PACE OF GUILFORD AND ROCKINGHAM COUNTIES INC

THE ABILITY TO COORDINATE THE CARE OF EACH PARTICIPANT ENROLLED IN PACE IS KEY TO THE MODEL. PACE COORDINATES AND PROVIDES ALL NEEDED PREVENTIVE, PRIMARY, ACUTE AND LONG-TERM CARE SERVICES TO ENABLE PARTICIPANTS TO CONTINUE LIVING IN THE COMMUNITY. THE COMPONENTS OF THE PACE PROGRAM RESPOND TO THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF EACH PARTICIPANT ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM. THE INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAMS ARE COMPRISED OF PHYSICIANS, NURSE PRACTITIONERS, NURSES, SOCIAL WORKERS, THERAPISTS, VAN DRIVERS, AIDES AND OTHERS WHO MEET REGULARLY TO EXCHANGE INFORMATION AND SOLVE PROBLEMS AS THE CONDITIONS AND NEEDS OF THE PACE PARTICIPANTS CHANGE. THROUGH INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAMS, THE VIEWPOINTS OF DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES ARE BROUGHT TOGETHER, AND THE INFORMATION GAINED(CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)THROUGH INTERACTION WITH THE PACE PARTICIPANTS OVER TIME AND IN DIFFERENT SETTINGS IS SHARED. THIS APPROACH EMPOWERS THOSE INVOLVED AND ALLOWS MORE INFORMATION TO BE AVAILABLE AT THE CRITICAL POINTS WHEN DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE. CAPITATED PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS: PACE RECEIVES A MONTHLY CAPITATED PAYMENT (I.E., A LUMP SUM FROM MEDICARE COMBINED WITH MEDICAID OR A PARTICIPANT'S PRIVATE PAY RESOURCES THAT IS USED TO PAY FOR A VARIETY OF COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES) AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE CARE NEEDS APPROVED BY THE TEAM. AS SUCH, THE FINANCIAL INTERESTS OF THE PACE PROGRAM AND THE CARE NEEDS OF THE PERSONS THEY SERVE ARE ALIGNED IN A UNIQUE WAY. REGARDLESS OF WHETHER NEEDED SERVICES WOULD BE REIMBURSED UNDER TRADITIONAL FEE-FOR-SERVICE MEDICARE AND MEDICAID, PACE PROVIDES A COMPREHENSIVE SET OF PREVENTATIVE, PRIMARY, ACUTE AND LONG-TERM CARE SERVICES THAT ARE TAILORED SPECIFICALLY TO THE NEEDS OF INDIVIDUAL PACE PARTICIPANTS TO HELP THEM AVOID HOSPITAL OR NURSING HOME PLACEMENT TO THE GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE. THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO MONITOR PARTICIPANTS CLOSELY FOR EVEN SUBTLE CHANGES IN NEEDS, WHICH IF LEFT UNATTENDED COULD LEAD TO COSTLY ACUTE CARE EPISODES. PACE FLEXIBILITY CAN PRODUCE MORE COST-EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS AND A HIGHER QUALITY OF LIFE THAN PRESCRIBING COSTLY MEDICATIONS AND CONTINUALLY PROVIDING HOSPITAL SERVICES. PACE CENTERS: PACE PARTICIPANTS ATTEND THE PACE CENTER IF DESIRED. THE CENTER INCLUDES A HEALTH CLINIC WITH AN ON-SITE PHYSICIAN AND NURSE PRACTITIONER, PHYSICAL AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY FACILITIES, AND AT LEAST ONE COMMON ROOM FOR SOCIAL AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES. TRANSPORTATION: ANOTHER COVERED BENEFIT FOR PACE PARTICIPANTS, IS CRITICAL TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CARE PLAN. IT IS A KEYWAY THAT PACE SUPPORTS FAMILIES WHO ARE PROVIDING CARE FOR THEIR LOVED ONES. TRANSPORTATION IS PROVIDED NOT ONLY TO AND FROM THE DAY CENTER BUT ALSO TO OTHER APPOINTMENTS. PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION ALSO PLACES A DRIVER, WHO HAS BEEN TRAINED TO OBSERVE CUES, IN THE HOME OF THE PACE PARTICIPANT. DRIVERS THEN CAN REPORT THESE CUES THAT MAY SIGNAL A CHANGE IN HEALTH STATUS OR OTHER CHANGES THAT SHOULD BE MONITORED.