by Rowan Report | Apr 2, 2024 | Partner News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
STAKEHOLDERS SEND LETTER TO DEA URGING ACTION ON TELEHEALTH RULE CRUCIAL FOR MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS
WASHINGTON, DC, APRIL 2, 2024 – The Alliance for Connected Care, the American Telemedicine Association, ATA Action, the Consumer Technology Association, the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, and the Partnership to Advance Virtual Care, co-leading the effort, submitted a letter to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) requesting the expedited release of a revised proposed rule to permit and regulate the prescribing of controlled substances through telehealth. The letter was signed by 214 stakeholders. Current flexibilities allowing for the remote prescribing of controlled substances are set to expire at the end of this year, necessitating regulatory action to ensure their continuation.
Stakeholders praised the DEA for their leadership and actions taken to ensure continued patient access to care be delivered through telemedicine in advance of the final telemedicine regulations expiring at the end of this year. The letter also urged DEA to propose the updated rules immediately for the following reasons:
- To ensure stakeholders have adequate time to provide feedback on any policy proposal.
- If DEA were to create a special registration process for telehealth prescribers, as proposed by DEA and many stakeholders, substantial operational lead-time would be needed to implement the new process and comply with other potential operational requirements and guardrails.
- A rulemaking late in the year that makes significant policy changes would affect the ability of patients and clinicians to make appointments and ensure consistent access to care.
- There will be operational staff training needs for pharmacies and other parts of the healthcare delivery system to ensure patients uninterrupted access to needed medical treatments offered through telehealth.
- DEA’s national leadership is needed to set a clear path forward for the nation and to encourage more consistent definitions and aligned requirements from state regulatory bodies – to encourage care in our most underserved areas, without geographic barriers limiting access to care.
To read a full copy of the stakeholder letter: Stakeholder Letter Urging DEA to Issue a Proposed Rule on Remote Prescribing of Controlled Substances
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MEDIA CONTACTS:
by Rowan Report | Mar 28, 2024 | Partner News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
INNOVATION TAKING CENTER STAGE AT ATA NEXUS 2024: 12 FINALISTS PRESENTING LIVE AT ATA TELEHEALTH INNOVATORS CHALLENGE
ATA Nexus Annual Conference, May 5-7, Phoenix, AZ
WASHINGTON, DC, MARCH 28, 2024 – The American Telemedicine Association (ATA) today announced the 12 finalists who will be presenting live at the Telehealth Innovators Challenge, where the future of healthcare meets creativity and innovation, at ATA Nexus 2024, May 5-7 in Phoenix, AZ. The ATA Telehealth Innovators Challenge is an exclusive opportunity for early-stage virtual care developers to showcase their novel solutions in front of key stakeholders, investors and decision-makers driving the future of healthcare.
The 12 innovators presenting in the final round of the Telehealth Innovators Challenge will highlight the latest digital health innovations to help eliminate gaps in access to care:
Femtech and Women’s Health:
- Leva Pelvic Health System – Axena Health
- Nest Collaborative
- The Future of Maternal Care – Bloomlife
In-patient Care Solutions:
- Oshi Health Virtual GI Center of Excellence
- ThinkAndor – Andor Health
- DermEngine AI-Powered Care Coordination – MetaOptima Technology, Inc.
The Patient Experience:
- Vori Health
- The TeleDentists
- ThriveLink (formerly Nutrible)
Tools That Deliver Care:
- CardioSignal
- Alio Remote Monitoring Platform
- Strados Labs RESP Biosensor
Meet the Innovators Challenge Judges:
Samir Batra, BAHA Enterprises; HIP; ATA Advisor (Emcee)
Kiran Avancha, PhD, HonorHealth Innovations
Amit Aysola, Create Health Ventures
Joe Brennan, TytoCare
Christine Brocato, CommonSpirit Health
Adam Dakin, Medivation Advisors
Tracy Dooley MD, Avestria Ventures
Charlotte Gabet, Parkview Health
Jon Gabriel, Foley & Lardner
Nancy Green, The SAA Group, LLC
Rick Hall, PhD, Mayo Clinic/ASU MedTech Accelerator
Saira Haque, PhD, Pfizer Medical Affairs
Jennifer Joe, MD, AstraZeneca
Aditi U. Joshi, MD, Digital Health Consultant
Connor McDermott, A1 Health Ventures
Kate Merton, PhD, ChicagoArc
Matt Miller, PhD, Headwater Ventures
Yuriy Oinyskiv, Orlando Health Ventures
Maxim Owen, Wavemaker Three-Sixty Health
Rakesh Patel, MD, Good Samaritan Hospital
Julia Monfrini Peev, PACE Healthcare Capital
Shravan Rai, Teladoc Health
Lygeia Ricciardi, AdaRose
Julianne Roseman, Plug and Play
Matthew Sakumoto, MD, Sutter Health-West Bay Region
Mayank Taneja, OSF Healthcare
Kristen Valdes, b.well
Elliott Wilson, Flying Pig Consulting
Keith Winter, Teal Ventures
Emily Zhen, Zeal Capital Partners
Anthony Zlaket, Tampa General Hospital
Jeff Zucker, Digital Health Entrepreneur/Investor
ATA Nexus features three full days of dynamic content, including new programming formats and interactive sessions that will explore The Next Chapter in Virtual Care, including interactive sessions, collaborative workshops, a bustling exhibit floor and networking and social events that will spark curiosity, foster learning, and ignite transformative discussions, including:
- Four Deep Dive sessions on the hottest topics in virtual care, plus NEW! Telehealth 101 Bootcamp
- Over 80 Oral and Poster Research Presentations with CME
- NEW! System Spotlights featuring leading hospital systems on the forefront
- NEW! Curbside Consult sessions, engaging and informal “consults” with clinicians and industry experts
- Annual Telehealth Innovators Challenge live pitch competition
- NEW! Meet the Experts lounge in the ATA Hub
- NEW! Insights Workshop on Virtual Nursing for senior nursing leaders
- Plus over 300 speakers, hundreds of sponsors and exhibitors, and an audience packed with telehealth and virtual care stakeholders
GENERAL REGISTRATION: For more information or to register, please visit the ATA Nexus 2024 website for details and easy online registration.
