These instructions are the guide for staff who will administer EVV staff using Barnestorm Office. Please provide this link for all
staff and have them use the guide, YouTube videos, and other supporting materials.
We recommend saving the link to your favorites list in your web browser versus printing, as changes are made often.
****Please reference the YouTube video on Monitoring EVV Visits for much more detail.****
EVV Visits allows you to see today's scheduled visits and monitor them as employees start and complete their EVV timestamps in the field. We recommend monitoring each day.
There is a From and To date so you can choose the timeframe you want to monitor. There are also buttons to allow you to see a day, week, or month at a time. Example: If you have a week selected and then click the back arrow button, it will take you to the previous weeks dates.
Program: dropdown allows you select one program at a time.
Status: gives you the option to filter the list down to one status type.
Pending = Still needs verified; EVV Verified = Has been sent to an aggregator; Send Failed = has errors that need resolved; Blank = Payer is not Sandata or HHAeXchange payer.
Show EVV Status: check this box to view the EVV status of the visit. This shows if the visit was verified with or without issues, pending verification, or has an error that needs attention before it will verify.
Barnestorm is set up to run the verify nightly around 12:50 AM. It will process the previous two days EVV Visits (visit date). On Saturday it will go back seven days to pick up any late entry visits. Each automated process will pick up any Send Failed visits to attempt another send. Send Failed visits will need corrected by the agency. See the section Resolve Sandata Errors for details.
Verifying Visits
Verify All: Since Barnestorm automatically runs a nightly verify, this only needs to be used if older visits are showing up as Pending or you are correcting send failed visits.
You can double-click any *Pending* visit to attempt to verify it through Sandata.
Indicators on how the visit was completed
One of the columns on the EVV Visits screen will show icons on how the visit was started. When a visit is finished there will be two icons: one for clocking in and one for clocking out.
When you click a visit on EVV Visits, you will see some additional navigation buttons pop up.
All Visits: this is the default and shows all visits for the time frame selected.
Patient Summary: shows all visits for the selected patient for the selected time frame
Emp Summary: shows all visits for the selected employee for the selected time frame
Patient and Emp Summary will show a total of visits, scheduled hours and + - hours at the top and bottom of visit list.
EVV Status
: You no longer have the option to check 'Show EVV Status'. The status will automatically load when selecting the EVV Visits screen. The status will show the verification date if verified successfully. If the visit has been sent multiple times it will only show the most recent date.
Only EVV Payers
: Check this box to remove payers that are NOT straight Medicaid where the visits go directly to Sandata. This will remove payers like MCO Medicaid, private insurance, and VA, so that you can focus on straight Medicaid only.
Double-click will send pending visits / resend already verified visits: We have activated the option so that you can send a visit to Sandata with double-clicking. This works a little different than previously. Double-click a visit and you'll see a status on the visit line showing you it is sending (see GIF below). Stay on the EVV Visits screen (do not change dates or patients) until you receive the green verified status or orange Send Failed.
Verify All: This feature has been removed from EVV Visits.
Edit a visit already verified: After modifying the visit and clicking on the Update Visit button, the verify process will run to send the visit to Sandata.
Other Verify Information
Barnstorm is set up to send visits to Sandata nightly. The weekdays will go back 30 days to pick up visits in the pending, send failed or verified visits that were modified.
The weekend verification will go back 60 days in case of older visits were completed late or modified.
Resolve Sandata Errors Article
This section will cover the action buttons located at the top of the EVV Visits screen.
Add Visit
Be careful using this. If the patient’s payer does not require EVV, then you should NOT use Add to put in visits on EVV Visits. Instead, you will key in those visits from timesheets as you normally would, under Employee Activity.
If the visit you need to enter does not appear on EVV Visits, go and check the Aide Plan and Aide Schedule to determine why the visits aren’t showing.
Schedule
Use this to add an unexpected visit or a Hospice visit is a good example. Click a visit. Click Schedule to create a new scheduled visit. This allows you to quickly add a visit if one is missing or if the aide is having trouble with one in the field. This will add the schedule to the aides Care Champ app. Watch the video link for detailed steps.
Edit
Edit is how you will normally make any changes needed on a visit.
If the visit is "In-Progress" you will see a Finish button as well.
