Volume 10, Number 44 — March  10, 2021




Dear Healthcare at Home Colleague,

Referrals are your lifeline. Like the body needs food every day, home health and home care agencies need a continuous flow of patients and clients from hospitals, physicians, and that familiar adult son or daughter from far away. For that reason, providers in every Post Acute Care sector will want to study the results of a new survey we found by Porter Research. The headline finding is that more referral sources than ever before say they would abandon their favorite PAC provider if they found another that had better interoperability capabilities.

In other words, patient data exchange technologies are becoming more important than your sales team.

Software vendors have as much to learn from the survey. More PAC providers than last year, in fact about three times more, say they would switch Electronic Medical Record software systems if their current one was costing them referrals because it had limited interoperability capabilities. There are many more details in our interview with interoperability advisor and CommonWell board chair Nick Knowlton, including a link to download two surveys, one directed toward in-home care and one for residential institutions. Click below on "Survey Finds Interoperability A Deal-Breaker for Referral Sources."

 

PDGM

You have learned over the last year that wound care reimbursement is more generous under PDGM. Knowing how scarce qualified wound care specialists are, many HHA Directors of Nursing have looked to online services where experts examine their hi-res photos. Until now, a major obstacle has been comparing wound progress over time when photos are not all taken from the same distance and angle, or with the same lighting. Staff writer Darcey Trescone interviewed Kathy Piette, the CEO of Corstrata, about their solution to this problem. See "Maximize Episode Management with Evidenced-Based Wound Care."

Darcey also brings her home care sales training expertise to bear in a plea for your operations people to communicate their needs to your outside sales personnel. If you have experienced that disconnect, be sure to see "Expert Offers Tips to Improve Sales and Operational Planning."

 

Patient Engagement Tool Slashes Readmissions, ED Visits

Meet Dr. Querubin Iguban, MD, MBA, but please call him "Jun." The founder of Genesis Home Health and Hospice struggled with caring for patients as far as 77 miles from the nearest hospital. The communications and telehealth capabilities he implemented from Synzi reduced the number of miles his clinicians have to drive and increased patient satisfaction, while reducing their need to take those long trips to hospitals. See Synzi's news release and our interview with Jun in this week's "Vendor Watch" column.

Lastly, we offer some links to free CMS trainings. Several were released in January and February and remain available online.

 

Worth the Trip

"4 Strategies for Creating a Competitive Advantage for Your Agency" is set for Thursday, March 11, at half past noon, Eastern Time. Presented by KanTime, it will feature Joseph Brence, Head of Home and Community Care Strategy and Solutions, MedBridge; Jessica Chew, VP of Marketing, Trella Health; and moderator Kristen Duell, EVP, KanTime.

Do not forget that Lincoln Healthcare Leadership plans to restart Homecare 100 in late June. Scroll down for registration details.

Have a safe and healthy week. Keep making a difference!

 

Editor signature
Tim Rowan


Survey Finds Interoperability A Deal-Breaker for Referral Sources
76 percent of hospitals and physicians that refer to post acute care say they would stop referring to one agency and switch to another that had superior interoperability capabilities.

Maximize Episode Management with Evidenced-Based Wound Care
Inadequately treated pressure ulcers are the second most common legal claim against healthcare providers after a wrongful death. Darcey Trescone, RN, profiles a company battling the wound care specialist shortage with online assistance.

Expert Offers Tips to Improve Sales and Operational Planning
Sales and operations planning (S&OP) provides continuous focus, alignment, and synchronization among all its functional departments.

CMS News: Free Home Health Training Offered
CMS offers free online training for post-acute care providers. Many courses are aimed at Home Health.

Vendor Watch
— Nevada Home Care provider reduces hospital admissions with Synzi communications


During the 2nd Quarter of 2023, web sites of the above advertisers were visited by home care and hospice executives and staff 4976 times.

To inquire about placing your message here, contact:

Kristin@rowanresources.com

As of this date, approximately 40,942,000 Baby Boomers have become Medicare eligible.

 

Last Week's Most-Read Stories:

Four Home Care Agencies Solve Expensive "Bad Hire" Problem
What does it cost when a new caregiver disappears after orientation and training, never taking a first shift? How often does it happen? One franchise organization has found a way to lower this risk, saving $4,500 or more every time a bad hire is avoided.

Tips for Recruiting Nurses
Among the many reasons there is a nursing shortage in post-acute care, the number of nurses leaving the workforce each year has been growing steadily from around 40,000 in 2010 to nearly 80,000 by 2020. Here are 15 tips to recruit and retain home health nurses.




Upcoming Events

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

Register

2021, in many ways, is a continuation of challenges from 2020 and more! During this webinar, experts from companies with solutions for talent/retention and compliance issues, along with the continued challenges that COVID-19 has presented to our industry, will cover rules, regulations, and programs you need to stay on top of so your company can thrive amidst the pandemic.

2021 Home Care and Hospice Conference and Expo *

National Association for Home Care and Hospice

Date: October 3-5
Venue: New Orleans

Sadly, 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 Manager

Date: Wednesday, November 3
Time: 11:00 am PDT / 2:00 pm EDT

Register

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

Information and Registration

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.