MEDIA REGISTRATION: Register to attend ATA Nexus 2024 here and use comp code ATA24PRMEDIA to receive complimentary press credentials. Or contact Gina Cella at gcella@americantelemed.org.
About the ATA
As the only organization completely focused on advancing telehealth, the American Telemedicine Association is committed to ensuring that everyone has access to safe, affordable, and appropriate care when and where they need it, enabling the system to do more good for more people. The ATA represents a broad and inclusive member network of leading healthcare delivery systems, academic institutions, technology solution providers and payers, as well as partner organizations and alliances, working to advance industry adoption of telehealth, promote responsible policy, advocate for government and market normalization, and provide education and resources to help integrate virtual care into emerging value-based delivery models.
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CONTACT:
Gina Cella
gcella@americantelemed.org
t: 781-799-3137
Get your free subscription to The Rowan Report today
by Rowan Report | Mar 28, 2024 | Partner News
Key Findings Include:
- Average 2023 hourly rate for home health aide increased 5.2%
- Hourly per visit nurse rate decreased 1.6% with facility prices mixed
- Washington and New Hampshire most expensive states for home health aides
illumifin’s comprehensive study provides insight which empowers consumers, insurers, and providers by benchmarking the prices of senior care.
WOODBURY, Minn., March 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — illumifin, the leading insurance administration and claims solution provider for long term care (LTC) insurance, has just released its 2023 Cost of Care study and comprehensive analysis. Now in its tenth year, this longitudinal study includes national, state and regional costs of various care services, spanning skilled nursing, adult day care, home health care and assisted living facilities.
illumifin’s Cost of Care study gathers tens of thousands of data points from care providers nationwide, with results normalized by the company’s in-house actuarial and data science teams. Insurers and financial services providers rely on this data for both forecasting and stakeholder education as well as informing customers and agents about national and regional cost variations. In addition, care providers benefit from understanding the market rates for services in their area. These insights are also accessible via illumifin’s What Care Costs website, which offers interactive maps and projection tools to sort, rank and evaluate average costs of LTC services across the US.
illumifin’s study found that the average hourly rate for a home health aide in 2023 was $30.62, an increase of 5.2 percent over the prior year. Meanwhile, the average per-visit rate for a registered nurse in 2023 was $147.72, a decrease of 1.6 percent over the prior year, potentially reflecting rates beginning to normalize post pandemic.
The research also shows facility prices were mixed. The average assisted living facility rates increased between 0.6 and 3.8 percent in 2023 depending on room type, reversing course from the pandemic where assisted living facility rates had been trending downward. However, skilled nursing facility rates experienced a small decrease in 2023 between 0.4 and 1.0 percent.
The most expensive states for home health aides were Washington and New Hampshire, whereas Mississippi and Louisiana were the least expensive. Meanwhile, the most expensive assisted living rates were found in New Hampshire and New Jersey, while the lowest assisted living prices were found in Alabama and Oklahoma.
“We are proud to leverage our 30 years of experience in senior care to provide actionable data for insurers, consumers, providers and financial institutions,” said Peter Goldstein, illumifin’s President and CEO. “Our focus remains on customer centric initiatives which assist in managing risk and planning for the future. Our Cost of Care survey has proven valuable to not only to our business partners but providing valuable knowledge to consumers and their families as they navigate the maze of service types when making care decisions.”
The study, interactive tool and data are available for use by insurers, providers and financial services firms. For more information regarding illumifin’s Cost of Care Study, please contact Jennifer Frost via email at jenniferfrost@illumifin.com.
About illumifin
illumifin provides third party administration and technology services to individual and group insurers. The company, launched in 2021, blends insurance industry knowledge, technology leadership and operational execution to prepare insurers for the digital future. illumifin is a diverse, passionate and empowered team of insurance specialists committed to the growth and success of its customers. With illumifin, there’s a brighter future. Visit www.illumifin.com.
Contact: Chris Tofalli
Chris Tofalli Public Relations, LLC
914-834-4334
SOURCE illumifin
by Rowan Report | Mar 28, 2024 | Admin, Clinical, Partner News, Telehealth
CONTACT: Shannon Bishop-Green, SBishopGreen@MessagePartnersPR.com, (860) 305-3197
NEW REPORT FINDS THAT DIGITAL DIABETES MANAGEMENT TOOLS FAIL TO DELIVER MEANINGFUL HEALTH BENEFITS TO PATIENTS WHILE INCREASING SPENDING
Independent evaluation from Peterson Health Technology Institute recommends new directions for digital diabetes solutions
NEW YORK — Peterson Health Technology Institute (PHTI), an independent organization that evaluates healthcare technologies to improve health and lower costs, today released
a new evaluation of digital diabetes management tools. These solutions are used by millions of Americans and have been funded by $58 billion of investment and mergers and acquisitions, yet the evidence shows that the technologies do not deliver meaningful clinical benefits, and result in increased healthcare spending.
