Volume 9, Number 50 — December 9, 2020
Dear Healthcare at Home Colleague,
You have read so many headlines like this one from a McAfee report: "How Cybercrime Will Cost the World $1 Trillion This Year," or our own from December 2: "Healthcare Prime Target for Pandemic Opportunist Cyber Attacks." You know something must be done. You know your organization could be next. But what can be done? How can the bad guys be stopped? Where to begin?
One place to start is today's free webinar, "Cybersecurity in Healthcare: Assess Threats & Reduce Your Risk," presented by one of our sponsors, Netsmart. Scroll down to read our preview interview with Mike Murray, Director of Plexus Technologies, a Netsmart division. He told us one frightening thing. All your firewalls and virus protection are for naught if one employee is persuaded to click on one phishing email. Behavior is the weak link in your network security system. Scroll down further to our "Upcoming Events" column to register for the webinar.
Just to emphasize the importance of this topic, we have surveyed recent literature and pulled together a half dozen headlines, with summaries, of technical articles warning you to take cyber-threats seriously. Healthcare has been hit by one-quarter of all hacking and phishing attacks. Firewalls and virus software are not enough. Scroll down to read the article we admit is explicitly designed to frighten you into action, "Not Convinced Yet? Cyber Security Warnings are Everywhere."
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You have also read these headlines: "Care Worker Shortage to Grow Worse," or "Burnout Pushing Nurses to Leave the Profession." We have been running a series of articles about staffing issues, and will continue over the coming months. This week's entry takes what might seem to be a left turn but it will make sense soon. Have you come across the field known as "Cognitive Linguistics?" One of the leaders in the field is James Pennebaker, the Regents Centennial Professor of Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. We will tell you about him and his research, and how it can help you hire the right people and, more importantly, avoid hiring the wrong ones. This first article explores the science. Next week, we will tell you in detail about a company that has harnessed it. Scroll down to "Bad Hire Can Cost Up To $8,000."
Competition in Home Care: Guest authors David Cole and Tony Onaissi shared with us an article they wrote making a strong case for using Customer Relationship Management software in private duty agencies. We have always thought of CRM as a Medicare agency's tool but they say it is time to pull out every available tool to increase your competitive position. Scroll down to the cleverly titled, "Yes, Home Care Does Need A CRM."
Predicting 2021: Everyone who published forecasts a year ago about home care in 2020 wishes they could delete those writings and pretend they never happened. However, we are now hearing more optimism about 2021 from industry leaders. This week's interview is with Adrian Schauer, CEO and founder of AlayaCare.
Speaking of competition, do not forget that you can contact our subsidiary, Rowan Reputation Resources, for help strengthening your online visibility. Remember, that adult child looking for services for a parent does live nearby. They will search Google and read reviews before they ever call a home care agency. If you are invisible online, RRR can help.
Have a great week. Keep making a difference!
A Cyber Attack Could Ruin Your Business
Netsmart's cyber security partners provide education, protection, against growing threat.
Not Convinced Yet? Cyber Security Warnings are Everywhere
We offer a sampling of recent technical articles about the international hackers targeting healthcare providers. Take this seriously!
"Bad Hire" Can Cost Up To $8,000
Applied Cognitive Linguistics has the potential to help home care filter out job applicants who are unlikely to work out.
Interview: AlayaCare CEO Adrian Schauer Optimistic About 2021
Almost all forecasts industry experts published a year ago were crushed by the events of 2020. This year, we are hearing more optimism about home care in a post-COVID world.
Vendor Watch: QliqSoft
QliqSOFT and CPSI partner to provide CPSI customers with COVID-19 vaccination assistance.
Yes, Home Care Does Need A CRM
In today's very competitive world, agencies should invest in a CRM that is simple to use, secure, affordable, and tailored for agency operations.
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During the 3rd Quarter of 2023, web sites of the above advertisers were visited by home care and hospice executives and staff 11531 times. To inquire about placing your message here, contact: Kristin@rowanresources.com As of this date, approximately 39,941,000 Baby Boomers have become Medicare eligible. |
Last Week's Most-Read Stories:
CMS Snubs Home Health in New Telehealth Rules
Working From Home Poses Major Security Risks...Again
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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.
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.
FREE WEBINAR: Targeted Probe & Educate: Where Do You Stand?
