Volume 9, Number 50 — September 9, 2020
Dear Healthcare at Home Colleague,
The virus pandemic that will not go away continues to change the way healthcare is delivered, and to put physical and emotional pressure on those who deliver it. This week, we explore those changes from different angles, with some of our reports aimed at non-medical home care providers, others at home health agencies, and some at both.
Non-medical caregiving is now the single largest profession in the country, when both in-home and residential workers are counted. Not-for-profit advocacy group PHI shared with us their brand new, 36-page report. Read our summary of PHI's research into demographics, pay rates, turnover, and the nearly impossible number of workers that will soon be needed. Then follow our link to the complete report.
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Skilled nursing facilities are losing residents by the thousands, some to COVID-19, some to their homes out of fear of COVID-19. We take a deep dive into the phenomenon and propose steps both home health and home care can take to welcome these SNF refugees.
Data Governance Strategies are what turn data into actionable information. Staff writer Darcey Trescone outlines the importance of managing data, from clinical documentation through management reports. "Having" data is not the same as "governing" data. Wise advice.
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Social Media will bite you...eventually. Guest author Elizabeth Hogue, Esq. offers a harsh warning about corporate liability for what employees do and say online.
CMS News: two important announcements this week. CMS has launched home health quality reporting training. Plus, there is now one "compare" web site instead of separate sites posting the CMS scoring system for hospitals, doctors, home health, and nursing homes.
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Reminder: the sponsors you see on this page and on our web site make it possible for us to provide this free information service to the healthcare at home sector. From time to time, click on their graphic displays to see if what they are offering might be exactly what you are looking for.
Speaking of "looking for," if you are beginning a search for an EMR or home care practice management system, for an EVV or telehealth partner, for CRM or OASIS management tools, or for a consultant to help you with any of these, our new service is certain to get you started in the right direction. Our Home Care Technology Buyer's Guide is free. It asks you a few questions about your agency and your current technology search, and it answers with a short list of products that match your needs. Don't waste time calling the 800 numbers of the 40 or more vendors that are wrong for you. Let The Guide find the handful that have exactly what you need. Read up on them in our objective, hype-free company and product descriptions. If you like, The Guide will automatically send them a Request for Information, all filled out with your agency description and the details of your search. Try it today! http://homecaretechnology.info
Have a great, week. Stay healthy and keep making a difference!
Report: Direct Care Workers Now Largest Occupation in U.S.
Still among lowest paid, in-home and residential caregivers outnumber every occupation in the country. 8.2 million more needed in less than 10 years.
Home or Nursing Home? COVID Makes the Choice Clearer
In response to the pandemic, residential facilities are shedding residents and employees. Why shouldn't home health and home care pick up the slack?
The Value of Data Integrity and Governance
Data is not information. From clinical documentation at the point of care to monthly and quarterly reports generated for business intelligence uses, Data Governance Strategies are a necessary management tool.
Social Media Will Bite You!
Can your employees' social media posts on their own page on their own time bring your agency down? An attorney says 'yes.'
CMS News: New Training, New HH Compare
— Home Health Quality Reporting Training announced
— Home Health Compare merged with all other "Compare" databases
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During the 2nd Quarter of 2021, web sites of the above advertisers were visited by home care and hospice executives and staff 5944 times. To inquire about placing your message here, contact: Kristin@rowanresources.com As of this date, approximately 38,940,000 Baby Boomers have become Medicare eligible. |
Last Week's Most-Read Stories:
Florida Hospice Selects Netsmart
Rapid Technology Evolution Drives the In-House Skills Needed
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FREE WEBINAR: How Technology Enhances Home Care in an Increasingly Remote World *
Sponsored by: Care Connect
Moderator: Tim Rowan
Panelists: Mike Gelman, President COO, CareConnect; Jim Rolla, SVP, VNSYNY Partners in Care; Steve Pellito, SVP, Provider Sales, Sandata
Date: November 12
Time: 1:00 pm EDT
FREE WEBINAR: Cybersecurity in Healthcare: Assess Threats & Reduce Your Risk
Presented by: Netsmart
Featuring: Randy Pargman, Binary Defense senior director of threat hunting and counterintelligence; Sharon Hicks, MBA, MSW, OPEN MINDS senior associate; and Mike Murray, Netsmart director of Plexus Technologies,
Date: December 9
Time: 1:00 EST
Healthcare organizations are often at risk of cyberattacks due to a lack of dedicated IT and reliance on traditional reactive approaches. To learn how to protect your data, register now to join Randy Pargman, as they map the risk landscape and provide guidance for safeguarding your organization.