The analysis, conducted by a team of health technology assessment experts and informed by clinical advisors, evaluated eight widely used digital tools that people with Type 2 diabetes use to track and manage blood glucose using a noncontinuous glucometer.
The report found that people who use these tools achieve only small reductions in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) compared to those who do not, and these reductions are not sufficient or sustained enough to change the trajectory of their health, care, or long-term prognosis, including cardiovascular risks. The solutions also result in increased overall healthcare costs. One promising solution, Virta, supports nutritional ketosis to achieve diabetes remission in patients who follow the rigorous diet modifications.
“When these digital diabetes management tools launched more than a decade ago, they promised to improve health outcomes for people with diabetes and deliver savings to payers. Based on the scientific evidence, these solutions have fallen short, and it is time to move toward the next generation of innovation,” said Caroline Pearson, executive director of PHTI. “Patients with diabetes invest time, energy, and resources in these tools, and they deserve to experience meaningful, positive benefits for their health. The healthcare sector as a whole needs transparent, accurate information about the clinical and economic impact of these digital tools that are taking up precious healthcare dollars.”
PHTI’s rigorous analysis incorporated an evidence-based assessment framework and review of more than 1,100 articles, including 120 submitted to PHTI by companies evaluated in the report. PHTI’s ratings are at the category level, including remote patient monitoring solutions that support providers, and behavior and lifestyle modification solutions that engage users to improve their diet, exercise, and self-management.
HbA1c is the standard form of measurement of glycemic control in diabetics. The studies show that these digital tools deliver small reductions in HbA1c of 0.23 to 0.60 percentage points compared to usual care. These results are generally below industry standards for Minimal Clinically Important Difference (MCID) of 0.50 percentage points. Further, the evidence indicates that this small improvement is not durable because the reduction is not sustained over time.
Additionally, PHTI’s analysis did not find evidence to demonstrate that digital diabetes management tools improve other health factors, including weight loss, body mass index, blood pressure, cholesterol, or other common conditions impacting people with diabetes. The analysis also concluded that, despite the disproportionate impact of diabetes on low-income and racially and ethnically diverse communities, these tools are not currently being deployed in ways that improve health equity.
PHTI’s evaluation further determined that these tools increase net healthcare spending. This is due to the fact that price for the solutions exceeds the associated healthcare cost savings, because the minimal clinical benefit does not enable the patient to avoid other care or treatments. For patients using tools in the remote patient monitoring category, annual spending is projected to increase by $2,002 for commercial insurance patients, by $1,011 for Medicare patients, and by $723 for Medicaid patients, as a result of higher provider payments. For patients using tools in the behavior and lifestyle modification category, annual spending is estimated to increase by $484 for commercial insurance patients, by $513 for Medicare patients, and by $574 for Medicaid patients. For all payers, the increased spending associated with virtual diabetes solutions has a significant impact on total spending given how many people are eligible to use the solutions, including 4.3% of those with commercial insurance, 17.0% of those with Medicare, and 4.8% of those with Medicaid.
In addition to its scientific literature review, PHTI proactively engaged the companies included in the report and provided an opportunity for them to share data and product information. Companies in PHTI’s evaluation include DarioHealth, Glooko, Omada, Perry Health, Teladoc (Livongo), Verily (Onduo), Vida, and Virta. The evaluation considered evidence about which populations stand to benefit the most from using the technology, as well as the durability of clinical impacts given the importance of sustained glucose control to achieve health benefits. The economic analysis modeled expected healthcare savings resulting from improved glycemic control for patients using digital diabetes management solutions who are enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial insurance.
PHTI identified two potential bright spots for digital diabetes management tools. Initial data showed that Virta users are much more likely to achieve clinically meaningful benefits in glycemic control, including diabetes remission and the ability to reduce or eliminate their diabetes medications, if they can maintain the rigorous dietary requirements of the intervention. The other area of greater potential is among patients with higher starting HbA1c levels who are newly starting insulin. By engaging these patients at an early critical transition point in their care, digital solutions could have more impact by helping establish good self-management habits among these higher-risk patients.
Category-level ratings are available
here.
In the United States, about one in seven adults—more than 38 million living in the U.S.—has Type 2 diabetes, which is the eighth leading cause of death. At over $400 billion of total healthcare spending annually, diabetes is the most expensive chronic condition to treat and manage. Given the critical role of patient self-management, investment in digital health tools has surged in recent years.
