Volume 12, Number 25 — May  3, 2023



Dear Healthcare at Home Colleague,

Artificial Intelligence, friend or nightmare? With this issue, we begin a series of special reports focused on the Agency of the Future. Among other technologies, we will explore the impact of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in healthcare: on our operating environment, our clinical practice, agency management, hiring, and employee relations. 

With the introduction of this series, we are proud to welcome a new writer to our team, a name that will be familiar to those who have been in our healthcare sector for a while. Rather than introduce her here, I urge you to read her story in this week's pages. It is a great one. Scroll down or click here on the aptly titled "Meet Our New Staff Writer." You will find her discoveries from her research into AI to be riveting, especially this issue's introduction to the field. As always, we welcome your feedback on this new series. editor@homecaretechreport.com

 

IN THIS WEEK'S NEWS

In addition to our feature article about AI, we again welcome guest author and home care attorney Elizabeth Hogue with a report on a Home Health agency that lost its payment denial appeal, not because the facts the agency presented were inadequate but because they submitted their paperwork too late. It is a cautionary tale well worth reading.

As healthcare entities have been strengthening their firewalls and keeping virus detection software updated, criminals both foreign and domestic have been sharpening their skills as well. Gartner sent us a report of their findings that an increasing number of cybersecurity breaches -- in fact, more than half of them -- come through social engineering. To wit, someone calls on the phone or sends an email and convinces your employee that they are from your own IT department, or perhaps a faraway branch manager. Clearly, the need is training more than stronger firewalls. See "Top Cybersecurity Risk 2023-24? You and Your Staff"

WORTH THE TRIP

State and national conference season is approaching. We do our best to post every announcement sent to us. Scroll down to see our current list of upcoming events. There are some where we hope to see you. Let me point out a couple. 

Home Care Innovation Forum is a new conference from "The Influence Group," set for June 4-6 in Carlsbad, California. Not to be confused with Home Care Innovation and Investment Conference, a production of Lincoln Healthcare Leadership, the organizers of Home Care 100. It will take place in Chicago, June 12-14. Detailed below in our Upcoming Events column are state conferences in Utah, Colorado, Michigan, and the Homecare Homebase annual user group meeting. Looking to the end of the month, CAHSAH is scheduled for the 22nd to 25th at the The Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort & Spa. We hope to see you at one or more of these.

 

NO TRIP NECESSARY

Medicaid providers may have already heard about the CMS proposed rule. Buried deep inside is this proposal: "Require that at least 80% of Medicaid payments for personal care, homemaker, and home health aide services be spent on compensation for the direct care workforce (as opposed to administrative overhead or profit)." If you are a NAHC member, you can read the rest of the pertinent details on the NAHC web site. The lobbyists and educators at NAHC are already on the job and will be presenting a webinar on the proposed rule on Wednesday, May 10.

Have a great week. Keep making a difference!

Editor signature
Tim Rowan


AI and the Agency of the Future — Opportunities, Threats, and Promising New Efficiencies
AI is already a part of our everyday lives. From art to academics and disease management, continuous advances have already changed the way humans access and utilize information. Recent tests reveal occasional difficulties distinguishing AI responses from human. This article is the first in a series exploring key considerations as artificial intelligence makes its way into home health, hospice and home care .

Meet Our New Staff Writer, Heather L Thompson
You might remember her as Heather Rooney, the sales and marketing expert who helped put OCS on the map and later went out on her own as "Heather L. Rooney Strategy & Marketing." We are excited to welcome her back and put her to work as our new expert contributing writer on topics related to AI, Machine Learning and the Agency of the Future.

Court Upholds Medicare Contractor's Decision to Deny Claims Based on Untimely Appeal
Guest author and home care attorney Elizabeth Hogue reports on a failed payment denial appeal with broad implications for all providers.

Top Cybersecurity Risk 2023-24? You and Your Staff
Analysts exploring the future of cybersecurity at the Gartner "Security & Risk Management Summit" discover that most HIPAA breaches result from a low-level employee being tricked.


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 49,566,000 Baby Boomers have become Medicare eligible.

 

Last Week's Most-Read Stories:

Medicare Advantage Is Neither Medicare Nor an Advantage
Former insurance executive who used to sell Medicare Advantage explains why it is stealing from taxpayers and seniors.

Home Health, Home Care Must Be Familiar With Rare Diseases
Our eyes were opened at last week's National Ataxia Foundation annual conference. If Ataxia is a new term to you, and if you are a nurse, physical therapist, speech therapist, or personal care attendant, you may find this information will make you a better one.




Upcoming Events

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.

 


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 


 

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.


 

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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