New to Home Health Care? Learn What OASIS is and How to Use it

Welcome to home healthcare! If it feels like your colleagues are using language and terms about OASIS that aren’t familiar to you yet, OASIS Answers is here to help you start feeling more at home.

What is OASIS?

OASIS is a standardized set of data elements for tracking and comparing outcomes in adult skilled Medicare and Medicaid home health care patients, excluding maternity cases. Here’s how to start your path towards becoming an OASIS expert.

  1. Start with Chapter 1 of the OASIS Guidance Manual. Here you’ll be able to explore the background and basic tenets of the OASIS or Outcome and Assessment Information Set.
  2. Order and complete the OASIS Now webinar series. This 3-part series will introduce foundational OASIS guidance and support orientation to data collection accuracy.
  3. Review Chapter 3 of the OASIS Guidance Manual and the CMS OASIS Q&As. Chapter 3 provides the item-by-item coding instructions for home health assessing clinicians while the static Q&As offer insight for more nuanced guidance scenarios.
  4. Because the OASIS instrument is dynamic, in order to remain current with OASIS guidance, the CMS Quarterly Q&As post updates with new and/or refined guidance related to OASIS items. Consider registering for the Quarterly OASIS Update with OASIS Answers to keep your knowledge base up to date.
  5. Make plans to attend an upcoming Blueprint for OASIS Accuracy workshop where you can ask questions, surround yourself with experienced partners in home care and further develop your own knowledge and skills.

OASIS Training and Resources for Home Health Providers

  1. Comprehensive OASIS-E Training: Blueprint for OASIS Accuracy program offers the most up-to-date OASIS training in an immersive, engaging atmosphere. Our workshops are suited for individual learners and home health agencies looking for private training for their staff.
  2. INSTANT OASIS Answers Book: There’s no better reference guide for the official Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) guidance from the Final OASIS-E Guidance Manual. The INSTANT book is organized with user-friendly item-use icons and color-coded sections.

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