Throughout the assessment process, PHTI worked with a range of independent evaluation partners, clinical advisors, patients with Type 2 diabetes, and other stakeholders. Report contributors and reviewers included:
- Curta: assessed the clinical and economic impact of these technologies using the published ICER-PHTI Assessment Framework for Digital Health Technologies, including the systematic literature review and budget impact assessment
- Charm Economics: identified what technologies cost to deliver, how they work, and their impact on patients and purchasers
- Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER): co-developed the ICER-PHTI Assessment Framework for Digital Health Technologies, and was consulted to review its implementation in this report
- Ami Bhatt, MD, chief innovation officer of the American College of Cardiology
- Richard Milani, MD, chief clinical innovation officer, Sutter Health; former innovation lead at Ochner Health System
- Karen Rheuban, MD, co-founder and director of the University of Virginia Center for Telehealth
“Managing diabetes is complex and essential to future cardiovascular health. Patients will gain agency and drive better clinical benefit if they direct their time and effort towards effective interventions rather than tools that provide marginal or no benefit,” said report contributor Ami Bhatt, MD, chief innovation officer of the American College of Cardiology.
“New diabetes technologies need to be easier to use, by the people who need them most, at lower cost than standard care, and provide real health benefits,” said report contributor Richard Milani, MD, chief clinical innovation officer at Sutter Health. “This evaluation suggests there is room for new innovations that deliver for patients and address worrying increases in healthcare spending.”
The PHTI report provides recommendations and best practices for innovators, providers, and payers. The next generation of diabetes management solutions should aim for clinically meaningful improvements in glycemic control, potentially integrating continuous glucose monitors and new GLP-1 obesity medications. Solutions should also generate sufficient evidence to support broader adoption, and they should prioritize access for populations who need them most. Providers of diabetes care should have clarity about the performance of these digital solutions when recommending them to their patients. Payers, including health plans and employers, should adapt their contracting approach to require transparency about the solution’s usage and benefits within their covered population and to include financial performance guarantees tied to clinical outcomes.
“PHTI is filling an important role in delivering actionable and market-facing information to digital health purchasers about what solutions will make a meaningful impact on health outcomes for members, making them worth investment,” said Peter Long, PhD, executive vice president, Strategy and Health Solutions at Blue Shield of California and a PHTI Advisory Board member. “Having an organization like PHTI cut through the noise of digital health options helps payers make faster and more effective decisions for members so that we can focus on the big work of transforming the healthcare system.”
PHTI has announced that future assessment areas include virtual physical therapy, blood pressure monitoring, and mental health tools.
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About the Peterson Health Technology Institute
The Peterson Health Technology Institute (PHTI) provides independent evaluations of innovative healthcare technologies to improve health and lower costs. Through its rigorous, evidence-based research, PHTI analyzes the clinical benefits and economic impact of digital health solutions, as well as their effects on health equity, privacy, and security. These evaluations inform decisions for providers, patients, payers, and investors, accelerating the adoption of high-value technology in healthcare. PHTI was founded in 2023 by the Peterson Center on Healthcare. For more information, please visit PHTI.com.
by Rowan Report | Mar 6, 2024 | Regulatory
From the NAHC News Desk,
Late on Monday, March 4, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) announced it plans to formally end the Value-Based Insurance Design (VBID) Medicare Advantage hospice “carve-in” demonstration on December 31, 2024, and that it will not accept applications to the previously released CY 2025 Request for Applications (RFA) for the hospice component of the Model. In its announcement, CMMI stated that it made the decision to terminate the demo “after carefully considering recent feedback about the increasing operational challenges of the Hospice Benefit Component and limited and decreasing participation among MAOs that may impact a thorough evaluation”. CMMI recently solicited input on the carve-in via a public request for information (RFI).
NAHC was pleased to be able to provide detailed comments to the RFI highlighting our members’ ongoing concerns and frustrations with the demonstration and registering our deep skepticism that the model was necessary or appropriate for hospice patients and families. We are pleased to see CMMI has decided to end this particular demo, and we look forward to continuing to work with them to advance innovation in care delivery and payment models for people with serious illness.
Since the carve-in was first announced, NAHC has maintained our strong opposition to the premise that incorporating hospice into the Medicare Advantage was necessary or would lead to positive outcomes. In 2019, NAHC emphasized our “unqualified opposition” to the program when it was first unveiled, and after more details were released in the model’s first request for applications (RFA); We have continued to stress our concerns since model implementation began, working with our hospice members to solicit feedback and translate those experiences into direct advocacy with CMS, CMMI, and members of Congress. As early evaluation data and inputs highlight, the model has been extremely burdensome for both hospices and participating plans, and has had no measurable positive impact on beneficiary or family outcomes, care experiences, or Medicare spending.
In the announcement about the model’s termination at the end of 2024, CMMI stated that the decision is not a result of the demo “not meeting its goals”, and that the agency will continue its evaluations of the hospice component to assess its overall impact. Over the course of the three years of the model, it was clear to NAHC that the demo was not meeting CMMI’s stated goals to drive greater care continuity and higher quality hospice care for beneficiaries and families. We also questioned the premise that a carve-in would save the Medicare program money in the long run. Contrary to what the VBID evaluators found, the seminal 2023 NORC research demonstrated that hospice utilization in the traditional Medicare program saves billions of dollars a year while delivering high-quality care.
CMS also indicated in their notification that later this year, they will issue additional guidance to ensure that “all obligations of any impacted organization may be met in a timely and reasonable manner so that hospice beneficiaries in the Hospice Benefit Component maintain a coordinated, seamless care experience.” NAHC will be following up directly with CMMI to better understand what may be included in this guidance and when it may be released.
