Rowan Report, Author at The Rowan Report

Telehealth Grant to Address Disparities

by Rowan Report | Sep 27, 2024 | Partner News, Telehealth

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Gina Cella
gcella@americantelemed.org
781-799-3137

AMERICAN TELEMEDICINE ASSOCIATION RECEIVES GRANT FROM PETERSON HEALTH TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE TO ENHANCE WORK IN USING TELEHEALTH TO ADDRESS DISPARITIES

WASHINGTON, DC, SEPTEMBER 24, 2024 – The American Telemedicine Association (ATA) today announced the organization has received a grant from the Peterson Health Technology Institute (PHTI) to enhance its US Digital Infrastructure Disparities Score (DIS) and heat map tools with additional data sets and visualization tools, to highlight key infrastructure gaps and identify specific interventions that support actionable, measurable, and accountable deployment.

The Disparities Score and heat map tools, developed by the ATA CEO’s Advisory Group on Using Telehealth to Eliminate Healthcare Disparities and Inequities, will enable data-informed decisions and targeted allocation of resources to improve access to digital services and reduce disparities. The score is a composite measure and can be viewed at a ZIP code or county level. The premise of the map is to highlight key infrastructure gaps and support stakeholders in understanding how and where to invest scarce resources to improve access to digital services.

“Beyond the ability to just view broadband connectivity in a region, our Disparities Score and heat map tools are materially different, with composite representation of broadband access, plus connection speeds, connection modalities, and data affordability,” said Ann Mond Johnson, CEO of the ATA.

“This critical funding will be used to enhance these tools by incorporating additional data sets, developing enhanced data visualization tools, and improving the design interface and user experience.

We are grateful to the Peterson Health Technology Institute for their generous support of our work, to enable data-informed decisions pertaining to the allocation of resources to reduce disparities.”

The Disparities Advisory Group is co-chaired by Kristi Henderson, DNP, Yasmine Winkler and Ron Wyatt, MD, and facilitated by David Smith, CEO of Third Horizon Strategies.

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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.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.

Managed Care Support

by Rowan Report | Sep 27, 2024 | Partner News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Christine Stein
(214) 435-6731
cstein@axxess.com

Axxess Partners with strategic health care to offer Managed care support to clients

DALLAS, September 26, 2024 – Axxess, the leading global technology innovator for healthcare at home, has partnered with Strategic Health Care, a leading provider of managed care solutions, to offer Axxess clients managed care support, helping them enhance profitability and drive business optimization.

Through this collaboration Axxess clients have access to services provided by Strategic Health Care, including managed care contracting and credentialing, value-based reimbursement, revenue optimization and network development.

“Through this partnership we are providing our clients with the tools needed to thrive in the ever-evolving managed care landscape,” said Chris Taylor, senior vice president of channel partnerships at Axxess. “These services are designed to provide Axxess clients the support needed to succeed in managed care, helping them navigate industry challenges and enabling them to focus on care delivery.”

Strategic Health Care and Axxess are focused on helping clients scale their business and increase profits.

“Even the best care at home providers are struggling to make managed care work,” said Joe Russell, vice president of network management and contracting at Strategic Health Care. “We want to show providers that there’s a world where providers can win and win big. That’s why we’re so excited for the partnership with Axxess. When Axxess clients have managed care related issues, we want them to know they have partner they can rely on where it matters most.”

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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.”

About Strategic Health Care

For over twenty-five years, Strategic Health Care has earned a reputation in the health plan industry as a knowledgeable and fair representative for provider clients. The highly experienced team of contracting experts at Strategic Health Care ensure providers have access to the reimbursement they need to continue to provide quality patient care.

Hospice CARE Act Fact Sheet

by Rowan Report | Sep 27, 2024 | Partner News

The Hospice CARE Act was proposed September 26, 2024 by Representative Blumenauer (D-OR) after “egregious” reports of continuing fraud and abuse. The original fact sheet can be found here.

Read the Press Release from Rep. Blumenauer’s office here.

Read the full text of the Bill here.

