To define the invoicing pattern for hospitalisation activities at VSS.
VSS HOSPITALISATION INVOICING SCHEDULE
Purpose
Principles
- Animals admitted to hospital should have a hospitalisation item invoiced. If the animal is put into a hospital cage, then an invoice item should be generated.
- In general, hospitalisation categories will relate to intensity of treatment requirement
- Hospitalisation will be broken into increments of half days (6 hours).
- Invoicing will occur at a defined time threshold in the 6 hour period.
- At least one hospitalisation item should be invoiced each day if the patient is admitted to hospital. If there are multiple levels of hospitalisation within a half day (6 hour) period, the higher of the two levels should be invoiced.
- Estimates to clients will contain an approximation item but the final invoice should reflect actual hospitalisation activities.
Products
Short Stay (Level 1A)
Length of stay:
- Guideline - 6 hours or less
Reason for Hospitalisation:
Admit for diagnostics, not requiring sedation or anesthesia
Patients being dropped off for recheck appointment
Treatment Protocol:
- 1 x TPR
- 1 x 4-hourly check
Examples of these patients would be:
Blood tests (e.g., ACTH stim, bile acids)
Conscious Ultrasound
Conscious radiographs
Chemotherapy admission
Day Stay (Level 1B)
Length of stay:
- Guideline - 6 to 12 hours
Reason for Hospitalisation:
Admit for post op orthopedic radiographs, requiring sedation or anesthesia (not for patients that have had additional procedures while under GA. EG: Lump removal.
Admit for diagnostics requiring sedation but not fluid therapy
Treatment Protocol:
- 1 x TPR
- 2 x 4-hourly check
Examples of these patients would be:
Previous orthopedic surgery patient requiring follow up radiographs - single region only, low care requirement, patient is stable enough to be in dog ward once recovered
This fee is also to be used on day of discharge for patients who have stayed overnight following the day of surgery, these patients would be well enough to come off fluid therapy in the morning and scheduled for discharge at anytime during the day
Patients that have been in hospital for multiple days for treatment. EG Post sx spines with no urinary catheter but bladder management is required
Sedation for ultrasound
Chemotherapy patients staying for over 6 hours
Cardiology patients (Day Stay + Cardio nurses to charge)
Additional Charges:
Blood Pressure - one reading included, if serial (two or more) readings to monitor a patient, then the ‘Doppler blood pressure 0.1’ (PF 6012886) should be invoiced once per day
Standard Hospitalisation Cage Care (Level 2A)
Length of stay:
Guideline - up to 12 hours
Reason for hospitalisation:
A patient requiring observation in the main hospital (not suitable for dog ward)
Treatment Protocol:
3 x TPR
4-hourly checks
Patient may have IV catheter in place BUT not on fluids
Patient may have feeding tube or urinary catheter
Examples of these patients would be:
Admits for minor procedures, not on fluid therapy
Patient with urinary catheter or feeding tube, patient NOT requiring fluid therapy BUT requiring observation
Twilight GA recoveries for FNA or other procedures NOT on fluid therapy (closely monitored for complications post procedure)
Additional Charges:
Blood Pressure - one reading included, if serial (two or more) readings to monitor a patient, then the ‘Doppler blood pressure 0.1’ (PF 6012886) should be invoiced once per day
Standard Hospitalisation with fluids (Level 2B)
Length of stay:
Guideline - up to 12 hours
Reason for hospitalisation:
A patient requiring observation in the main hospital (not suitable for dog ward) on fluid therapy
This is for any patient requiring IV fluids during their hospital stay (including patient’s under anaesthesia)
May include barrier nursing for immunocompromised patients or unvaccinated patients (requires examination gloves only, no additional charges required)
Treatment Protocol:
3 x TPR
4-hourly checks
Patient may have IV catheter in place & be on fluids
Patient may have feeding tube or urinary catheter
Patient may have up to 2 CRI pumps
Patient may require physiotherapy
Examples of these patients would be:
Day one post operative surgical patient
A stable medical patient who requires medical fluids (pancreatitis, kidney disease etc)
Additional Charges:
Blood Pressure - one reading included, if serial (two or more) readings to monitor a patient, then the ‘Doppler blood pressure 0.1’ (PF 6012886) should be invoiced once per day
Barrier Nursing (Level 3)
This item is added to the relevant level of hospitalisation should a patient need genuine barrier nursing.
