Volume 11, Number 22 — March  2, 2022



Dear Healthcare at Home Colleague,

We begin with an urgent message from the National Association for Home Care & Hospice this week. Please click on our lead article and read the appeal to contact your Representatives and Senators as soon as possible.

We Love Reader Feedback

The response to our recent report about the powerful comments made from the Home Care 100 stage was historic. We count clicks on articles and that one got about 10 times as many eyeballs as our usual weekly "most-read" story. It also generated some serious responses. Rather than print a couple of your letters, we decided to gather them and analyze them for our next issue. Here is a preview: "Physicians would say to the Home Health community, 'There is no more money; get used to it.'" If you were one of the few who missed that article and would like to read up before we publish our analysis, click below in our "Most-Read" column.

LHC Group Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer Bruce Greenstein was not the only featured speaker making waves at Home Care 100. We report this week on the comments of former CMS Administrator Seema Verma, now a WellSky board member. Free from her former title, she was a tad more forthcoming with her opinions about some of the regulatory limitations she had to endure for four years, and that Home Health and Hospice are still living with.

 

 

Attention IT Cybersecurity Managers

We are honored to have been chosen to publish an important security advisory by guest author Don Boxley, Jr., MBA. Don is the CEO of DH2i, a cybersecurity firm. He argues that ransomware criminals have figured out how to get around VPN connections and recommends a more modern solution. His excellent piece is titled "Healthcare Industry Huge Target for Cybercrime."

 

VENDOR NEWS

Not to confuse you, but we learned of two software company announcements this week: Axxess and Axis Care. The Home Health and Hospice software vendor Axxess announced a unique palliative care management system. The private duty vendor Axis Care has landed a huge national franchise as its newest customer. Click on our Vendor Watch column for details.

 

Still Struggling with Staffing Shortages?

We remain committed to doing everything we can to find staffing solutions for you, some designed to attract more applicants, some to keep good workers on board longer. Throughout 2022, we will be bringing new companies with new strategies into these pages, and we are seeking speaking engagements at state and national conferences so we can tell you about all the hidden gems we have found.

We know this is important to you. We presented an early version of this year's presentation in Colorado last fall, to a standing room only audience. The updated version will include additional technology products and personal video messages from their inventors or CEOs. Watch this page. We will let you know where we will be appearing as soon as we get our acceptance from each state.

 

 

Worth the Trip: AHHC 50th Anniversary Celebration

Registration has opened for the Annual Convention & Expo — and 50th birthday party — of the Association for Home and Hospice Care of North Carolina. "Building Tomorrow Together" will be held at the Raleigh Marriott Crabtree! This event includes a Hospice & Palliative Care Clinical Intensive (Sunday, 5/1), Main Conference (5/2-5/3), and a Population Health Day (5/4). Invited guests include NC Governor, Roy Cooper; NC DHHS Secretary Kody Kinsley; Secretary of NC Dept. of Military and Veterans Affairs, Walter Gaskin; Past AHHC Board of Directors Chairs; & other VIPs!

The Hospice & Palliative Care Clinical Intensive speakers include Michael Lalor, MD, MBA, CPE, FACHE, HMDC, FAAHPM, FAAPL, Chief Medical Officer, Trellis Supportive Care; Mark Fox, MD, FACP, FAAHPM, HMDC, National Medical Director, Kindred at Home-Hospice Division; Elizabeth Golding, DO, Medical Director, Cone Health Palliative Care Services.

After-hours activities will include a "Throwback to the 70's" themed 50th Anniversary Celebration. Other confirmed speakers include Humana CEO Bruce Broussard, NAHC President Bill Dombi, AHHC President & CEO Tim Rogers, NHPCO President & CEO Edo Banach, and two Senior Provider Relations Representatives from Palmetto GBA. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

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

Editor signature
Tim Rowan


Urgent Call to Action to Help Hospice Providers
NAHC advocacy needs ALL in-home care providers to contact their representatives about telehealth for the hospice F2F recert.

Healthcare Industry Huge Target for Cybercrime
Guest author Don Boxley Jr. makes a case for replacing vulnerable VPN security with much stronger "Software-Defined Perimeter" solutions.

Former CMS Admin Delivers Mixed Messages
Seema Verma addressed this year's Home Care 100 audience with two contradictory messages.

Vendor Watch
— Interim choose Axis Care for private duty franchises
— Axxess introduces palliative care software solution


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 44,869,000 Baby Boomers have become Medicare eligible.

 

Last Week's Most-Read Stories:

Shock and Awe at Homecare 100
475 attendees too stunned to applaud.

Innovative Technologies Featured at Home Care 100 2022
Last week's Home Care 100 gathering concluded with demonstrations of seven new technology products. Whether you are Home Health, Hospice, or Home Care, at least two or three of them will improve your organization's operations.


Upcoming Events

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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