Introduction

Beth Gushard, Project Manager for Rural Comprehensive Care Network (RCCN), oversees the distribution and reporting for 40,000 patient satisfaction surveys every year. Beth and her four person team conduct surveys for over 70 home health, hospice and hospitals located throughout the country using their custom software, Patient Data.

RCCN, located in Crete, Nebraska, works to promote quality rural healthcare and to preserve America’s rural areas. The results from these surveys gives a picture of how rural community’s health is being taken care of.

About 4 years ago, RCCN learned there were errors in the Patient Data software. The software was also out of compliance with the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS). CMS is in charge of regulations and compliance for patient satisfaction surveys.

If the code is out of date and out of compliance, Beth and her team, can’t do their job to deliver results for their clients and the rural communities.

Correcting the Custom Software

To get back on track, Beth and RCCN reached out to LyncStream to correct the code. LyncStream developer Luke Fullerton led the project. “It’s a lot to learn,” Beth said. “LyncStream had to get up to speed with the code, and learn what we’re doing. It took about 6 months to a year. They did a great job.”

Luke set up a site with a duplicate of the software code to test new versions of the code. Changes were only made to the live software when the code was error free. “LyncStream turned everything around. It’s running 150% better than it was,” Beth conveyed.

Always Improving

CMS makes updates to regulations every year. To stay ahead of those, RCCN and LyncStream formed a long-term partnership. Once a year Luke, the LyncStream team and RCCN attend a session led by CMS’s Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) on-site training teams. “It’s an ongoing process. Every year changes,” Beth describes.

These training sessions help everyone know what regulations have changed for the year and what needs to happen to keep the software up to date. “LyncStream is very good about understanding what we need and how to go about getting it fixed and changed.” Luke and his team take what they learn from the training sessions and incorporate feedback from Beth and her team. Patient Data is then ready to continue delivering compliant results in a way RCCN can use.

By partnering with LyncStream, RCCN can move ahead knowing the information they are gathering is accurate and compliant with regulations. The work RCCN and LyncStream are doing will be used to improve the health of America’s rural communities.