Essential Training At Your Finger Tips

Join HCAF for this informative chat about hot topics affecting the Private Duty home care sector. As a benefit of membership, these monthly online programs are offered at no cost to Private Duty members. This Month's Topic: Ideas to Grow and Diversify Your Home Care Agency Variety is the spice of life! Diversifying your home care business could be the key to success. In this program, SimiTree Healthcare Consulting's J'non Griffin will discuss ways to combat today's financial challenges, including new competition, stagnant reimbursement rates, inflation, and staffing shortages. This program is aimed at assisting home care providers who might not know where to start, what opportunities they could explore, and what potential headaches they might encounter. We will discuss a range of options for private pay, licensed-only providers as to the pros, cons, and considerations of adding a new revenue stream, forming a partnership with a provider already doing it successfully, or expanding current services. Course Author -  J'non Griffin Read more

Remaining compliant with HIPAA and other applicable laws when electronically communicating with patients is essential to protect health care providers against breaches, privacy lawsuits, and other negative consequences. With the increasing federal and state regulatory focus on cybersecurity and the nationally-proclaimed battle against cybercriminals, health care providers can no longer put privacy and security compliance on the “to do” list for when there is time and money. Fines and other penalties associated with breach events have become increasingly severe and can cripple any provider and put smaller providers out of business. This webinar will assist providers to become more compliant and will provide information on actions that can be taken to fit within the relatively new “safe harbor” for best cybersecurity practices. This safe harbor can help providers reduce or eliminate penalties when under investigation by the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (HIPAA enforcement agency) relating to a security breach, audit, or other investigation. Course Author - Lani Dornfeld, Esq. Read more

The home care industry in Florida has seen significant changes since COVID-19, and in the coming years, those changes are expected to be transformational. A key strategy for organizations and the home care industry in Florida is to communicate the economic and social benefits that our industry provides to the state. In order to compete with nursing homes and other health care sectors for state and federal monies, it is critical to have hard economic data on the impact of home care. By sharing the collective impact of the Florida home care provider community, we will assist in driving current and future policy decisions that will help our industry grow so it can meet future demands. In this exclusive webinar, Paul Umbach, an international expert in economic design transformation in health care, explains how hard data can be used to drive changes in policy and funding for our industry.  Speaker/Course Author - Paul Umbach  Read more

With the onset of the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM) during the pandemic era, many home health providers have failed to address the operational changes required to manage rehab under the new value-based model. As a result of the PDGM removing rehab visits from the payment calculation, many agencies have struggled with changes required to manage rehab content and outcomes. Recent work with multiple home health providers since the onset of the PDGM has revealed the connection between PDGM-compliant rehab programs, 5-Star Ratings, and optimal reimbursement. During this four-part webinar series, attendees will learn how Medicare positioned rehab management at the center of the PDGM despite removing per/visit therapy payments. Discover how to utilize the FIL (Functional Impairment Level) successfully to deliver value-based rehab programs based on the content modifications required for PDGM outcome success. In that manner, providers can develop the OASIS accuracy necessary for optimal reimbursement, while simultaneously establishing the care pathways required for 5-Star Ratings, single-digit readmissions, and optimal fiscal margins. This exciting series breaks down the Medicare approach to the PDGM’s development to assure an understanding of rehab changes and how to achieve compliance with your therapy staff and programs. Beginning with a 10,000-foot view of the hidden value opportunities in the PDGM’s rehab regulations, home health administrators, managers and supervisors will gain insight into how to rewire therapy for new levels of success. In subsequent presentations, the development of PDGM-compliant rehab plans of care (POCs) and visit content can assure a value-based therapy episode. Finally, required rehab content necessary for skill, and denials occurring under the PDGM will round out where we are today in terms of qualified therapy expectations. The series concludes with a summary of the PDGM’s rehab POC development and in-episode delivery from admission to discharge, with a nod to future IMPACT Act reforms that will modify rehab even more. Don’t miss the exciting and informative series to optimize your rehab programs for PDGM success. Course Author -  Arnie Cisneros, PT Read more

Variety is the spice of life! And for your home care business, diversification could be the key. During this webinar, SimiTree Healthcare Consulting's J'non Griffin will discuss ways to combat today's financial challenges, which include new competition, decreasing government reimbursements, inflation, and staffing shortages. This program aims at helping home care providers that might not know where to start, what opportunities to consider, and potential headaches they might encounter. We will discuss a range of options based on the sector (e.g. Medicare, Medicaid, private duty, licensed only, and hospice) as well as pros, cons, and considerations of adding a new revenue stream, forming a partnership with a provider already doing it successfully, or expanding services. Additionally, we will discuss the attraction of value-based, risk-sharing agreements with new partners as a means to test the water for both parties. The following service lines will be discussed for addition, expansion, or partnership: Private Duty for Medicare/Medicaid-certified organizations or separate licensure Non-skilled Private Duty satellite office Hospice Palliative care Medicare Medicaid, including both federal certification and managed care/contracting  Wound care Infusion Hospital-at-Home and SNF-at-Home models for Medicare Advantage business Telehealth and remote monitoring technology Markets tailored to specific ethnic groups We will also discuss Florida-specific nuances for each of these lines.    Speaker/Course Author - J'non Griffin, RN, HCS-D, COS-C, HCS-H, HCS-C  Read more

This webinar will cover the top ten survey deficiencies for Medicare-certified agencies, and how to avoid them. During this program, we will outline those top deficiencies and review the documentation that is required in the chart to avoid the deficiency. Best practices for your agency charts, processes, etc., will be detailed so that providers realize how the surveyor is going to review the elements related to the Conditions of Participation (CoPs). Key elements that surveyors find deficient in agency records will be outlined and reviewed. Course Author: Victoria Barron, MBA, BSN, RN Read more