Regional VNA Named as a Top Agency for 2012

VNA, Western Pennsylvania announced that it has been named a Top Agency of the 2012 HomeCare Elite, a compilation of the top-performing home health agencies in the United States.

Now in its seventh year, the HomeCare Elite identifies the top 25 percent of Medicare-certified agencies. Winners are ranked by an analysis of publicly available performance measures in quality outcomes, process measure implementation, patient experience, quality improvement, and financial performance.

“The 2012 HomeCare Elite winners demonstrate a commitment to providing patient-centered care and serving as leaders in the home health community. Their success offers data-driven proof of being well-managed and high quality care providers to hospitals, managed care organizations, ACOs, and other potential referral partners across the healthcare continuum,” said Susan L. Henricks, President and COO of National Research Corporation, the parent company of OCS HomeCare. “Again, this year, we updated our methodology to reflect the rapidly evolving quality-focused healthcare landscape and national value-based purchasing trends. We congratulate VNA, Western Pennsylvania on being recognized as a top home care agency.”

Liz, Powell, President/CEO of VNA, Western Pennsylvania, credits maintaining patient-focused and quality care with the agency’s ability to achieve recognition as one of the HomeCare Elite. “It is truly an honor to be named as one of Home Care’s Elite. It is with great pride that I commend our dedicated staff members who put forth great efforts to make sure our patients receive the best care possible.”

DecisionHealth Product Manager Marci Heydt expanded on the award.

“HomeCare Elite recognition continues to gain importance given the increased regulatory mandates and the threat of shrinking reimbursement revenue. Home health agencies that have earned recognition among the HomeCare Elite demonstrated that they not only can adapt to an evolving marketplace but continue to excel in clinical, patient experience, quality improvement, and financial outcomes,” Heydt added.

The HomeCare Elite is the only performance recognition of its kind in the home health profession. The 2012 HomeCare Elite is co-sponsored by National Research Corporation (also known as OCS HomeCare), the leading provider of cross-continuum healthcare metrics and analytics, and DecisionHealth, the publisher of the industry’s most respected independent newsletter Home Health Line. The data used for this analysis were compiled from publicly available information. The entire list of 2012 HomeCare Elite agencies can be downloaded by visiting the National Research Corporation website