Increasing access to hospice care remains NAHC’s primary policy goal. We are committed to working to improve more timely connection to hospice, reducing the percentage of very short stays that make it difficult to benefit fully from the hospice model, and ensuring every provider is capable of delivering high-quality, person-and-family-centered services. We appreciate our engagement with CMMI on the carve-in over the years, and we welcome the opportunity to collaborate with them on new ways to support seriously and terminally-ill people and their families.
© 2024 NAHC This article was originally published on the NAHC website. All rights reserved.
by Rowan Report | Feb 28, 2024 | Clinical
by The National Minority Health Association,
Embracing Change, Empowering Caregivers
In the ever-evolving world of homecare, recruitment and retention pose significant challenges, particularly in California. However, FACT – Family, Adult and Child Therapies, a southern California-based homecare agency, has emerged as a beacon of hope, leveraging the innovative Caring4Cal program to enhance its workforce and service quality.
FACT, dedicated to supporting individuals with developmental disabilities, has a rich history dating back to the 1980s. Originating& from a collaboration of dedicated professionals and parents, FACT has been at the forefront of providing exceptional care and support to a diverse clientele, including minors, adults, and families grappling with a spectrum of diagnoses.
Caring4Cal: A Game-Changer in Caregiver Recruitment and Training
Under the leadership of its Board of Directors and their executive team: Tina Castro (Director of Adult and Employment Services), Lethia Perry (Director of Operations and Human Resources) and Spencer Ludgate (Director of School-Based Services and Controller), FACT has fully embraced the Caring4Cal community health worker recruitment program. This initiative has seen remarkable participation, with 39 staff members taking advantage of the opportunities it offers.
Eligibility and Scope
To participate in Caring4Cal, caregivers must:
- Reside in California.
- Currently work in or aspire to join an eligible job role in home- and community-based settings.
- Eligible roles include a wide array of healthcare professionals like HHA, CNA, RN, LVN, and more.
Partnership and Funding
The National Minority Health Association (NMHA), a pivotal entity in reducing health disparities among minorities, received a substantial grant under the Caring4Cal initiative. Spearheaded by the California Department of Healthcare Access and Information (HCAI), this program is a concerted effort to reinforce the workforce in home- and community-based care. With a strategic collaboration with Nevvon, a leader in e-training solutions for healthcare, this initiative is set to revolutionize caregiver training and retention.
FACT: A Legacy of Excellence and Adaptability
FACT’s enduring commitment to providing holistic, affordable, and quality mental health care is well-aligned with the Caring4Cal program. Their person-centered care approach, accessible locations, and advocacy for independence resonate deeply with the program’s objectives. For over twenty years, FACT has not only adapted to societal changes but has also been a vanguard in accepting and appreciating diverse abilities.
The Future Outlook
With the Caring4Cal program, FACT is not only addressing the immediate need for skilled caregivers but is also shaping a future where comprehensive and compassionate care is accessible to all Californians. This initiative stands as a testament to FACT’s unwavering dedication to its mission and philosophy.
A Call to Action
The success of FACT with the Caring4Cal program is a clarion call to all agencies in the sector. With available funding and training opportunities, it is an opportune time for other agencies to participate and enhance their capabilities. The program not only offers financial incentives but also ensures that caregivers are equipped with state-of-the-art skills to meet the growing demands of the sector.
FACT, working with the NMHA and its successful integration of the Caring4Cal program, exemplifies how strategic partnerships and innovative training initiatives can effectively address the twin challenges of recruitment and retention in the homecare industry.
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About the NMHA: The National Minority Health Association is a 501c3 non-profit organization founded in 1988. The NMHA delivers on its mission of heath equity through innovative programs including Health is for EveryBODY™ (www.healthisforeverybody.org), Operation Healthy You™, Equityville™ and The Art Alliance, to name a few. The lack of health equity in underserved, marginalized and hard to reach communities translates into lost lives, adverse health outcomes, higher costs, diminished productivity and declines in quality of life and well-being for everyone. For more information visit www.thenmha.org
by Rowan Report | Feb 14, 2024 | Partner News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Johnathan Eaves
(903) 445-6969
jeaves@axxess.com
Axxess Launches New Axxess Connect Solution to Accelerate Health Information Exchange
Secure Data Sharing Now Possible Across Any Network
DALLAS, January 18, 2024 – Axxess, the leading global technology innovator for healthcare at home, launched a new product called Axxess Connect, a groundbreaking interoperability solution. This new product will revolutionize the way Axxess users connect and share data with healthcare providers and specialists, further enhancing care coordination, improving patient outcomes and driving the future by enabling new care models and value-based care.
“Axxess Connect is a new benchmark for interoperability in healthcare,” says Tim Ingram, Executive Vice President of Interoperability at Axxess. “By working with our partner Kno2 we can now connect our solutions to help accelerate the exchange of health information securely across any network. This means our clients will have easier access to a broader range of providers and specialists, making data sharing and referrals more efficient.”
By being Kno2 Connected™, Axxess Connect, enables the secure, effortless, and maximized exchange of patient information across patients, providers, payers and HIT vendors. The solution meets data security and compliance requirements in accordance with HITRUST and HIPAA regulation for privacy, data sharing and healthcare communication standards supported by national and regional frameworks including Direct Trust, Carequality and most recently, TEFCA. This ensures that patient data is interoperable, secured and protected when shared across systems.