BREAKING NEWS: Blumenauer Proposes Hospice Overhaul

by Rowan Report | Sep 27, 2024 | Breaking News, Partner News, Regulatory

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Portland District Office
503-231-2300

blumenauer proposes overhaul to hospice benefit

If enacted, the legislation would be the single most significant update to the hospice benefit and payment structure since its inception in 1982

WASHINGTON, D.C., SEPTEMBER 26, 2024 – Today, Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), a senior member of the Ways and Means Committee, introduced the Hospice Care Accountability, Reform and Enforcement Act (Hospice CARE Act) to modernize Medicare’s hospice benefit, which has remained largely unchanged since its inception in 1982. The proposal comes as egregious reports of fraud and abuse within the benefit persist, despite action from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The legislation is the product of years of collaboration between stakeholders, lawmakers, and industry leaders. It builds on Blumenauer’s decades-long commitment to ensure the federal government supports families at a time of great stress and vulnerability: the end of life.

“The United States spends significantly more on health care than other developed nations for worse outcomes. Nowhere is this more egregious than in the hospice industry,” said Congressman Earl Blumenauer. “Patients and families deserve better. We need a reset. It is past time for Congress to act to end the fraud, waste, and abuse within the hospice benefit and bring it into the 21^st century.”

To protect patients and taxpayers, the Hospice CARE Act would institute a number of long overdue reforms to crackdown on fraud while incentivizing high-quality care. Critically, it would:

- Reform the payment structure: The underlying hospice per-diem payment structure—which generally pays hospices for each day of care regardless of if care is provided on a given day—rewards bad actors who exploit the benefit for financial gain. The legislation revises the payment structure to ensure that providers are incentivized to deliver high-quality care and meet the current needs of individuals and their families.
- Bolster program integrity: Additional safeguards and oversight is needed to prevent fraudulent providers from enrolling in Medicare, especially for new hospices. That includes temporarily preventing new hospices from enrolling in Medicare, with exceptions where additional access to care is needed, increasing survey frequency, and increasing ownership transparency

A one-page fact sheet can be found here. Bill text here.

“The hospice benefit, while unique, is ripe for change. This legislation is a first-of-its-kind opportunity to improve it,” said Katie Smith Sloan, president and CEO, LeadingAge, the association of nonprofit providers of aging services, including hospice, on the Hospice Care Accountability, Reform and Enforcement (CARE) Act of 2024. “Revising a benefit that has not been altered significantly since its creation in 1982 is a formidable undertaking – but a necessary one. Done right, changes will expand the benefit to support the realities of modern-day hospice care and address vulnerabilities that are currently being exploited. There is more work to do and we look forward to continuing our productive partnership to ensure this bill achieves these goals.”

“The National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) is thankful for the work of Congressman Blumenauer, his staff, and the Ways and Means Committee staff who worked with the hospice and advanced illness community to put forward the Hospice Care Accountability, Reform, and Enforcement (CARE) Act. This legislation is an encouraging and unique opportunity to consider reforms that would strengthen the Medicare hospice benefit by ensuring it continues to support patients, families, and the non-profit providers who were the original foundation of hospice care,” said Tom Koutsoumpas, CEO and founder of NPHI. “We look forward to continuing to work closely with Congress and relevant stakeholders on efforts to modernize the hospice benefit and improve care of those at the end-of-life.

“The Coalition to Transform Advanced Care (C-TAC), truly appreciates the introduction of the Hospice Care Accountability, Reform, and Enforcement (Hospice CARE) Act. We commend Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR-3rd) for this important work and for his decades of support for compassionate end-of-life care and for bringing policies to the national stage with bi-partisan support,” stated Jon Broyles, C-TAC CEO. “We have had the privilege to work with the Congressman, his staff, Ways & Means Committee staff and other advocates on this bill and it is an important starting point for ideas that will lead to modernizing the hospice program and improving the lives of people with serious illness and their family caregivers.”

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This press release was issued by the office of U.S. Congressman Earl Blumenauer, representing the 3rd district of Oregon. The original press release can be found here. The Rowan Report has reached out to The Alliance for Care at Home for comment.