Complete
Complete any visits where the employee fails to complete the visit using EVV. You will not be able to bill for any visits that were not completed using EVV technologies or this EVV Visit screen. This button will not be visible until the schedule/visit is at least two days old. This is to allow 48 hours for the visit to sync with EVV compliance--clicking Complete before the visit is synced can lower compliance and accuracy levels.
Cancel
If the visit was cancelled for any reason you can mark it as cancelled/not charged. These visits do not get send to an aggregator.
Finish
When an EVV Visit is showing as In-Progress due to aide forgot to clock out after visit, you can finish the visit in Office from the EVV Visits screen. *Note: All tasks will be marked as completed. You must edit the visit to mark tasks as not complete.
Please see the instructions in the complete manual for how to handle each situation.
Print
If you want to see the visit assessment, click the visit and then click Print.
Remove: CAUTION—do not remove visits unless you’re SURE they’re wrong! They cannot be retrieved!
In general, if a visit does not show on EVV Visits, that means that the patient does not have a plan or a schedule for that day. If they are supposed to, please add the aide care plan.
You would only use the Add button (from the EVV Visits screen) if there is a visit that needs to be sent to the Aggregator as a manual visit. That will not be the case for patients that are not required to use EVV.
Best Practice: This will only work if the aide visits the patient within 48 hours of their previous incomplete visit. The aide will get a prompt at the bottom of their Care Champ screen letting them know the previously started visit was marked as completed. This step will happen automatically and the pop-up box will disappear.
If it shows as completed on the app but not in office: Have the aide select the visit and then select Resend. That will send the visit back to you in the office and it will show on EVV Visits. It can take up to an hour to send during office hours. If it is after office hours, it will not send until the next day. Time to sync to the office could be delayed if the device has low cellular service.
The process below can be used for telephony and Care Champ app.
Manually End Visit
Note that the Finish button will not become active until two days after the schedule/visit date. This is to allow 48 hours for the visit to sync with EVV compliance--clicking Complete before the visit is synced can lower compliance and accuracy levels.
When the employee forgets to clock out to end the visit, you can modify the visit as needed.
1. On the EVV Visits screen find the visit and click on it.
2. The visit should show up as In Progress, Click the Finish button. This will mark the visit as complete.
3. If you need to change the times you can Edit and fix the time and Update Visit. You will also need to edit any tasks not completed. If not, you’re done.
If there is a Missed Visit and you need to change it to show that the visit occurred but was not electronically verified, follow these steps:
1. Make sure to select the Missed Visit for the exact date you want to correct.
• You can NOT change the date of a missed visit, only other details (not date).
2. Click Complete. This makes the visit match the scheduled and marks the Status as Completed.
3. If you need to change the times, you can Edit and fix the time and Update Visit. If not, you’re done.
Note: Once this process is complete it will flow into the Care Champ app as completed to prevent duplicating or lose of information.
Note that the Complete button will not become active until two days after the schedule/visit date. This is to allow 48 hours for the visit to sync with EVV compliance--clicking Complete before the visit is synced can lower compliance and accuracy levels.
Video: Cancel Visit - YouTube
You can mark an EVV Visit as cancelled from the EVV Visits screen in Barnestorm Office. These will be non-chargeable and they do not get sent to an aggregator.
1. Select the visit that needs cancelled.
2. Click the Cancel button.
3. Select the Visit Type reason for the cancellation.
4. The end time automatically changes to match the start time.
5. Add Comments if needed.
6. Click on Update Visit.
When there is a phone malfunction or other issue, you can modify the visit as needed. This should not be done to “massage” visit times. According to NC DHHS, if the employee goes under or over time, those should be sent as they are and you should modify visits later on that week/month to ensure authorization is met. In other words, DO NOT use this method to FALSIFY times.
1. On the EVV Visits screen, find the visit that needs the exception and click on it.
2. If the visit has a status of Charged then you will need to unlock it by clicking the padlock icon 
3. Click the Edit button at the top (or Start or Finish if you’re inputting times).
4. Change incorrect information (codes, etc).
5. Correcting Start and End Times: Check the 'Adjust Times' box and enter the correct times into the 'Adjusted Start' and 'Adjusted End' fields (CAUTION: do NOT adjust times unless there is an issue. Not matching authorization is NOT an acceptable reason).
6. At the bottom of the screen, select the Change Reason: Caregiver error. For the change memo, you can add something like “Caregiver forgot to clock out.”