“Our collaboration with Kno2 not only improves the overall experience for our users, but it also reduces the administrative load on healthcare providers,” said Ingram. “By minimizing time spent on administrative tasks, our clients can focus more on providing quality patient care.”
Added Theresa Bell, Co-founder, President and Chief Technology Officer of Kno2: “By seamlessly connecting Axxess users with healthcare providers and specialists, we are breaking down barriers and revolutionizing the way data is shared in every care setting. Axxess Connect represents the power of the partnership and the value of being Kno2 Connected. Together, we are revolutionizing care delivery and thoughtfully solving healthcare’s biggest problems.”
Axxess Connect will first be available to Axxess Palliative Care clients before eventually being rolled out to the entire Axxess suite of solutions for home health, hospice and home care.
To start using Axxess Connect, contact Axxess’ enterprise sales team via email at integrations@axxess.com.
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About Axxess
Axxess is the leading global technology innovator for healthcare at home, focused on solving the most complex industry challenges. Trusted by more than 9,000 organizations that serve more than 5 million patients worldwide, Axxess offers a complete suite of easy-to-use software solutions that empower home health, home care, hospice, and palliative providers to make healthcare in the home human again. Multiple independent certifications have confirmed that Axxess has the most secure and industry-compliant software available for providers. The company’s collaborative culture focused on innovation and excellence is recognized nationally as a “Best Place to Work.”
by Rowan Report | Feb 7, 2024 | Admin, Recruitment & Retention
by Jen Waldron,
Recruiting caregivers for your home care agency franchise can be challenging enough, but it’s even more frustrating when those same caregivers don’t bother to pick up the phone after applying for your jobs. You may have put in a significant amount of time, money, and energy into trying to find qualified caregiver applicants, only to be repeatedly met with radio silence, missed calls, or unanswered texts.
In my mission to help home care agencies recruit more efficiently, I have identified the top five reasons why caregivers do not pick up your calls and what you can do about it.
1. You are not offering competitive pay or benefits
In a comprehensive study Pew Research found that the number one reason people leave their job is, in fact, for more money. But the number two and three reasons are “no advancement opportunities” and “feeling disrespected at work.” If your compensation package — and your career advancement opportunities — are not competitive, caregivers may choose to ignore your calls and continue searching for better opportunities.
2. Your job ad looks like spam; your hiring process does not stand out from the crowd
Candidates do not read your job description, especially if it is wordy. All job posts look like spam to the applicant, they apply to too many jobs, as many as 16 or more at one time!, and, as a result, they never read job descriptions.
This confusion can lead to candidates feeling apprehensive about texts and phone calls from unknown numbers and explain why they often opt not to answer your phone calls. The screen shot below is an example of how caregiver applicants get too many messages about jobs. To stand out from the crowd, an agency HR team must find a different way to communicate with the applicant about the value and challenges of your jobs.
3. You are not demonstrating professionalism in your hiring process
Caregivers are professionals and they expect you to have a professional hiring process. Many agencies use hiring software built for other industries and, as a result, their hiring process is clunky. On many job boards, applicants “1-click” apply with a job seeker profile they may have made several years ago. When they are followed up with through some sort of automated text system (which they think looks spammy – see pic!), they are annoyed that they are being asked to “apply” again.
4. You have poor online reviews or ratings
Today, people trust online reviews and ratings as much as personal recommendations from friends or family. If your agency has too few positive or too many poor online reviews from clients and/or employees, caregivers may not have confidence in you as an employer. Even if the impression they glean from your reviews is inaccurate, they may choose a competitor whose reviews reflect the culture and work ethic more suitable to their own. Therefore, it is imperative that you invite positive feedback from satisfied clients and employees and respond quickly to negative online reviews. This is critically important to attracting caregivers interested in working for you.
5. Your recruitment process takes too long; caregivers are moving on
The data shows that 57% of applicants today expect to hear back about the position they applied for within 1 week. With regard to retention after onboarding, one of the reasons caregivers leave is they are not given enough hours to make full time work. They say they want those hours to be in the right location and compatible with their scheduling needs and experience level.
You do not want to incur the cost of going through the whole interview, orientation, and hiring process if you do not have the right clients to match their needs and preferences at that time. Therefore, it is vital to streamline your recruitment process and to implement fast and efficient process with the best applicants.
In Summary
As a home care agency owner, it is essential to understand why caregivers may not answer your calls, even after applying for your jobs. Based on our five reasons applicants do not pick up your calls after they apply, there are steps you can take to improve your odds of attracting the best applicants:
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- Evaluate your recruitment process, compensation package, job description, communication methods, and online reputation.
- Ensure you demonstrate professionalism through your interactions, online and during interviews.
- Make your job description and requirements stand out amongst the spammy looking emails and texts out there today.
- Take steps to eliminate bottlenecks in your hiring process.
By doing so, you will attract the best caregivers who will choose to work with you, and your agency can grow and thrive.
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Jen Waldron is one of the co-founders of Augusta Home Care Recruiting She started working in the senior care industry in 2009 as a professional caregiver in a memory care community. Since then, she has been an executive supporting thousands of home care agencies and other senior care businesses through software solutions. Augusta is an innovative software company designed entirely for home care. The platform gets caregivers to show up to interviews through inspiring confidence in the applicant, speed to hire and identifying top talent.