NAHC NHPCO Announcement

by Rowan Report | Sep 12, 2024 | Partner News

Press Release | Sept. 5, 2024

The National Alliance for Care at Home will Combine the Strengths of the Two Largest National Organizations Representing Healthcare Providers Delivering Care Primarily in Homes

The Alliance Will Provide Unparalleled Resources and Representation to Support the Care-at-Home Community

(Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC – September 5, 2024) – The National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) today unveiled the new name and logo, as well as the initial website, of the new national organization that will carry forward the work of serving home care, home health, hospice, and palliative care providers as they deliver patients the highest-quality care in their own homes and communities. This new organization will expand on the visions of NAHC and NHPCO to support the full spectrum of providers that offer care in the multitude of settings Americans call home, and the communities in which they live. The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) will deliver resources, education, and information to help members grow their organizations, and will serve as the united voice of the member community advocating for policies that advance the provision of high-quality care for patients and their families.

The National Alliance for Care at Home Logo

The National Alliance for Care at Home logo is both an homage to the past, and a symbol of the future. The logo weaves together visual representations symbolizing NAHC and NHPCO, the legacy organizations coming together to form this new Alliance. NAHC’s logo has long included a waving American flag. The icon in the Alliance logo is shaped like a five-pointed star, inspired by the flag iconography. The icon draws visual and symbolic inspiration from the NHPCO logo, which includes a lotus flower icon to represent the integration of types of care and the interdisciplinary care team. The sections of the new Alliance logo are stylized people, standing together in a circle, and holding hands. The negative space between them can be seen as an icon for house or home. Thus, the logo

represents providers across the continuum of care coming together to support a better future for care in the home. The logo concept is based on guidance from a workgroup of members, whose inputs shaped the Alliance’s brand.

The Alliance also launched its integration website today at AllianceForCareAtHome.org. In addition to providing information on the Alliance, this new website serves as a single sign-on hub for members. With single sign-on, the resources of both legacy organizations will be available to all members of either NAHC or NHPCO with one, unified log-in. The new site offers an updated Find a Provider tool to help consumers find providers of home care, home health, hospice, and palliative care. This resource pulls together NAHC’s Agency Locator and NHPCO’s Find a Care Provider. In the coming weeks, Alliance members will gain access to a combined set of 29 online member communities to enable professional exchange of ideas and best practices. The Alliance is working on a new website to launch in 2025; the new site, which will be housed at the same URL, will bring together top assets from the robust suite of member benefits offered across both NAHC and NHPCO’s legacy sites. During the development of the new site, the Alliance’s integration site will serve as a portal to access resources across the two legacy sites.

“Providers offering various forms of care at home have always looked to our national associations to help create a shared vision for the future,” said Kenneth Albert, Chair of the Alliance’s Transition Board. “It took real imagination, dedication, and guts to take on the tough conversations about combining two organizations, each with more than 40 years of history. This Alliance will be the leading authority on transforming care in the home. We will implement that mission under a new name that welcomes providers across the care continuum to join – the National Alliance for Care at Home. The logo shows people coming together, hand in hand. That is exactly what we will do in this new Alliance – work collectively to imagine what the future of care in home settings can and should look like, and then to bring that vision to reality.”

“The National Alliance for Care at Home name, and the Alliance’s logo, represent the future of what our members will do together. Providers delivering care in patients’ homes will work through the Alliance to learn, connect, and grow. The Alliance will be your advocate, your resource, and your network to help you reach your goals,” said Melinda Gruber, Vice Chair of the Alliance’s Transition Board. “Rolling out our new name and logo, sharing the new website – these are just the beginning. In the coming months we will continue to integrate the strengths of these two longstanding organizations to provide members with an unprecedented national community and the resources you need to thrive in the future.”

In March of 2023, NAHC and NHPCO announced that they were exploring collaboration opportunities. That kicked off a process of member consultation and input that culminated in an agreement to combine the two organizations into a new Alliance, with integration work beginning July 1, 2024. On August 26, the Alliance announced that Steve Landers, MD, MPH, would become its first CEO. Through the remainder of 2024 and into 2025, the Alliance will continue the process of integrating NAHC and NHPCO operations into a single organization. Details will be shared with members each step of the way. Throughout the integration process, members can continue accessing benefits through their legacy memberships.

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About the National Alliance for Care at Home

The National Alliance for Care at Home is a new national organization representing providers of home care, home health, hospice, palliative care, and other health care services mainly delivered in the home. The Alliance brings together two organizations with nearly 90 years of combined experience: the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO). NAHC and NHPCO are in the process of combining operations to better serve members and lead into the future of care offered in the home. Learn more at www.AllianceForCareAtHome.org.