Length of stay:
Guideline - up to 12 hours
Reason for hospitalisation:
Patients receiving full PPE barrier nursing.
Treatment Protocol:
As per the applicable hospitalisation protocol 1A to 2B
Examples of these patients would be:
Infectious diseases (parvovirus, leptospirosis etc)
Neutropenic patients
Cytotoxic patients who have recently received chemotherapy
Multi-drug resistant patients
High Care Observation (Level 4)
Length of stay:
Guideline - up to 12 hours
Reason for hospitalisation:
This category should be selected for stable patients, that still require advanced care but are able to maintain their own systemic stability with less time-consuming treatments. These patients need to be observed in ICU rather than hospital but do not require 1:1 nursing care.
Treatment Protocol:
3 x TPR
2 - 4 hourly checks
Patient may have IV catheter in place & be on fluids
Patient may have feeding tube or urinary catheter
Patient may have up to 2 CRI pumps
Examples of these patients would be:
Cardiac patients requiring hourly respiratory monitoring
Post op brachycephalic patients (stable, day 2 post op)
Post CSF/Myelography
Controlled seizure patient
Major surgery completed 2 or more days ago and now very stable
Post op stable surgery (eg splenectomy) requiring ECG monitoring
Oxygen dependent patients
Additional Charges to a Critical Care Level 4 fee:
Charge oxygen set up initially & then oxygen charges Q6H
Charge is under procedures - Oxygen Nasal Setup 0.5 (Initial setup)
Charge is under procedures - Oxygen per 6 hours
ICU Intensive Care - Level 5 (Charge not required at UW)
Length of stay:
Guideline - up to 12 hours
Reason for hospitalisation:
This category should be selected for patients that require very advanced nursing care, often with 2 or more lines in place (urinary catheter, chest drain, IV line, feeding tube, O2 lines). These patients are often unstable and require lengthy treatments.
Treatment Protocol:
3 - 6 x TPR
2 - 4 hourly checks
Patient may have IV catheter in place & be on fluids
Patient may have feeding tube or urinary catheter
Patient may have more than 2 CRI pumps
Patient may have a chest drain
Patient may require nebulising and/or physiotherapy
Examples of these patients would be:
DKA/Unstable diabetics requiring regular blood glucose reading and vet interaction for insulin dose doses
Severe pancreatitis patients
Septic patients
Major post operative care (day 1) - eg thoracotomy, critical exlap
Unstable seizuring/neurological patient
IMHA patients
Post op Brachycephalic respiratory monitoring - concern of airway obstruction
Additional Charges to a Critical Care Level 5 fee:
Charge oxygen set up initially & then oxygen charges Q6H
Charge is under procedures - Oxygen Nasal Setup 0.5 (Initial setup)
Charge is under procedures - Oxygen per 6 hours
Emergency Patient Stabilisation Fee
Length of stay:
Guidelines - 3 hour allotments
Reason for hospitalisation:
Any patient requiring 1 to 1 vet or nurse monitoring and support
This fee is charged in 3 hour allotment
A further level of hospitalisation should be charged when 1:1 nursing ceases
Treatment Protocol:
1:1 nursing
Examples of these patients would be:
The patient would be struggling to maintain its own life.
A crash bench priority patient, awaiting a treatment plan.
An unstable patient in ICU following a procedure or intervention where high intensity nursing and veterinary care (typically 1:1) is required.
A CPR patient.
Ventilation Care (Level 7)
Length of stay:
Guideline - One hourly charge
Reason for hospitalisation:
Any patient requiring 1 to 1 vet or nurse monitoring and support
This category should be used for patients that require an extremely advanced level of nursing care. Support from ICU clinician is continuously needed for this patient.
Treatment Protocol:
1 hourly TPR’s
1 hourly checks
Patient will definitely be intubated +/- ventilation
Patient will be on fluids
Patient may have feeding tube or urinary catheter
Patient may have more than 2 CRI pumps
Patient may have a chest drain
Patient may require nebulising &/or physiotherapy
Examples of these patients would be:
Tick Paralysis/Snake envenomation patients
Critical post-operative stabilisation
Any intubated patient or ventilated patient
Effective date - 13 February 2023