©2024 by The Rowan Report, Peoria, AZ. All rights reserved. This article originally appeared in Healthcare at Home: The Rowan Report.homecaretechreport.com One copy may be printed for personal use: further reproduction by permission only. editor@homecaretechreport.com
by Rowan Report | Dec 13, 2023 | CMS, Regulatory
From the NAHC Newsroom
Public comments due January 5, 2024
CMS Policy Changes to Medicare C & D. On November 5, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the Contract Year 2025 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program, Medicare Cost Plan Program, and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly; Health Information Technology Standards and Implementation Specifications.
Key provisions in the CMS policy changes that are of interest to home health and hospice providers are detailed below.
Behavior Health
CMS aims to improve access to behavioral health care by adding certain behavioral health provider specialties to the MA network adequacy standards as a new facility-specialty type. The new facility-specialty type, ‘‘Outpatient Behavioral Health,’’ can include Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs), Mental Health Counselors (MHCs), Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) providers, Community Mental Health Centers or other behavioral health and addiction medicine specialists and facilities.
Special Supplemental Benefits for the Chronically Ill (SSBCI)
CMS is proposing regulatory changes that would help ensure that SSBCI items and services offered are appropriate and improve or maintain the health or overall function of chronically ill enrollees. The MA organization must be able to demonstrate through relevant acceptable evidence that an item or service offered as SSBCI has a reasonable expectation of improving or to maintain the health or overall function of a chronically ill. The MA plan must follow its written policies based on objective criteria for determining an enrollee’s eligibility for an SSBCI when making such eligibility determinations. CMS is proposing to require that the MA plan document its denials of SSBCI eligibility rather than its approvals.
CMS will also modify and strengthen the current requirements for the SSBCI disclaimer that MA organizations offering SSBCI must use whenever SSBCI are mentioned. Additionally, CMS proposes to require MA plans to notify enrollees mid-year of the unused supplemental benefits available to them. The notice would list any supplemental benefits not utilized by the beneficiary during the first 6 months of the year.
Guardrails for Agent and Broker Compensation
CMS is proposing to generally prohibit contract terms between MA organizations and agents, brokers or other third party marketing organizations (TPMOs) that may interfere with the agent’s or broker’s ability to objectively assess and recommend the plan that best fits a beneficiary’s health care needs, CMS proposes to set a single compensation rate for all plans; revise the scope of items and services included within agent and broker compensation; and eliminate the regulatory framework which currently allows for separate payment to agents and brokers for administrative services. CMS also intends to make similar changes to the Part D agent broker compensation rules.
Health Equity and Utilization Management (UM)
CMS proposes to require that a member of the UM committee have expertise in health equity and that t the UM committee conduct an annual health equity analysis of the use of prior authorization. The analysis would examine the impact of prior authorization on enrollees with one or more of the following social risk factors (SRFs): receipt of the lowincome subsidy or being dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid (LIS/DE); or having a disability.
Right To Appeal an MA Plan’s Decision To Terminate Coverage for Non-Hospital Provider Services
Beneficiaries enrolled in Traditional Medicare and MA plans have the right to a fast-track appeal by an Independent Review Entity (IRE) when their covered skilled nursing facility (SNF), home health, or comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facility (CORF) services are being terminated. Currently, Quality Improvement Organizations (QIO) act as the IRE and conduct these reviews. Under current regulations, MA enrollees do not have the same access to QIO review of a fast-track appeal as Traditional Medicare beneficiaries. CMS proposes to (1) require the QIO, instead of the MA plan, to review untimely fast-track appeals of an MA plan’s decision to terminate services in an HHA, CORF, or SNF; and (2) fully eliminate a provision that requires the forfeiture of an enrollee’s right to appeal a termination of services decision when they leave the facility. These proposals would bring MA regulations in line with the parallel reviews available to beneficiaries in Traditional Medicare and expand the rights of MA beneficiaries to access the fast-track appeals process.
- Dual eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNP)
- CMS proposes to increase the percentage of dually eligible managed care enrollees who receive Medicare and Medicaid services from the same organization.
- CMS is also proposing to limit out-of-network cost sharing for D–SNP preferred provider organizations (PPOs) for specific services.
Further, CMS is proposing to lower the D–SNP look-alike threshold from 80 percent to 70 percent for plan year 2025 and 60 percent for plan year 2026. This proposal would help address the continued proliferation of MA plans that are serving high percentages of dually eligible individuals without meeting the requirements to be a D–SNP.
The National Association for Home Care and Hospice will continue to analyze the proposed rule, but supports CMS’ aim to protect Medicare beneficiaries by modifying policies and procedures that will improve programs under Part C and Part D.
Public comments are due January 5, 2024.
This article originally appeared at https://nahc.org/cms-proposes-policy-changes-to-medicare-part-c-and-part-d/. All rights reserved.
by Rowan Report | Dec 6, 2023 | Admin, Marketing
By Mary E. Maloney
What can you learn about brands and branding from an iconic company like the Mayo Clinic?
We daresay a lot
In this blog, we are going to first explore the “Mayo magic”—some key ideas about why Mayo Clinic has been named, again in 2023 as it has been so many times before, “among the best of the best” hospitals by U.S. News and World Report and listed as one of the “most trusted healthcare brands” by Beckers Hospital Review.
Then we will discuss the benefits of having a solid corporate brand like Mayo’s.