Press Contacts

Tom Threlkeld, NAHC Director of Communications
tom@nahc.org | 202-547-7424

Elyssa Katz, NHPCO Marketing and Communications Manager
ekatz@nhpco.org | 571-281-0220

Meet Dr. Steve Landers, MD

by Rowan Report | Aug 29, 2024 | Admin, Breaking News

Get to know the new NAHC-NHPCO Alliance CEO

Dr. Steve Landers

Dr. Landers named CEO for joint NAHC NHPCO. A recognized leader and innovator in home health, primary care and aging services, Dr. Steven “Steve” Landers brings almost two decades of experience as a physician, executive leader and public health policy advocate to lead The Alliance as its first Chief Executive Officer.

Physician

As a board-certified physician in family medicine, geriatric medicine, and hospice and palliative medicine, Dr. Landers has dedicated his career to seeking home- and community-based solutions for ill and aging Americans. He is a champion of the impactful role home care and hospice play in the health and lives of communities, acknowledging that as an aging nation, providing compassionate, dignified and cost-effective systems of care to patients is critical.

Education

Dr. Landers graduated from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, where his training included a family medicine residency at Case Western and a geriatric medicine fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic. He also attended the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where he focused on health policy and management. He received a bachelor of arts in political science from Indiana University in Bloomington.

Early Career

Early in his career, Dr. Landers based his clinical practice on providing health care through house calls and has made thousands of home visits, primarily to low-mobility patients. While in this setting, he saw the need to better connect home care and hospice to the broader health care system and medical community. He understood that to improve patient care, he would need to understand and play a leading role at the intersection of clinical work, health policy and systems of care. He pursued a master’s degree in public health, which contributed to his passion for influencing federal and state policy to improve health care delivery to vulnerable patients.

On The Board

Dr. Landers has served on numerous boards and committees in the home-based care policy space, including past appointments to the boards of directors of the National Association for Home Care and Hospice, American Academy of Home Care Medicine, the Partnership for Quality Home Health, and the Alliance for Home Health Quality and Innovation (now Research Institute for Home Care). He has represented these organizations by engaging policymakers, including meeting with members of Congress; providing committee testimonies for Congress and state legislatures; and discussing home care policies and regulations with the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Medicare Payment Advisory Commission officials, and federal agency staff.

Home Care

Prior to joining The Alliance, Dr. Landers served in several executive leadership roles. He was the director of home care at the Cleveland Clinic, and for more than 11 years was the president and CEO of the Visiting Nurse Association Health Group, Inc. — one of the oldest, largest and highly respected home health, hospice and community health organizations in the country.

As a renowned author and thought leader in the care at home sector, his work has been published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the Journal of the American Medical Association and the Huffington Post. The work of Dr. Landers and his team to prioritize at-home vaccines for homebound seniors during the COVID-19 pandemic also has been featured by major news outlets such as ABC’S Good Morning America and CBS Mornings with Gayle King.

Personal Life

Steve lives in Little Silver, New Jersey, with his wife, Allison, and their three sons. His hobbies include golfing, fishing, hiking, traveling, enjoying good food and watching horse racing. When he is not taking part in these activities, you can find him cheering on his sports teams — the Browns, Cavaliers, Guardians and Indiana Hoosiers.

This bio originally appeared on the NAHC-NHPCO Alliance web site. It is reproduced in The Rowan Report by permission. It may be freely reproduced.

It’s Official! NAHC NHPCO Alliance Name New CEO

by Rowan Report | Aug 29, 2024 | Admin, Breaking News

WASHINGTON D.C. Steven Landers, MD, MPH, has been named the inaugural Chief Executive Officer of the newly merged NAHC-NHPCO Alliance (The Alliance). A recognized national leader and innovator in home health, primary care and aging services, Dr. Landers brings almost two decades of experience as a physician, executive leader and health policy advocate to The Alliance, which represents care at home and community providers across the country. (Read more about Dr. Landers at our accompanying article in this week’s issue.)

Dr. Landers has dedicated his career to seeking home- and community-based health care solutions for people of all ages. As a board-certified physician in family medicine, geriatric medicine, and hospice and palliative medicine, he is a champion of the impactful role health care at home plays in the health and wellbeing of communities, acknowledging that as an aging nation, providing compassionate, dignified and cost-effective systems of care to patients is critical.

