CMS Continues Medicare, Medicaid Funding To Cape Fear Valley

FAYETTEVILLE – Cape Fear Valley Medical Center entered into a collaborative agreement with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that ensures that Medicare funding to the hospital is not terminated.

The arrangement allows Cape Fear Valley the opportunity to step back and take a methodical, comprehensive review of all policies and procedures at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center instead of simply rushing through another survey process. Cape Fear Valley has asked The Greeley Company, a nationally recognized CMS policy expert, to assist in the review process.

Cape Fear Valley has been working with The Greeley Company since Dec. 2, 2011, to make improvements in the Emergency Department and the discharge documentation process. Among the improvements in the ED are the addition of a physician in the triage area to provide more timely medical screening exams and the addition of a clinical person in the ED waiting room to perform reassessments on patients and work with the triage nurse and ED physician to identify patients whose condition may warrant a higher priority.

“We welcome this opportunity to work in partnership with CMS,” said Michael Nagowski, Cape Fear Valley Health Chief Executive Officer. “Cape Fear Valley has worked with CMS and has been recognized for five years in a row as part of the Healthcare Quality Incentive Demonstration (HQID) project. To date the health system has received 23 HQID awards and received more than $450,000 in additional payments from CMS. We expect this collaboration with CMS will further enhance our operations and quality.”