Presented by: Healthcare Synergy
Featuring: Michael Tidd, COS-C, HCS-D, HealthCare Synergy Clinical ManagerDate: Wednesday, November 3
Time: 11:00 am PDT / 2:00 pm EDT
Overview:
Targeted Probe and Educate is a CMS initiative to seek a better understanding of agencies practices in order to protect the Medicare funds. Agencies self-identify themselves and request reviews by their actions and the data they provide to CMS. Are you aware of the signals you might be sending and how to protect yourself?
Objectives:
Speaker:
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: Admit more Patients & Stop Nursing Burnout!
Presented by: OperaCare
Date: November 10
Time: 1:00 pm EST; 10:00 PST
The nursing shortage is getting much worse and will most likely impact your business if it has not already.
During this event we will demonstrate how to complete an entire OASIS in approx. 60 minutes or less. This includes ICD-10 coding, entry and revision of medication’s, all the OASIS items, and Quality Assurance while the nurse is with the patient in the home.
The result: Eliminating 100% of after-hours documentation, increasing clinical productivity, and reducing your labor costs.
The Benefit: The ability to significantly increase your recruitment and retention efforts by providing your clinicians with a sane and humane work life balance.
20th Annual Northeast Home Health Leadership Summit
Sponsored by: State Associations of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York (HCA), New York (HCP), Rhode Island, VNAs of Vermont
Dates: January 17-19
Venue: Revere Hotel, Boston
Homecare 100 *
Presented by: Lincoln Healthcare Leadership
Date: January 22-25, 2023
Venue: Ritz-Carlton, Orlando, Grande Lakes, FL
Registration Information
Shine Your Light
Illinois HomeCare & Hospice Council Annual Meeting and ExpositionDates: April 9-10
Venue: NIU Naperville
FREE WEBINAR: CMS’ Proposed Hospice FY2024 Payment Rule: Implications for Agencies and the Hospice Community
Sponsored by NAHC
Featuring: Theresa Forster, Katie WehriDate: April 11
Details and Registration
Time: 12:00 - 1:30 EDT
Description: In addition to routine annual payment changes, CMS proposed FY2024 Hospice Payment Rule, issued on March 31, contains valuable updates on the Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP). Perhaps most notable, the rule's deep dive into utilization trends signals an intensified interest in hospice care patterns, potentially inappropriate behavior in the hospice sector, and program integrity concerns. Join two of NAHC's hospice experts as they detail proposed changes, including a new requirement that hospice certifying physicians be Medicare enrolled (or to have validly opted-out) and CMS' Requests for Information on hospice utilization and health equity, and examine their potential impact on hospice practice going forward.
Faculty: Theresa M. Forster, NAHC VP for Hospice Policy & Programs
Katie Wehri, NAHC Director of Home Health & Hospice Regulatory Affairs
WEBINAR: Audits: What to Do
A 90-minute Lunch & Learn Audio Conference by Elizabeth E. Hogue, Esq. Health Care Attorney
Date: Thursday, April 6
Encore date: April 13
Time: 1:00 - 2:30 EDT
On-demand recording available 24/7
Option to purchase recording and handoutsInformation and Registration
Audio-Conference Description: Home care providers of all types; including home health agencies, private duty agencies, hospices and HME companies; remain targets of audits by various regulators, including but certainly not limited to United Program Integrity Contractors (UPICs). The results of these audits can be devastating because they may threaten the ability of providers to remain in business, especially when overpayments are extrapolated to millions of dollars. Audits of all types must be taken seriously and providers must take action to close audits as quickly as possible! The first thing providers must do is to review records requested by auditors.
- What must providers do when reviews show deficiencies in documentation?
- When and how can providers amend or supplement records prior to submission to auditors?
- Should providers send summaries to auditors along with patient records?
The purpose of this teleconference is to give providers detailed steps to follow to avoid adverse consequences of audits. Examples of common issues targeted by auditors will be provided and there will be time for questions and answers.
Rise Above!
Michigan Home Care & Hospice Association Annual Conference
Dates: May 3-5
Venue: Grand Traverse Resort & SpaThe theme for the Conference is “RISE ABOVE” a fitting recognition of the challenges our industry and each of you overcame in your personal lives and professional careers to navigate the challenges of the past three years.