“The Alliance members provide a wide range of high-quality home- and community-based services that promote comfort, dignity and independence. I’m so proud to become a part of this organization, and am eager to serve,” said Dr. Landers. “I’ve had the opportunity in my career to see the health care industry from many vantage points, and in this new role with The Alliance, I will use all that I have learned to make a difference for our members as we continue to expand to meet the growing public needs for our care.”

Prior to joining The Alliance, Dr. Landers served in several executive leadership roles. He was the director of home care at the Cleveland Clinic, and for more than 11 years was the president and CEO of the Visiting Nurse Association Health Group, Inc. — one of the oldest, largest and highly respected home health, hospice and community health organizations in the country. During his most recent tenure as the president and CEO of Hebrew SeniorLife, he led an organization known for superior senior living, geriatric health care, research and teaching.

Dr. Landers has served on numerous boards and committees in the care at home space and has represented organizations by engaging policymakers, including meeting with members of Congress; providing committee testimonies for Congress and state legislatures; and discussing home care policies and regulations with the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Medicare Payment Advisory Commission officials, and federal agency staff.

“Providing leadership around policy and advocacy efforts is critical to our mission at The Alliance,” said Transition Board Chair Ken Albert. “Throughout his career, Dr. Landers served the field as an effective policy advocate, shaping policy at both the state and federal levels. We are thrilled to welcome him as our inaugural CEO, and I know he will build an extraordinary team to offer value for our members.”

Early in his career, Dr. Landers based his clinical practice on providing health care through house calls and thousands of home visits, primarily to low-mobility patients. While in this setting, he saw the need to connect home care and hospice to the broader health care system and medical community. He understood that to improve patient care, health care providers need to explore and thrive at the intersection of clinical work, health policy and systems of care. He pursued a master’s degree in public health, which contributed to his passion for influencing federal and state legislation to improve health care delivery to home-based patients.

“Dr. Landers’ rich and diversified experience makes him the ideal candidate to lead our membership as our organization evolves,” said Alliance Transition Board Vice Chair Melinda Gruber. “Working alongside community health workers and within our patients’ homes, he understands what we need as frontline caregivers and advocates.”

Dr. Landers is a graduate of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, where his training included a family medicine residency at Case Western and a geriatric medicine fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic. He also attended the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where he focused on health policy and management. Additionally, he received a bachelor of arts in political science from Indiana University in Bloomington.

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About the NAHC-NHPCO Alliance

The NAHC-NHPCO Alliance brings together the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), two organizations with more than 90 years of combined experience serving providers of quality care in the home to form one new association. This historic alliance creates a national organization representing providers of home care, home health, hospice, and palliative care, forming the most powerful voice and resource the care-at-home community has seen. The integration process underway is expected to continue through the beginning of 2025. While leadership explores a permanent name, the new organization is operating under the interim name the NAHC-NHPCO Alliance.

Keep track of updated news on the NAHC and NHPCO websites.

This news release originally appeared in The Rowan Report. by permission of the National Association for Home Health and Hospice. It may be freely reprinted.

Carolinas Foundation Receives Grant

by Rowan Report | Aug 23, 2024 | Partner News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 19, 2024
Media Contact: Susan Franklin
919-848-3450 sue@ahhcnc.org

Carolinas Foundation for Hospice & Home Care Awarded $50,000 Grant for New In-Home Aide Onboarding Program

Left to right: The Carolinas Foundation for Hospice & Home Care Project Director, Susan Harmuth, Constellation Quality Health President & CEO, Steven Martin, MHA, CPHQ, FACHE, CCME Executive Director, Dori DeJong, MPA, and The Carolinas Foundation for Hospice & Home Care Executive Director, Judy Penn

This grant will be used to kick start several essential year one activities, as part of an overall 2.5 year envisioned project to develop an industry recommended, standardized training curriculum and onboarding program, for newly hired in-home aides that provide non-nurse aide level personal care services. A train-the-trainer program will also be developed to accompany the training curriculum, to help ensure the quality and consistency of training provided.

The Carolinas Foundation for Hospice and Home Care will be working with several key stakeholder groups, as well as seeking input from a cross-section of NC licensed home care agencies, as we develop the tools envisioned. Once the training curriculum, onboarding model, and train-the-trainer program have been developed, these products will be piloted in as many as 12 North Carolina licensed home care agencies. The broader project will also include development of a certificate to be issued to in-home aides who successfully complete the training and competency requirements. Certificates will be issued by participating licensed home care agencies, through the Association for Home and Hospice Care of North Carolina.