Important Final Rule Discoveries Every Agency Needs to Know: Examining HH PPS for CY2022

Presented by: HealthRevPartners

Featuring: John Reisinger, CPA

DATE: November 18

TIME: 2:00 - 3:00 EST

VENUE: Online

FEE: NONE

Register Here

One of the major changes in CMS’ final rule for the Home Health Prospective Payment System announced is this — ???2022 will be a "pre-implementation year for the HHVBP, which was originally scheduled to begin in January.

Learn exactly what you need to do in 2022 for HHVBP.

Additionally, we will cover these final rule changes and more:

And, do you know how much your Medicare revenues are projected to change?

There will be a 3.2% increase ($570 million) in home health spending for CY2022.

 


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 WEBINAR: Combat the Great Resignation and Reduce Employee Turnover by 40%

Presented by: National Minority Health Association

Date: Tuesday, May 24

Time: 10:00 AM Pacific; 1:00 PM Eastern 

Information and Registration

 

Agenda
As organizations plan for the future, they must cultivate a happier, healthier workforce. Most CEOs, CFOs, HR professionals, and other business leaders are eager to know the true impact of financial wellness. We are gathering to discuss and explore how prioritizing employee financial wellness can help increase caregiver retention and productivity at no cost to your businesses.

 


Gulf Coast Regional Conference & Exposition

Presented by: Home Care Associations of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama

Date: July 18-20

Venue: Grand Hotel Marriott Resort

Location: Point Clear, Alabama

Information and Registration


2022 ONC Virtual Tech Forum 

Sponsored by: Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT

Location: Online

Dates: September 9, 16, and 23

Information and Registration

ONC has posted the high-level agenda and opened up registration for the 2022 ONC Virtual Tech Forum on HealthIT.gov. This year's event takes place during three consecutive Fridays in September (9th, 16th, 23rd). As in years past, the Tech Forum will feature industry perspectives on the progress made in health IT over the past year, and highlight how we can continue to advance health technology to improve patient care, health equity, data exchange, and interoperability.

MHCA 52nd Annual Meeting & Expo

Sponsored by: Minnesota Home Care Association

Date: October 12-14
Venue: Breezy Point Resort
City: Breezy Point, MN

Information and Registration

2022 Annual Conference
New Mexico Association for Home and Hospice Care

Date: November 3
Venue: CNM Workforce Training Center
City: Albuquerque

Information and Registration

Featuring:


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

 

Information and Registration


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 Exposition

Dates: April 9-10
Venue: NIU Naperville

Information and Registration


FREE WEBINAR: CMS’ Proposed Hospice FY2024 Payment Rule: Implications for Agencies and the Hospice Community

Sponsored by NAHC
Featuring: Theresa Forster, Katie Wehri

Date: April 11
Time: 12:00 - 1:30 EDT

Details and Registration

 

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
Time: 1:00 - 2:30 EDT

Encore date: April 13
On-demand recording available 24/7
Option to purchase recording and handouts

 

Information 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.

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 & Spa

Registration and Information

The 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, CA


Information and Registration

Featured Speakers:

Partial list of topics:


HI2: Home Care Innovation and Investment Conference *Presented by: Lincoln Healthcare Leadership

Dates: June 12-14
Venue: Swissotel 
City: Chicago


Information and Registration

Featured Speakers:


leading ONE vision

Homecare Homebase User Group Meeting

Dates: June 12-14
Venue: Sheraton Dallas Hotel

Information and Registration

Clinical 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:


2032 NAHC Financial Management Conference & Exposition

Date: July 16-18
Venue: Hilton Riverside, New Orleans

Information and Registration

 

In addition to NAHC president Bill Dombi, featured speakers will include:


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


Information and Registration


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

Register here 

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. 

 


2023 NAHC Annual Meeting & Exposition *

"One Voice, Many Stories"

Date: October 15-17
Venue: Gaylord 
Location: National Harbor, MD

Information and Registration

Keynote Speakers:


 

Vision – Plan – Succeed: 2023 Leadership Conference

Association for Home & Hospice Care of North Carolina

Dates: October 29-31
Venue: Renaissance Hotel
City: Ashville

Information and Registration 


Featured speakers:

Bill Dombi, Melinda Gaboury, Tim Rogers, Nick Seabrook, Mark Sharp, Robert Markette, Mark Kulik, and more.

 


 

Call for Speaker Proposals

Association for Home & Hospice Care of North Carolina (AHHC) Annual Convention and Expo

Dates: April 7-10, 2024
Venue: Raleigh Convention Center

 

Click this link to learn more and to submit your proposal: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6RRNNY3
The deadline to submit a proposal is November 15, 2023.


Conference Title:                                                   2023 Annual Hybrid Hospice & Palliative Care Conference

Sponsoring Association:                                       Hospice & Palliative Care Association of New York State
Date(s):                                                                    November 13-14, 2023
Hotel or Conference Center, City, State:            Albany Marriott Hotel, Albany, NY
URL:                                                                          www.hpcanys.org

 

 

?~Kim

Kimberly Ryan ?

Education & Membership 

Hospice & Palliative Care Association of NYS (HPCANYS)

Advance Care Planning Center for Excellence
119 Washington Ave, Suite 302 

Albany NY 12210 

518.446.1483 x 224 |www.hpcanys.org 


 

2023 Virtual Annual Conference
Virginia Association for Homecare and Hospice

Opening Date: November 15

More Information

 


*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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