WHA Wisconsin Hospital Association and PATH ALONG model

PATH ALONG is an original Wisconsin model (service set) that connects inpatient providers to community staff who support the patient during health system transitions.  PATH ALONG is designed to help hospital administration improve their reported values for quality measure programming.  PATH ALONG delivers three research based services that focus on readmissions and care transitions.  http://www.homecarepath.com/Pages/PRESSRELEASEOriginalWisconsinModelToReduceHospitalReadmissionRates.aspx

This is the time of year hospitals will evaluate price increases as they relate to gross patient revenues.  Wisconsin law chapter 153 WI Stat requires hospitals to report certain price increases to (WHA) Wisconsin Hospital Association Information Center. 

When a price increase causes a hospitals gross patient revenue to increase faster than the rate of inflation the hospital must report the price to its community by publishing in the local paper.  The rate of inflation is measured by (CPI) Federal Consumer Price Index.  Current (CPI) Consumer Price Index is 3.0 percent.  Any hospital rate increase greater than 3.0 percent must be reported to (WHA) and posted in the local newspaper.

For example medical surgical floor semi private room in your community hospital was 1494.89 per day.  The suggested rate increase is 4.0 percent.  The new charge is 1554.68 per day a dollar increase of 59.79.  Because the rate increase is greater than 3.0 percent this would need to be reported to (WHA) The Wisconsin Hospital Association Information Center and published in the local news paper.  Above the newspaper posting will read Notice of Hospital Price Increase. 

PATH ALONG provides a fully operational service that supports (CMS) Centers for Medicare and Medicaid quality initiatives that help hospitals increase Medicare payments while stabilizing reporting requirements.   Quality care transitions with decreased hospital readmission rates.