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Activities of the Senior Health Monitor Subcommittee
Summary, FY ' 89
WORK PLAN
In a joint meeting of representatives of the Council on Aging
Board and the Human Services Committee a work plan was drawn up
for a Senior Health Monitor Subcommittee consisting of
representatives of the Council on Aging staff and board and the
Human Services committee as well as the Human Services
-Jordinator -he rolluwing was to be accomplished
Define the population to be served
2 Evaluation design
3 Develop staffing plan
a Bid service contract ( s )
mplement plan
(I ) First Quarter FY ' 89 July - Seotember
The Subcommittee began by reviewing the credentials and
backgrounds of the newly hired social service staff Shortly
after being hired the new social worker joined the subcommittee
as a regular member The case management approach that would be
Ised by the new social worker was discussed, with some review of
the literature including a case management flow chart, and then
adopted It was noted that an orientation manual had been
prepared for the new social worker
Joint assessment tools were adopted These had been developed by
a consortium of representatives from nursing and social service
staff serving the elderly It was agreed that the tools would be
applied during FY ' 89 and later their usefulness reviewed
Although suggestions were made as to how the tools might be
revised, particularly with reference to recording and evaluating
case management activity, it was decided to not attempt to alter
the tool until such time as the tools were reviewed
Admission criteria for the program were reviewed and adopted
A preventive/educational component for the program was seen as
desirable, an approach later pursued by a planning committee of
the Council on Aging board
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Senior Health Monitor Subcommittee Activities FY ' 89 Page 2
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Second Quarter FY ' 89 October - December
Costs billing, fee charging, visiting nursing rates and expected
utilization were topics of discussion providing input to the
Human Services Committee consideration of the Visiting Nurse and
Community Health, Inc oudget for recommendation to the Board of
Selectmen
The Subcommittee reviewed the approach of a nursing/case
management team which discussed new and ongoing cases un a weekly
basis
Third Quarter FY ' 89 January - March
Experience with utilization to date caused the Subcommittee to
revise downward its expectations or numbers or patients to be
served while there was a growing appreciation of the high volume
of ease management services being provided
A community educatiun program was planned and mplemented
including preparing and disseminating a brochure, having an open
(I ) houseapproaching churches and synagogues and sharing
information with other providers as well as seeking to improve
the efficacy of their referral procedures
It was agreed that the social worker would review billing from
Visiting Nurse and Community Health before bills would be paid
Corrected bills began to be returned to Visiting Nurse and
Community Health for revision
Monthly statistics submitted by the social worker were reviewed
Initially these statistics were limited to visiting nursing
activity Later the reports were expanded to reflect both
nursing and case management activity
Costs were reviewed with the Director of Visiting Nurse and
Community Health Inc
Planning was undertaken to explore additional vendors providing
visiting nursing services and a number of concerns with the
sur ent vendor were examined
Fourth Quarter FY ' 89 Aoril - June
The exploration process for seeking out other vendors was
discussed with the Town Manager as well as with the Board of the
( Council un Aging and the Human Services Committee The Town
✓ Manager approved the pre-bid process being used
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Senior Health Monitor Subcommittee Activities FY ' 89 Page 3
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A number of vendors responded to letters sent uut and initial
interviews were conducted by the subcommittee Seven agencies
were identified as appearing to have potential as vendors and,
after checking references site visits were planned to those
vendors
July d5 1989
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