Short Term Goals (STG's)

[Guest guest]

I've sort of asked this question in the past, but I want to revisit it now.

Given there is no Medicare requirement to write STG', do you continue

documenting STG's? Why or why not?

Personally, I have not written STG's in a long time, either in private practice

or home health, but I'm curious as to what others do.

Thanks,

Ron Carson MHS, OT

[Guest guest]

Hi Ron

Great point. Terminology here is all over the map and there is a lot of

confusion about this. My two cents:

* You're right, there is no requirement for both short term and long

term goals to be included in your Plan of Care, only long term goals.

* But, there is a requirement in the documentation requirements section

of the Medicare Benefits Policy Manual that " Documentation should establish

through objective measurements (my emphasis) that the patient is making progress

toward goals. (I think one can assume that CMS is referring to long term goals

here.)

So, it would seem to be ideal if there is an explicit linkage of your important

clinical findings with progression toward long term goals. These clinical

measurements may be " classic " clinical tests like ROM and strength or other

reproducible tests of patient's function.

I think it makes all of this easier if we think of the terms " short term goals "

and " long term goals " as " Clinical Goals " and " Functional Goals " . These terms

just add to the confusion.

Jerry , PT

VP, Clinical Community | Clinicient, Inc.

1515 SW Fifth Street, Suite 950 | Portland, OR 97205

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[Guest guest]

Hi Ron

Great point. Terminology here is all over the map and there is a lot of

confusion about this. My two cents:

* You're right, there is no requirement for both short term and long

term goals to be included in your Plan of Care, only long term goals.

* But, there is a requirement in the documentation requirements section

of the Medicare Benefits Policy Manual that " Documentation should establish

through objective measurements (my emphasis) that the patient is making progress

toward goals. (I think one can assume that CMS is referring to long term goals

here.)

So, it would seem to be ideal if there is an explicit linkage of your important

clinical findings with progression toward long term goals. These clinical

measurements may be " classic " clinical tests like ROM and strength or other

reproducible tests of patient's function.

I think it makes all of this easier if we think of the terms " short term goals "

and " long term goals " as " Clinical Goals " and " Functional Goals " . These terms

just add to the confusion.

Jerry , PT

VP, Clinical Community | Clinicient, Inc.

1515 SW Fifth Street, Suite 950 | Portland, OR 97205

Direct Line: x.115 | Cell: | Fax:

www.Clinicient.com<http://www.clinicient.com/>

Follow Us:

[cid:image002.jpg@...]<http://www.clinicient.com/author/jerry-hend\

erson/> [cid:image004.jpg@...] <http://twitter.com/PDX>

[cid:image006.jpg@...]

<http://www.facebook.com/pages/Clinicient/197936686897150?sk=wall>

[cid:image008.jpg@...]

<https://plus.google.com/u/0/?tab=wX#104838754664294061421/posts>