Best Buddy FAQ


What is Best Buddy ?
How do we get OASIS data into Best Buddy ?
How long does it take to import process take ?
What are the chances that Best Buddy will mess up my OASIS files?
Is it legally and ethically okay to copy data out of the OASIS and use it in this way ?
Are there times when it doesn't work?
How long does it take to set up?
How often should we update our data files?
What support is available?
What training is included?
Do we need to buy any other software, such as Visual FoxPro, to operate Best Buddy?
What can I expect in terms of upgrades?
Can I customize Best Buddy with other variables from my MIS?
Is the license for just one machine?
It would be a lot cheaper to buy a generic database like Access and use its report writer; why shouldn't we do that?
I like graphs; how does Best Buddy support them?
Does Best Buddy offer help on financial management?
What if we later need more training?
What is Best Buddy ?

Best Buddy is a report writer which allows you to import and analyze OASIS and Visit data prior to the locking of assessments or billing for episodes. It offers extensive on site analysis and error-trapping.

Top up
How do we get OASIS data into Best Buddy?

It couldn't be easier! Best buddy has a menu import option which takes advantage of interfaces we have developed for particular billing OASIS Systems.

Top up
How long does it take to import process take?

Depending on the speed of your equipment and the volume of data you have installed on your system the importing may take from five minutes to one and a half hours. We instruct you on installation alternatives which allow you to choose between a model where one user imports the data and then make it available to others or a model where each user inputs the data sequentially.

Top up
What are the chances that Best Buddy will mess up my OASIS files?

None! Best Buddy works with a copy of your OASIS data which is maintained in separate "Best Buddy" directory. Best Buddy never writes to your OASIS files.

Top up
Is it legal and ethical to copy data out of the MIS and use it this way?

The data in your MIS system is yours, not the vendors'! Most vendors provide you with a means to copy data for use in spreadsheets or for benchmarking.

Top up
Are there times when it doesn't work?

Yes. Best Buddy interfaces are available for some but not all home health information systems. We are always interested in expanding the list, however, so call us to find out what is available.

Top up
How long does it take to set up?

You can set Best Buddy up in a matter of minutes

Top up
How often should we update our data files?

Most agencies refresh the data in Best Buddy on a daily basis.

Top up
What support is available?

The purchase of Best Buddy includes eight hours of phone support. If you have questions about how to run a report or if the data looks wrong to you, please call. Also, we will not count any time spent resolving errors in our installation of Best Buddy.

Top up
What training is included?

We provide three hours of web-based training. Normally this is done in two or three installments. During the training, we look at your data with you through the eyes of Best Buddy. This gets you up to speed quickly.

Top up
Do we need to buy any other software to operate Best Buddy?

No. Best Buddy is installed with a "run-time" version of Visual FoxPro.

Top up
What can I expect in term of upgrades?

The general model under which Best Buddy is distributed is that it will operate the same in all agencies. When Best Buddy is changed for one agency, it will be changed for all. It is difficult to estimate the frequency with which these updates will occur. Historically, we have produced upgrades at least twice a year to respond to suggestions and regulatory changes.

Top up
Can I customize Best Buddy with other variables from my MIS?

Best Buddy enables you to export your assessments in a usable format to a spreadsheet or database. You can then integrate that output with other data available to you.

Top up
Is the license for just one machine?

No. Your agency is free to use Best Buddy on as many PCs as desirable so long as it is used in the normal conduct of your particular agency's business.

Top up
It would be a lot cheaper to buy a generic database like Access and use its report writer; why shouldn't we do that?

It is very likely that you have someone on staff or in your community who would be able to extract data from your MIS and organize it using an off-the-shelf spreadsheet or database. Many agencies do this and have sophisticated processes for massaging their billing data. It is not cheaper, however. With Best Buddy we are able to share across agencies the cost of the development and upgrading of an intuitive, fast and friendly query interface. If you do this on your own, someone will have to master the esoteric naming and coding systems used by your vendor to store data. You will also need to master the complex processing of multiple visits for each patient. With Best Buddy, for example, you can quickly determine by the category of diagnosis, the patients who had a certain number of home health aide visits during a given two-month period. If, after you look at the results, you decide you want to see this list just for patients from a particular hospital or physician or age range or admission period or whatever, you can make the revisions and have the new report in five minutes. Best Buddy is able to generate a nearly infinite array of reports.

Other advantages of using Best Buddy rather than a homebuilt system are:

1. The query interface is so friendly that many individuals in your organization can build their own reports to address their questions. This reduces the demands on your information system IS staff.

2. Errors are inevitable in programming. When you use Best Buddy, users benefit from the extensive debugging, which has occurred at test sites and other agencies.

3. When we install Best Buddy, you get the benefit of our extensive perspective. It is not uncommon to identify errors in coding or in data entry and to help get them corrected. When they are corrected, the overall quality of your MIS is improved.

Top up
I like graphs; how does Best Buddy support them?

In recent years it has become astonishingly easy to produce graphs in spreadsheets such as Excel. Most agencies have at least one person on staff who is adept at building graphs. Best Buddy allows you to take advantage of this. The export feature of Best Buddy mentioned above allows you to apply this skill to your OASIS data.

Top up
Does Best Buddy offer help on financial management?

Best Buddy is designed to give you maximum assistance in managing PPS episodes. When you examine an OASIS assessment, you can immediately learn what Medicare case-mix group the patient belongs to as well as the per-episode payment rate! And, by entering the expected number of visits by discipline you can compare costs to revenue. Reports also show how items on a patient's assessment have affected the case-mix group assignment.

Top up
What if we later need more training?

We will contract for additional training if you determine it is needed. Furthermore, you are welcome to suggest topics for training to be incorporated into our web based tutorials.

Top up