Key takeaways:
• Cyber threats in healthcare
• Impacts of a data breach
• Best practices for securing your data
FREE WEBINAR: Can you collect Cash faster?Sponsored by: Savii
Date: Tuesday, January 12
Time: 2:00 pm EST
With small margins in home care it has prompted the question, “Can we collect cash faster?” And what would this do for an agency? One thing we know is margins are small and have become more challenging than ever to for agencies to profit. This doesn’t mean it impossible for agencies to survive; it means a focus on collecting cash faster will be ever so important.
Agency leaders will first need to develop a timeline cadence of when to address claims based on when they were submitted for payment. In addition it will be pertinent to understand their own agency metrics such as DSO (Daily Sales Outstanding) and how they compare to industry standards.
On this webinar you will walk away with how to develop a timeline and your own DSO dashboard for benchmarking. All of these topics will weave into strategic steps to take toward collecting cash flow faster.
FREE WEBINAR: The Rise of Hospital at Home: A Roundtable Discussion
Sponsored by: AlayaCare
Featuring: Dr. Bruce Leff, Hospital at Home Pioneer & Professor, John Hopkins School of Medicine; Adrian Schauer, Founder and CEO
AlayaCare; Joel Theisen, Founder and CEO, Lifesprk; Brady Murphy, VP Sales & Marketing, AlayaCareDate: Wednesday, January 27
Time: 1:00 EST
Information and RegistrationAgenda
Across the U.S., the Acute Hospital Care at Home initiative from CMS is taking off amid the pandemic with at least 80 approved participants to date. As hospital-at-home models become more popular and more beneficial to both patients and health care organizations, those that have recognized the perks of home-based care prior to the COVID-19 crisis may have the upper hand.
Join us on Wednesday, Jan 27th at 1:00 pm EST for a roundtable discussion with industry experts such as Dr. Bruce Leff, Hospital at Home Pioneer and Professor at John Hopkins School of Medicine who deserves his reputation as a founding father of this virtual hospital concept, to learn about the hospital-at-home model and its impact on the home care industry.
FREE WEBINAR: 6 New COVID-19 ICD-10 Codes to Learn Webinar
Presented by: Healthcare Synergy
Featuring: Michael Tidd, HealthCare Synergy Clinical ManagerDate: Thursday, February 4
Time: 11:00 - 11:30 PST
COVID-19 has resulted in multiple waivers along with changes to programs and treatments to patients. April 1 had an unexpected release of a new diagnosis code for the COVID-19 disease. October 1 had additional diagnosis codes for agencies to learn and use. January 1, 2021 brings six additional diagnosis codes that CMS released the week of Thanksgiving. These will not be listed in your existing diagnosis coding manuals until a new manual is released later in August.
Objectives:
Michael Tidd has over 19 years of experience in the Home Care Industry and is a frequent speaker at HealthCare Synergy Workshops and Webinars. He is a Software Developer, LVN and Certified in ICD-9/10 Coding and OASIS (COS-C, HCS-D). As the Clinical Manager for HealthCare Synergy, he directs the Outsourced Management Services, assists in directing the development of the Healthcare Assistant Web Edition, oversees the Clinical Documentation Auditing provided to clients and directs the Clinical Form Development for the Healthcare Assistant Web Edition. Michael continues to educate agencies in the ongoing regulations that CMS produces, the proper application of the Medicare Conditions of Participation and completing timely, accurate and defendable clinical documentation to survive in the current Medicare Reimbursement Model.
