McBee CareThreads

Rising patient complexity, tighter margins and pressure to improve quality metrics are challenging inpatient rehabilitation programs. In this episode, specialists from Duke Rehabilitation Institute discuss taking on these challenges and reshaping what inpatient rehab looks like for them.

They break down how they’ve reduced length of stay, strengthened admissions readiness and reduced returns to acute care. From updated workflows to interdisciplinary problem-solving, this episode offers practical, real-world strategies for rehab leaders, clinicians and healthcare professionals who want to elevate performance and support patients more effectively.

Listeners will learn how Duke Rehab:

• Leveraged an admission model to admit patients at the right time
• Partnered closely with acute care teams across the Duke University Health System
• Used Morbidity, Mortality and Improvement (MMI) rounds to improve medical readiness and care escalation
• Applied the LEAD framework to enhance documentation, engagement and quality outcomes

Back injuries, high fall rates and uncertainty about the safest way to move patients are challenges many healthcare teams face every day. Without a clear, consistent approach, staff safety suffers, patients are put at risk and costs climb.

In this episode of the CareThreads podcast, host Alex Riley sits down with Intermountain Health nursing leaders Jamie D’Ausilio and Roxanne Butterfield to share how they tackled these issues with the Bedside Mobility Assessment Tool (BMAT). This simple, four-step mobility check is helping teams to reduce falls, falls with injury, and patient handling injuries.

Listeners will learn:

• What the BMAT is and how it works in four quick, simple steps
• How standardized mobility assessments improve safety and teamwork
• Real-world outcomes from BMAT pilots, including dramatic reduction in falls and injuries
• Strategies for getting staff buy-in and overcoming implementation barriers
• The financial impact of reduced injuries on healthcare organizations

Whether you’re a nurse, therapist or healthcare leader, this episode offers practical steps to improve mobility safety.

• Erin Duffy-Dupree, Manager, Clinical Consulting (IRF Services), McBee
• Randi Farkas, Senior PPS Coordinator, Rusk Rehabilitation at NYU Langone Health
• Denise Jaferis, Director, Rehab Admissions, St. Charles Hospital

Tracking and managing inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) outcomes data is more than just a compliance requirement—it’s a powerful tool for driving performance improvement, supporting accurate reimbursement and optimizing patient care. But with ever-evolving regulations, complex EMR systems, and increasing data demands, how can rehab leaders effectively harness this information?

In this episode, Erin Duffy-Dupree sits down with Randi Farkas of Rusk Rehabilitation at NYU Langone Health and Denise Jaferis of St. Charles Hospital—two experienced professionals who have spent decades working in IRF settings. They share real-world strategies for leveraging UDSMR data, implementing EMRs and navigating audits to enhance operational efficiency and clinical outcomes.

Tune in to discover:

• Best practices for using UDSMR data to improve patient care and meet compliance requirements
• How real-time outcomes tracking supports performance improvement initiatives
• Lessons from EMR implementation
• Insights on navigating audits and regulatory challenges with NGS and CMS

Whether you’re a PPS coordinator, rehab director, or clinician, this conversation is packed with practical takeaways to help you make the most of your IRF data.

• Heather Girard, Clinical Consulting Manager, McBee
• Elizabeth Johnson, Director of Rehabilitation Services, Peterson Health
• Cheyenne Holmes, Assistant Director of Acute Rehab, Peterson Health
• James Aleman, Lead Occupational Therapist, Peterson Health

Does it seem like your data doesn't reflect the outstanding work of your inpatient rehabilitation team? In this episode, Heather Girard, clinical consulting manager at UDSMR/McBee, dives into a powerful conversation with leaders from Peterson Regional Medical Center’s inpatient rehabilitation team. Together, they unpack the strategies behind their successful performance improvement project that elevated their IRF’s Case Mix Index (CMI).

Discover how this effort—focusing on precise ICD-10 coding, improved GG scoring accuracy and cross-disciplinary teamwork—not only increased reimbursement rates but also enhanced patient outcomes.

Join us as we discuss:

• How to identify opportunities for CMI improvement
• Strategies for improving coding accuracy
• The role of interdisciplinary collaboration
• Insights into improving GG scoring
• Data-driven success

Whether you're a leader in inpatient rehabilitation or simply curious about innovative performance improvement strategies, this episode offers actionable insights to help you succeed.

The Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF) Review Choice Demonstration (RCD) is reshaping the landscape of rehabilitation facilities. The goal is to make sure patients get the best care possible. Rehab facilities are preparing by making sure their documentation and processes are in good standing, as the IRF RCD is about to take place in several states.