7. Click Update Visit to save the changes. This will automatically attempt to verify the visit.
You could also adjust the payer, job code, or visit type here, but if they are wrong here, they may need corrected on the Aide Plan, as well.
You can also add/edit Tasks on this screen. If the tasks aren’t listed, click Reload Tasks. Then you can Check All.
Uncheck any that were not completed and fill in the reason they were not completed.
For any visit with a deviation you want to note, such as: aide left early, no sub available, patient left early, etc., note that in Comments on the visit.
NOTE: If the visit is cancelled, you MUST change the Visit Type to a Cancellation reason and make sure the end time is the same as the start time.
Deviations print on EVV Compliance Report Pre-Billing Audit (in Reports).
When the aide stays in the patient home for longer than the authorized amount of time, per NC DHHS, you should handle this the same with EVV as you would normally:
• If the visit time overage was due to an accident or extra time needed, you will adjust the service plan accordingly. In Barnestorm, you will do this by shortening visits as needed on the Aide Schedule. You will NOT use the instructions below. Instead, Correct future visits on Aide Schedule.
• If the visit time overage was done in error, you can correct that (use the instructions below)
CORRECTING VISITS WHERE EMPLOYEE CLOCKED OUT LATE BY ACCIDENT
1. On the EVV Visits screen, find the visit that went over the authorized time in error and click on it.
2. Click the Edit button at the top.
3. To adjust the end time, check the adjust time box and enter the correct end time.
4. To enter in the end time, indicate how you know the time—in this case, it will be Manual.
5. At the bottom of the screen, select the Change Reason: Caregiver error.
For the change memo, you can add something like “Caregiver went over time in error.”
6. Click Save to save the changes. The visit will now reflect the corrected time.
Use the following steps to update an existing schedule entry to change the date of a visit or the employee who is scheduled to visit the patient.
These steps will update the EVV Visits screen, Schedule and Care Champ.
1. Go to Aide Activity > Aide Schedule (or Employee Activity > Schedule).
2. Pull up the employee or patient.
3. Right-Click on the schedule that needs updated. Do not double-click or drag to make changes that need to go to EVV. The visit will open.
4. Update the employee and / or the time in date, time out date and change the day of the week at the bottom.
5. Save & Close. The visit will immediately go to the replacement employee’s app.
1. Pull up the patient from the Select Patient screen and select the Referrals tab.
2. Go to the Payers tab and select the payer that is being discharged.
3. Check the box Discharged and then change the discharge date, as needed. Click on Save Payer.
4. You will receive a pop up message asking if you want to remove future schedules after the discharge date. Click on Yes. This step is important to proceed with removing schedules so that they are taken off of the aides Care Champ app/EVV Visits/Schedules.
5. Click on Save All Patient data to run the process of cleaning up the schedules. This part may take a minute to complete.
6. Go to Aide Activity > Aide Plan. Click the plan. Click the Stop button.
****IMPORTANT: DO NOT REMOVE AIDE PLAN!!!! That is a historical record that provides the tasks & info for every visit note.
Video: When the Aide Switches on the Aide Plan - YouTube
***IMPORTANT: Do not change the Thru date of the care plan. The instructions must be following exactly, otherwise app issues will occur.
You should end the existing care plan and copy it to create a new one in the following scenarios:
- The assigned aide will change permanently
- The patient switched payers
- Tasks are being added
- Tasks are being removed
- Task descriptions is being updated
1. Go to Aide Activity > Aide Plan.
2. Click on the active plan. Click Copy. This creates a new plan.
3. On the new plan click on Edit.
4. Change the From and Thru dates and anything else in the plan that changed.
5. Click Create Schedules and then Save Plan. This step creates the schedule for the new plan.
6. Select the plan that will be discontinued and click the Stop button. Answer Yes to stop the plan. This may take a minute; the entry will change to grey when ready to proceed.
7. (Optional if plan is not ending on current date) Click the stopped plan and click on Edit. Change the Stopped date to the date the plan will discontinue.
8. Click on Save Plan. This step will remove future schedules after the Stopped date.
****IMPORTANT: DO NOT REMOVE AIDE PLAN!!!! That is a historical record that provides the tasks & info for every visit note.
When the care plan and authorization is due to expire, you will simply copy it forward. First, you will want to make sure the new authorizations have been keyed in correctly into the Authorization screen. Watch the video for more details.