The MHHA conference presents an opportunity to meet new friends and reacquaint with peers. What better place to rise above, than at the spacious and beautiful Grand Traverse Resort & Spa? This conference has a little bit for every service line and discipline. Wednesday offers a track for Volunteer Managers and Thursday offers a track for Palliative Care as well as many other sessions for Certified Home Health, Hospice, DME and Private Duty Home Care.
Home Care Innovation Forum*Presented by: The Influence Group
Dates: June 4-6
Venue: Park Hyatt Aviara
City: Carlsbad, CAFeatured Speakers:
- Mark King, CEO, Taco Bell
- Darryl "DMC" McDaniels
- David Causby, President & CEO, Gentiva
- Susan Benoit, CEO & President, CenterWell Home Health
- Bruce Greenstein, EVP, LHC Group
- Bill Dombi, President, NAHC
Partial list of topics:
- AI-enabled Remote Patient Monitoring
- Recruitment/Retention strategies
- AI and Automation for Better Hiring
- Developing an Effective MA Strategy
- The Future of Telehealth
- Taking on Risk
HI2: Home Care Innovation and Investment Conference *Presented by: Lincoln Healthcare Leadership
Dates: June 12-14
Venue: Swissotel
City: ChicagoFeatured Speakers:
- Vin Gupta, CMO, Amazon
- Patrick Conway, MD, CEO, Care Solutions
- Kevin Ban, MD, Global CMO, Walgreens
- Andy Slavitt, Founder, Town Hall Ventures, former CMS Administrator
leading ONE vision
Homecare Homebase User Group Meeting
Dates: June 12-14
Venue: Sheraton Dallas HotelClinical Education Credits
Nationally recognized speakers, eight clinical sessions. Clinicians are encouraged to sign up for the clinical sessions, but are free to jump between clinical and non-clinical topics. Clinical topics include a homecare focus on Wound Care, Value Based Purchasing, Clinical Leadership, conflict resolution, Quality Report, Oasis and more.Featured Speakers:
- Mark Scharenbroich: Award Winning Author, Emmy Award® Winner for an ABC TV special, National Speakers Association Hall of Fame Inductee, Golden Apple and Silver Screen Film award for his movie, "The Greatest Days of Your Life…(so far)," International film festival award winner.
- David Glickman: David has been a professional speaker and entertainer for over twenty years and has presented over 2000 programs. Before transitioning from "show business" to "speech business," he worked with everyone from Steve Martin to Ellen DeGeneres and performed at private parties for singer Gloria Estefan and former President Jimmy Carter. He also appeared on "Evening At The Improv" and several other national television shows.
2032 NAHC Financial Management Conference & Exposition
Date: July 16-18
Venue: Hilton Riverside, New Orleans
In addition to NAHC president Bill Dombi, featured speakers will include:
- Brent Korte, CEO, Frontpoint Healthcare
- Dexter Braff, MBA
- Jennifer Sheets, RN
- Mike Dordick
- Susan Benoit
- Zac Long, JD, MHA
- Melinda Gaboury, COS-C
54th Annual Meeting: "Bring Care Home"Presented by: Texas Association for Home Care & Hospice
Dates: August 28-31
Venue: Grand Hyatt Riverwalk
City: San Antonio
FREE Webinar: "The Role of the Hospice Physician in Organizational Compliance"Presented by: FEMA
Date: September 6
Time: 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM, EDT
Collaborating with the Administration for Community Living, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Office of Policy, Planning, and Innovation, and the Schoharie County, NY, Area Agency on Aging, the webinar is designed to equip organizations with strategies to ensure seamless service continuity during an emergency.
Home and Community-Based Palliative Care: Past, Present, and Future
NAHC and HHFMASeptember 28, 2023
2023 NAHC Annual Meeting & Exposition *
"One Voice, Many Stories"
October 15-17
Gaylord Hotel and Conference Center
National Harbor, MDKeynote Speakers:
- Ben Nemtin, New York Times bestselling author of "What Do You Want to Do Before You Die?"
- Summer Napier, NAHC Director of Grassroots Advocacy
- Bill Dombi, NAHC President
2023 National Home Care Conference*
Home Care Association of AmericaOctober 23-24, 2023
Hilton Chicago
Chicago, IL
Vision – Plan – Succeed: 2023 Leadership Conference
Association for Home & Hospice Care of North Carolina
October 29-31, 2023
Renaissance Hotel Ashville, NCFeatured speakers:
Bill Dombi, Melinda Gaboury, Tim Rogers, Nick Seabrook, Mark Sharp, Robert Markette, Mark Kulik, and more.