In this episode, Marjorie Mantione, Manager, Clinical Consulting, talks with Jim Peaker, Area Director Rehabilitation Services for Providence. They discuss initial findings from Alabama’s participation in the IRF RCD. They also talk about the decisions facing IRFs regarding pre-claim and post-payment reviews, along with the challenges and benefits of each option.

Join us as we discuss:

• The importance of staff bandwidth, collaboration with Health Information Management (HIM) departments and tracking submission processes
• Common reasons for non-affirmed decisions
• The need for thorough documentation to support rehab services
• Strategies for handling denials

Ryan Iwamoto, President & Co-Founder, 24 Hour Home Care

Maria Warren, Vice President, McBee

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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services states that more than 10,000 people turn 65 every day in the United States. With an aging population, more people are starting to think about healthcare at home. It’s something that the people at 24 Hour Home Care have been working on for the past 15 years.

In this episode, Maria Warren, Vice President, talks with Ryan Iwamoto, the President and Co-Founder of 24 Hour Home Care. From humble beginnings in a small office, the organization has expanded to provide services in four states to around 13,000 individuals including seniors and adults and children with developmental disabilities.

Listen in as Iwamoto explains his untraditional journey toward healthcare and how his personal experiences have solidified his passion for the industry. He also shares three ideas to help with recruitment and retention, and why he thinks the future is very bright for home care. Plus, hear how a popular grocery store chain and fast-food restaurant are influencing the way he wants to do business!

Cory Mertz, M&AMI - Managing Partner, Mertz Taggart

Maria Warren, Vice President, McBee

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Healthcare services mergers & acquisitions got off to a slow start in Q1 with a record-low number of transactions. Things improved in Q2, setting the stage for what could be a strong finish to the year.

In this episode, Maria Warren, Vice President talks with Cory Mertz, Managing Partner of Mertz Taggart, an M&A advisory firm about the current M&A landscape.

Join us as we discuss:

• Why valuations remain strong
• Q2 deal activity across various sectors
• Predictions on M&A activity for the rest of the year
• Exit strategy advice for sellers

Whether you're an industry professional, investor or simply curious about the ever-evolving healthcare services landscape, this podcast offers analysis that aims to inform and empower listeners.

Dr. Kaishauna Guidry, MD, HMDC, Mourning Dove Medical, CEO

Maria Warren, Vice President, McBee

When it comes to hospice care, it’s important for families to get the care, quality and comfort of life for their loved ones as they deal with an end-of-life situation. In this episode, McBee Vice President Maria Warren talked with Dr. Kaishauna Guidry, the CEO of Mourning Dove Medical. “Dr. G” talks about what she calls an “untraditional” path to healthcare, but how it was just an extension of her commitment to community service.

Along with a 9-to-5 job, Dr. G runs her own business, a mobile practice where she does healthcare consulting and publishing. She recently put out her own book on hospice care. She describes it as a workflow framework for hospice physicians so they can be ready for the work.

Join us as we discuss:

• How physicians can improve end-of-life care
• Why Dr. G started her own business on top of having a full-time job
• The best time to switch to comfort care
• Dr. G’s definition of hospice

• Cheryl Crumpton, Special Chief Services Administrator, Cheyenne Regional Medical Center
• Becky Carey, Program Director, Cheyenne Regional Medical Center
• Marjorie Mantione, Clinical Consulting Manager, McBee
• Erin Duffey-Dupree, Clinical Consulting Manager, McBee

When embarking on a new business venture, where does one begin? This was the question that Cheyenne Regional Medical Center faced when it made the decision to establish an IRF management team.

In this episode, Cheryl Crumpton and Becky Carey discuss the obstacles they encountered while overseeing the rehabilitation program at their Wyoming-based facility. They also delve into the measures they took to ensure they met all the regulatory requirements. Join us as we explore the journey of these two healthcare professionals and gain valuable insights into the world of medical management.

What you will learn:

• How to set your leadership staff up for success
• Using data to advance the mission
• Importance of evaluating risk
• The state of Review Choice Demonstration

The president of the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) says the performance of these agencies during the pandemic raised their awareness among the public and people in other parts of health care services. As we move through 2023, and further away from the pandemic, home care agencies and hospices are looking to increase their value in the overall home care landscape.

In this episode, NAHC President Bill Dombi talks with Mike Dordick, Netsmart SVP of Post-Acute Strategy, about the current environment, challenges and opportunities for the home care and hospice industry. Listen in as these two healthcare leaders talk about what you need to know as you work through 2023.

Join us as we discuss:

• Solutions to workforce shortages
• The growing Medicare Advantage population
• The impact the new Congress will have on policy and regulation
• Home care expansion
• Dombi’s forecast for the future

If you want to hear more episodes like this one, look for the McBee CareThreads podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or however you listen to your podcasts.