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July 2004

Bill Cummins, MS, CCC-SLP.

Nearly two thirds of skilled nursing facility rehab departments still operate on a paper-based information management system, according to Bill Cummins, MS, CCC-SLP, product director for Cypress™, a therapy management software application from Accu-Med Services, Milford, Ohio. Yet efficient information management is imperative for any therapy business to succeed, particularly in the face of shrinking reimbursement and other competitive pressures. Cummins spoke with Rehab Management about using technology to boost the efficiency and productivity of both in-house and contract rehab providers.

Q: Tell us about Cypress therapy management software.
A: Cypress features automated billing procedures, payroll tracking, operational management reporting, a rehab outcomes measuring tool, and billing compliance checks to ensure 8-minute rule compliance and proper usage of CPT code modifiers. Cypress also gives therapists the tools to plan out the appropriate number of RUG treatment minutes, and looks at the cost of providing those services. Cypress keeps track of this information during assessment periods and throughout the entire course of treatment.

Nightly, Cypress replicates all of a facility’s rehab data to Accu-Med’s main data warehouse, giving management access to aggregated reporting through the Web-based Cypress Portal.

Q: Describe the learning curve for using the Cypress system.
A: When we designed Cypress, we built training directly into the application. A new therapist can sit down and go through the computer-based training and then take an online skill assessment to ensure they understand how to use the system. When designing Cypress, we also paid close attention to the workflow of a therapist’s day-to-day activity, so the application is very easy to learn and use.

Q: What should skilled nursing facilities and contract rehab providers look for when choosing a software vendor?
A: It’s important to choose your software and software vendor carefully. There have been several products on the market that have not had appropriate financial backing, decreasing the longevity of the product. It’s important to select a software provider that you know will survive as a business. One also needs to look at the support services that are offered by the vendor—Accu-Med offers unlimited support, where therapists have unrestricted access to help. A stable software vendor should also have a dedicated programming team for continued and ongoing updating of the application to make sure it always meets the customers’ needs.

Q: What are the advantages of using the Cypress system?
A: With limited reimbursement and profit margins, companies need to look at ways to become more efficient. Cypress provides significant gains in productivity and efficiency for an organization by providing usable clinical and financial information in a way that can be used by rehab managers and executives. We have seen our Cypress customers grow their business through expanded contract opportunities and improved financial stability. Many Cypress clients also use the software as a key sales tool in presentations to prospective customers.

—By Arati Murti

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