The Carolinas Foundation for Hospice and Home Care is currently working to secure the additional funding needed to fully implement this major in-home aide workforce initiative. Judy Penn, Executive Director stated, “We are extremely grateful for grant funding from the CCME Foundation to enable us to begin work on this important workforce project, which will ultimately benefit licensed home care agencies in both North and South Carolina.”

The Carolinas Foundation for Hospice & Home Care is a non-profit foundation that was established in 1998 by the Association for Home and Hospice Care of North Carolina.
The mission of the Foundation is to support innovation that improves access to quality hospice and home care services in North Carolina.
Key focus areas of the Foundation include:

Building and supporting the retention of a quality workforce
Determine and promote the economic impact of hospice and home care services on local communities and the State
Develop partnerships with appropriate health care delivery systems to ensure hospice and home care are included as an essential component of the new emerging care models.

The Foundation is supported by individual and corporate donations, special fundraising events, and private and public grants. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and is made up of twelve trustees who are educated and experienced members of the hospice and home care community.

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AlayaCare to Work With Multi-State Provider

by Rowan Report | Aug 16, 2024 | Partner News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Steph Davidson

steph.davidson@alayacare.com

AlayaCare Selected as Agency Management Platform of Record by Premier Home Health Care

NEW YORK, NY – August 14, 2024 – AlayaCare, a global technology platform for home and community-based care, announced today that it has been chosen as the end-to-end Electronic Health Record (EHR) of choice by Premier Home Health Care Services, Inc., a comprehensive Licensed Home Care Services Agency (LHCSA) and home health care provider based in New York and serving clients across multiple states, including New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Florida, Illinois, and North Carolina.

Premier, which provides high-quality care to over 15,000 people under service weekly, will be migrating its legacy EHR software to AlayaCare’s modern, cloud-based home care platform. This partnership is founded on AlayaCare’s support for multiple service lines to fuel Premier’s growth across its Medicaid skilled and personal care businesses, with the caregiver experience at the heart of it all.

AlayaCare’s commitment to leveraging data and technology to optimize care delivery for caregivers and clients aligns with Premier’s focus on the employee experience. “Engaging and retaining our workforce is not just about numbers; it’s about nurturing a supportive environment where every caregiver feels valued and empowered,” said Dr. Marshalina Ramos, President and COO at Premier.

With AlayaCare as its EHR partner, Premier will be able to utilize a modern technology stack to handle scale and to drive better care coordination using best practices in Artificial Intelligence (AI), advanced workflow automation capabilities, and an industry-leading open-API architecture to streamline administrative operations. AlayaCare will transform everything from intake and care plans through to compliance, scheduling, and eligibility monitoring, driving growth and improving experiences for both the care team and the client.

“At Premier Home Health Care Services, we are dedicated to continuous innovation in our care delivery,” said Dr. Ramos. “Partnering with AlayaCare represents a significant step forward in our mission to revolutionize home-based care through advanced technology. By leveraging cutting-edge solutions and fostering ease of partnerships, we are poised to disrupt the market and set new standards in the quality and efficiency of care. This collaboration underscores our commitment to enhancing the caregiver experience and ensuring exceptional outcomes for our clients.”

“We are thrilled to partner with Premier Home Health Care Services as their EHR of choice,” said Adrian Schauer, CEO and Founder of AlayaCare. “This collaboration is a testament to our shared vision of harnessing cutting-edge technology to revolutionize home-based care. By digitizing and modernizing care delivery, we ensure that caregivers are equipped with the tools they need to provide exceptional care, and clients receive the highest quality of care in the comfort of their homes. Together, we are not only improving operational efficiency but also transforming the very experience of care for both caregivers and clients.”

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About AlayaCare

AlayaCare is an end-to-end software platform for public, private, non-profit, and community home-based care organizations that manages the entire client lifecycle, including needs assessments, care plans, scheduling, visit and route optimization, and visit verification. Founded in 2014 and now with over 500 employees, AlayaCare combines traditional in-home and virtual care solutions that enable care providers to lower the cost of care and achieve better outcomes for their clients. For more information, visit: AlayaCare.com

About Premier Home Health Care Services, Inc.