Ignite Your Revenue Engine - Virtual
HomeCareSales
November 1-3, 2023
Strategic Analysis and Provider Guidance
CMS CY2024 Final Rule Cuts to Home Health
Axxess
November 9, 2023
2 PM CST
Unlocking Home Care Agency Efficiency with AI
Virtual Workshop
Automation Edge
Nov 8, 2023
11 a.m. CST
Home Health Final Rule: Clinical & Financial Strategies for Success in 2024
McBee Associates
Nov 8, 2023
1:30 - 2:30 p.m. EST
Virtual
Automating Your Compliance Process in Home Care
AxisCare and CareAcademy
Nov 8. 2023
12 p.m. CT
Virtual
Call for Speaker Proposals
Association for Home & Hospice Care of North Carolina (AHHC) Annual Convention and Expo
April 7-10, 2024
Raleigh Convention CenterThe deadline to submit a proposal is November 15, 2023.
2023 Annual Conference – Hybrid Hospice & Palliative Care
Hospice & Palliative Care Association of New York State
November 13-14, 2023
Albany Marriott Hotel
Albany, NY
Understanding the CY 2024 Home Health Final Rule:
Your agency's path forward
WellSky
Nov 15, 2023
Presented by Cindy Campbell, MHA-Healthcare Informatics, BSN, RN, COQS, CHHCM
12 p.m. CST
Request for Speakers: 2024 Annual Conference
Indiana Association for Home Health Care
April 16-17, 2024
The deadline to submit proposals is November 17, 2023.
Safety Matters: Protecting Home Care Workers from Violence
National Association for Home Care & Hospice
Nov 29, 2023
3:00 - 4:00 p.m. EST
Rapid Competency and Quality Improvement Training
CMS
November 30, 2023
1:00 p.m. EST
Safety Matters:
Protecting Home Care Workers from ViolenceNational Association for Home Care and Hospice
Nov 29, 2023
3 p.m. - 4 p.m. EST
2023 Virtual Annual Conference
Virginia Association for Homecare and HospiceOpening Date:November 15
Turning Lemons into Lemonade: Developing resilience in the face of change
McBee
Dec 6, 2023
1:00 p.m. EST
CRM Showcase:Empowering Reps for Smarter, More Efficient Growth
Trella Health
December 12, 2023
12 p.m. EST
Don't be Late for Section GGPrepare now for the new Discharge Function Score
NetSmart
Dec 12, 2023
2:00 p.m. EST
CRM Showcase: Empowering Reps for Smarter, More Efficient Growth
Trella Health
Dec 12, 2023
12 p.m. EST
Excavate-Tell-Affirm
Brand Leadership Summit
Revealing Genius
Dec 7-15, 2023
1 p.m. - 2 p.m. EST
RCM Success Toolkit:
Insights for RCM Leaders
NetSmart
December 14, 2023
2:00 p.m. EST
Understanding, Identifying, and Overcoming Conscious and Unconscious Bias
Home Care Pulse
Ongoing
FREE Sample Course
Home Health and Hospice Summit
HealthCare Synergy
January 10, 2024
Renaissance Hotel
Long Beach, CA
Home Care 100*
Lincoln Intelligence Group
January 21-24, 2024
The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess
Scottsdale, AZ
AGILE: Axxess Growth, Innovation and Leadership Experience*
Axxess
April 21-24, 2024
Irving Convention Center
Dallas, TX
Annual Conference & Trade Show
Michigan HomeCare & Hospice Association
May 8-9, 2024
Radisson of Kalamazoo
2024 KHCA Annual Conference
Kentucky Home Care Association
August 14-15, 2024
Embassy Suites by Hilton Lexington/UK Coldstream
Lexington, KY
Insight2024
6th Annual Forum on Coding, OASIS & Quality
McBee
Aug 5-7, 2024
Sheraton Overland Park Hotel at the Convention Center
Overland Park, Kansas
Agency Amplify
HomeCareSales
Recurring
2nd Tuesday
*The Rowan Report will see you there.
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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