FREE Webinar: Practical Application of Information Blocking and Interoperability Rules for Post-Acute Care Providers
Sponsored by: Complia Health and Kno2
Date: February 18
Time: 1:00 ESTJoin healthcare technology experts Alan Swenson, VP of Interoperability at Kno2, and Melissa Turner, Director of Integration at Complia Health, on Thursday, February 18th at 1pm Eastern to learn about information blocking and what it means for your post-acute care organization today and looking ahead to the future.
FREE WEBINAR: Tech Titans Join Forces to Tackle Post Acute Care Challenges
Sponsored by: KanTime
Featuring: Terra Vicario (Moderator) CMO, Viventium; Malka Trump, Director of Compliance, Viventium; Kristen Duell, EVP, KanTime; Kim Spence, RN, Customer Success Division Leader, KanTime; James Cohen, CEO & Co-Founder, Nevvon
Date: Thursday, April 22
Time: 11:00 am PDT, 2:00 pm EDT
experts from companies with solutions for talent/retention and compliance issues, along with the continued challenges that COVID-19 has presented to our industry,
Homecare 100 *
Presented by: Lincoln Healthcare Leadership
Date: June 27-30, 2021
Venue: JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort, FL
Registration Information
NAHC Financial Managers 2021 Conference and Expo *
Presented by: National Association of Home Care and Hospice
Date: August 1-3
Venue: Sheraton Grand Chicago
Information and Registration
2021 Home Care and Hospice Conference and Expo *
National Association for Home Care and Hospice
Date: October 3-5
Venue: New OrleansSadly, this conference has had to be postponed, due to the hurricane in New Orleans and COVID situation in Louisiana.
SCHCHA 2021 Annual Conference
Presented by: South Carolina Home Care & Hospice Association
Date: October 25-26
Location: Sonesta Resort, Hilton Head Island, SC
AHHC 2021 Leadership Conference
Presented by: Association for Home & Hospice Care of North Carolina
Date: November 8-9
Location: Holiday Inn Resort, Wrightsville Beach, NC
Employee Owned 2021 — "Adapt / Innovate / Lead"
Presented by: The ESOP Foundation: International Employee Ownership Center
DATE: November 10-12
VENUE: Caesars Palace, Las Vegas
"Employee Owned 2021," a hybrid ESOP Conference, is built to help you adapt to the ever-changing business landscape. The pandemic, government regulations, supply chain issues, the list of obstacles to optimally running your ESOP goes on and on. We are here to help. Through insightful speakers, innovative ideas, the latest industry updates, technical content you can trust, and a focus on current events, Employee Owned 2021 will prepare you and your ESOP to march confidently into 2022.
More Information
Who Should Attend?
- CEO/CFO/C-Suite
- Department Heads & Supervisors
- HR Staff
- Trustees
- Board Members
- Employee Owners
- Professionals
- Anyone new to ESOPs
*The Rowan Report will see you there.
FREE WEBINAR: New, Science-Based Methodology Reduces Cost of Recruitment and Retention
Presented by: The Rowan Report
Featuring: Eric Becker, CEO, MiliMatch
Date: Thursday, March 18
Time: 3:00 pm EST; Noon PST
Recorded version available.
Agenda:
Every time a home care agency hires and trains a new caregiver, it invests about $4,500, which is wasted if that new hire does not work out, often before working a first shift. MiliMatch CEO Eric Becker will explain the company's patented product/service, based on the science of Applied Cognitive Linguistics, which has been proven to help home care agencies avoid those costly bad hires.
FREE WEBINARS: "Best of Home Care Heroes" Series
Sponsored by: Ankota
Featuring: Steve "The Hurricane" Weiss, Ophelia Cole, Barbara Gaines, Cheryl Hammons, others
Dates: Ongoing
- How Home Care Thrives in the Post-COVID World (with Steve "the Hurricane" Weiss)
- ADDED THIS WEEK: "Finishing 2021 STRONG!" Wednesday, September 15, 3-4pm EST.
Register HereContact Ankota directly about two special offers: a free trial of a staffed, live-chat solution for your website, and a discount to Steve Weiss' "Mililonaire Bootcamp."
Your state or national association meeting or webinar not listed? Send the details to Conferences@RowanResources.com using this format:
Conference Title
Sponsoring Association
Date(s)
Hotel or Conference Center, City, State
URL
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