding and preventing future incidents.

3. Plan of Correction: With this rich, verifiable information, facilities can develop highly detailed and defensible Plans of Correction (PoCs) that directly address the root causes of falls and demonstrate proactive measures to CMS. This clarity significantly improves survey results.

Uncovering Unreported Falls & Enhancing Care Plans:

Did you know 72% of falls go unreported by residents? This is often due to fear of losing independence, a sense of increasing vulnerability, or cognitive impairment.

Since facilities currently have no way to reliably know about these unreported falls, they miss crucial opportunities to adjust care plans. Nighthawk Pro’s continuous monitoring provides awareness of every fall event, enabling immediate adjustments to individual care plans, which demonstrably improves resident quality of life by preventing subsequent, more severe incidents.

Reducing Readmission Rates Through Proactive Monitoring:

High readmission rates incur penalties from Medicare and other payers and lead to reduced revenue. Nighthawk Pro’s comprehensive monitoring can directly contribute to reducing these rates by preventing common readmission triggers:

1. Fall Detection/Prevention: As discussed, proactive fall management is a primary benefit.

2. Elopement Prevention: Detecting potential elopement attempts (which carry a high fall risk) enables timely intervention.

3. Incontinence Alerts: Timely alerts ensure consistent cleaning and care, preventing UTIs – a leading cause of hospital admissions for seniors – and significantly reducing the risk of skin breakdowns that lead to pressure ulcers.

4. Pressure Injury Repositioning Reminders: For high-risk residents, Nighthawk Pro provides crucial repositioning reminders to staff. This proactive approach helps reduce the potential for susceptible patients to develop pressure injuries and assists in preventing Stage 1 ulcers from progressing to more severe stages.

The journey to higher CMS ratings and superior resident care is paved with accurate data, proactive interventions, and comprehensive documentation. Nighthawk Pro offers a revolutionary solution, providing the intelligent insights and automated support necessary to overcome the challenges of unwitnessed events, strengthen compliance, mitigate financial risks, and ultimately, elevate the quality of life for every resident. Investing in smart technology is not just about compliance; it’s about investing in the well-being of your residents and the financial health of your facility.