Ideally, annual authorization and care plan dates will match. They should create a continuous flow of uninterrupted dates, with no gaps.
For MCOs like Healthy Blue that provide monthly authorizations, the care plan should span the entire period for which you have monthly authorizations and should NOT be broken down into monthly care plans.
****IMPORTANT: DO NOT REMOVE AIDE PLAN!!!! DO NOT change existing care plan dates to copy forward. This is a historical record that provides the tasks & info for every visit note.
Authorization
1. Pull up the patient from Patient Histories > Authorization.
2. Select the payer and then add the new authorized dates and hours. Do not overwrite the previous authorization.
3. Be sure to update the authorization number if the payer requires one to be included on the claim.
Aide Care Plan
1. From Aide Activity > Care Plan, select the expiring care plan.
2. Click Copy.
3. Change the From and Thru dates to match the new authorization dates.
4. Update other information as needed; aide, tasks, days or visit time.
5. Click Create Schedules and Save Plan. This step will generate the schedules for the new care plan period.
Sometimes when updating the aide care plan or manually adding visits, important steps get missed, and this can cause issues with how the scheduled visits appear on the aide's app.
You will be able to fix the aide's app if the schedules appear correctly on the Aide Schedule screen.
First you will check the schedule by going to Aide Activity > Aide Schedule and pull up the employee from the employee field at the top of the screen. Verify the schedule is correct here before you use the Sync Schedules process below. As needed, go to the Aide Plan and recreate the schedules if they do not show up correctly on the schedule in Office.
Note: This process only syncs the scheduled entry, it does not sync the completed EVV Visit.
1. From Barnestorm Office go to Codes > Other Basic Codes > Employees.
2. Pull up the aide with schedule issues from the top of the screen.
3. If the aide has an active Care Champ account then you will see "Care Champ Settings" button, select it.
4. Click the Sync Schedules button and wait for it to process.
It can take a while to run depending on how many schedules are assigned and the internet speed.
6. Once the progress bar disappears the sync has been complete. Ask the aide to check their schedule in the app.
The main intention of electronic visit verification is to ensure that field-based healthcare staff are completing the services they’re supposed to, where and when they’re supposed to. So, a huge component of EVV implementation is for providers to determine which employees are doing that and complying with EVV guidelines, and which ones are not. There is a new EVV Aide Compliance report available (17.37—go to that section to read about how to use it.
Here’s how to use the EVV Visits screen in Barnestorm to evaluate your employee compliance: Go to EVV Visits. Set the start and end times to span the last 2 weeks or so. Click Employee to sort the visits by employee. Check the Show EVV Status checkbox.
Evaluate each aide based on the status of their visits:
• Visits completed & Verified = give that aide a pat on the back
• Visits completed & EVV Flagged
o If the flagging occurs on every visit to that patient, there may be an issue with the patient address not resolving. If the address has an abbreviation, like HWY, spell the word out: Highway. If the address has an Apartment or Unit number, remove that and put it in the “Directions” tab. Save the Referral and go back and check the EVV status to see if that cleared the flagging.
o If the flagging is sporadic, that means the aide is not at the patient home on the flagged visits. This will require communicating with the aide to remediate.
• Visits completed sporadically = need app retraining / enforcement of EVV timelines on consequences for non-compliance
• Visits completed with no EVV Verifications = locator services need to be turned on, on the aide's phone (instructions in guide)
• All visits missed = determine the problem.
o If it's a hardware issue (like flip phone), that aide should be switched telephony.
o If the issue doesn't sound particularly plausible (we've heard some silly stuff like a virus on the phone, phone issues that are weather-related, etc.), try retaining/enforcement on the app first.
o Watch these aides to see if things improve
o Some providers are reinforcing compliance with no-compliance, no-pay rules.
EVV Log allows you to see what your aides are doing in the field.
It's a good way to validate whether the aide is clocking in and out.
Go to Aide Activity > EVV Log.
The screen will default without any data selected.
You can search for one employee or patient by name or number, or leave these fields blank to select all.
Select the Call, Text or App option.
Once you select your timeframe the screen will load. When you select the 'Customer' option, you'll select a timeframe (click from date first and then click through date).
The blue panel at the top will show you if the clock in/out was placed with patient phone, employee phone or the app.
EVV Log for Telephony (Call)
EVV - Using the EVV Visits Screen