Premier Home Health Care Services, Inc. is a clinician-run organization and a leading provider of personalized home health care, dedicated to improving the quality of life for individuals and families across multiple states. With a focus on compassionate care and innovation, Premier delivers tailored health care solutions that enhance patient outcomes in the comfort of their homes.

Our comprehensive care management approach ensures that each client receives coordinated and continuous care, designed to meet their unique needs and support their overall well-being. As an Article 49 Care Management organization, Premier also assists health plans, providers, and individuals in navigating the complexities of the health care system, ensuring seamless access to the necessary services and support.

Operating in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Florida, Illinois, North Carolina, and Connecticut, Premier fosters a family-like environment for both clients and staff, offering union representation in New York to support our team members.

2024 Homecare Survey

by Rowan Report | Aug 9, 2024 | Partner News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Hollie Barnidge
912-272-8651
hollie.barnidge@alloycrew.com

HHAeXchange 2024 Homecare Survey: 91% of Caregivers View Patient Relationships as Critical to Job Satisfaction

New data shines a spotlight on the motivations of caregivers and their dedication to improving health and wellness for the thousands of members receiving care in the home

New York, August 7, 2024 – HHAeXchange, a leader in homecare management solutions for providers, managed care organizations (MCOs), and state Medicaid agencies, today announced the results of the HHAeXchange Homecare Insights Survey, which surveyed more than 3,900 caregivers across the company’s homecare agency clients. The survey was designed to understand the motivations of today’s caregivers and find ways to enhance caregiver satisfaction to ultimately improve health outcomes.

The need for quality caregivers in the homecare industry continues to grow, as new data has found that many individuals are rejecting institutional care options due to a lack of quality care. Therefore, attracting and rewarding high-quality caregivers is crucial to meet today’s demand.

Patient Observations

Correlated to this, 60% of the caregivers surveyed said making a positive impact on their patients’ health and well-being is the biggest motivator for their work. Additionally, 57% of caregivers reported that they would take extra time to record patient observations after each visit, motivated by the knowledge that it could improve their patients’ care.

In addition to understanding the importance of their role in improving patients’ quality of life, caregivers are attracted to, and choose to remain in, the homecare industry because of the relationships they form with patients. In a 17% increase from last year’s survey, ninety-one percent of caregivers surveyed revealed that the relationships they form with the patients they care for increase their job satisfaction.

HHAeXchange President Stephen Vaccaro

“While the challenges and demands of being a caregiver still remain – low compensation, feelings of stress and exhaustion, and risk of catching infectious diseases – this survey shows that caregivers remain committed to their work to improve the lives of their patients,” said Stephen Vaccaro, President of HHAeXchange. “As more individuals seek homecare options, the homecare industry must continue to evolve to ensure caregivers are given the resources and recognition they need to remain motivated and focused on patient care.”

Training

Another important finding from the survey was caregivers’ interest in receiving professional training as an additional resource to improve their career satisfaction and longevity. Specifically, the caregivers surveyed said they would be interested in receiving training related to reducing stress (24%), understanding how to treat patients with specific illnesses (18%), and how to use additional medical equipment (14%).

“Training is a critical component of caregiving that improves caregiver job satisfaction, confidence, and improves care outcomes,” said Glen Persaud, Vice President at New York Health Care Inc. “Our agency offers training opportunities and ensures our caregivers receive the help and support they need to ensure we are providing the best care possible.”

To learn more about HHAeXchange, and how it can help both homecare providers and caregivers through its solutions, visit hhaexchange.com/solutions/providers.

Survey Methodology

This survey was conducted by HHAeXchange from April 8 to July 31, 2024, among more than 3,900 caregivers across a variety of the company’s homecare agency clients. For complete survey methodology, please contact michelle.rand@alloycrew.com.

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About HHAeXchange

Founded in 2008, HHAeXchange is a leading technology platform for homecare and self-direction program management. Developed specifically for Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS), HHAeXchange connects state agencies, managed care organizations, providers, and caregivers through its intuitive web-based platform, enabling unparalleled communication, transparency, efficiency, and compliance. For more information, visit hhaexchange.com or follow the company on X, LinkedIn and Facebook.