Finally, we will relate the branding principles established by this iconic corporate brand to why it is worthwhile to have a solid personal brand.
Successful Brands Are Built on Trust
Perhaps the most important lesson to take away from Mayo Clinic is that the best brands are built on trust.
A February 2023 Business Insider article titled, Mayo Clinic CEO: Here’s Why We’ve Been The Leading Brand in Medicine for 100 Years, asks Mayo CEO Dr. John Noseworthy how the clinic built its reputation and manages to stay at the top.’
“I think it all comes down to our core value, which is that the needs of the patient come first,”; Noseworthy says in the piece, “I know that might sound kind of trite in today’s world, but our staff is extraordinarily committed. If you spent a day here, and you grab(bed) anybody at the Mayo Clinic and ask(ed) them, ‘what’s the purpose of your work?’; they would say, ‘to meet the needs of our patients.'”
In other words, patients come to Mayo because they can—and do—trust their needs will be served.
The Best Brands Are Consistent
Based on the Mayo example, the best brands are consistent. In the Business Insider article, Noseworthy explains how the Mayo brand is expressed the same way across the organization.
“In my role, what I hear every day from patients and family members is that the minute they step onto a Mayo campus, whether it’s in Rochester, Minnesota; Scottsdale, Arizona; Florida; or in our large integrated health system, they immediately sense that there’s something different,” he says. “They feel it right from the first person they speak with, and it’s the physicians, it’s the science, it’s the engineers and technologists. It’s that patient focus and a relentless focus on quality. This goes all the way from the heart surgeons down to the cleaning staff.
Iconic Brands Stand for Something Significant
A few years back, a woman I know took her young daughter to Mayo Clinic’s Rochester, Minnesota, location for treatment for epilepsy. Ask her what words came to mind when she thinks about Mayo today, and she’ll say: “research, specialists, world-renowned.”
Top brands know what they stand for—and then they deliver on it. For Mayo, this is serving people first, and especially people experiencing special health concerns.
“Founded more than a century ago by two brothers in the rural Midwest, the Mayo Clinic has built a world-renowned reputation as an exemplary network of clinics and hospitals that has become the preferred destination of patients with difficult-to-treat conditions,” reads the intro to a 2018 Q&A article published in Knowledge at Wharton, a business journal from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
“As people live longer and have multiple different chronic diseases, the need for … advanced services will be ever greater,” says Larry Jameson, EVP of the University of Pennsylvania Health System, in the article.
The Benefits of a Strong Niche Brand
Being as famous and respected as Mayo would certainly be nice for any brand. But what are the deeper business benefits of having a strong brand in the home health/home care industry?
Qualtrics suggests that strong brands can capture greater market share, accelerate new patient acquisition through online rates and word-of-mouth marketing, and increase loyalty amongst a highly competitive set.
Here are some specific examples:
- Having a strong brand can help an organization appeal to underserved or growing segments.
- Having a strong brand that truly resonates with consumers can translate to patients promoting your organization through online reviews and social media mentions.
- Having a strong brand can boost communication and help to create moments that matter with those the organization serves.
- Having a strong brand creates “stickiness” and can mitigate employee turnover and improve retention rates. When employees feel like they are connected to an organization that is on-purpose, they are more likely to stay and to influence a healthy work culture.
Applying the Key Principles of Iconic Brands to Personal Branding
So how do these ideas we’ve garnered from an iconic brand translate into your personal brand?
As we have seen, consistently delivering on a brand promise helps people decide to do business with a brand. They trust that brand to deliver for them. At the end of the day, people do business with people if they have a choice.
Personal branding can help you excavate your very own brand manifesto and develop ways to tell others about it consistently and authentically. Being mindful of personal branding will help you answer mission-critical questions as: “What is my brand promise?” and “How consistently am I delivering on it?”‘
Personal branding can not only help you as a leader clarify what you stand for but also affirm it until you feel it with conviction. And it can help you to effectively deliver the same message about it in any situation—whether that’s the proverbial elevator, in an all-staff meeting, or in the field.
Imagine what your business would be like when everyone, whether it’s in the first 90 days or tenured staff, “owns” what they stand for and it aligns fully with your company core values.
You as a leader can
Knowing your “why” will also give you peace of mind to pursue your next act if you are in transition (on deck). Having a brand manifesto as your true north guide will enable you to more rapidly achieve your next career milestone and build your best exit strategy.
Once you get clarity, conviction and the ability to talk about your personal brand, maybe you’ll find yourself ranking on the Home Care Pulse 2023 Best of Home Care Awards or as part of the Modern Healthcare Hall of Fame.
Finally, a heartfelt thanks to all the healthcare leaders out there who are leading with purpose, no matter how tough it gets. It speaks volumes about your personal brand. You inspire us.
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An executive advisor, educator, speaker and author, Mary E. Maloney is the founder of Revealing Genius and the expert that accomplished leaders trust for positioning, messaging and brand strategy. A former CEO and CMO, Maloney guides healthcare C-suite leaders, founders and physicians to powerfully and strategically message their expertise and “why” so they lead with conviction and achieve their most coveted career goals.
©2023 by The Rowan Report, Peoria, AZ. All rights reserved. This article originally appeared in Healthcare at Home: The Rowan Report. One copy may be printed for personal use: further reproduction by permission only.
editor@homecaretechreport.com
