Disrupt

National Association for Home Care and Hospice President Bill DombiThe United States — now with more confirmed cases than all but two countries — has hit a critical juncture in the uphill battle against the coronavirus. But home- and community-based health care providers are still left fighting for more support. Home Health Care News recently caught up with National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) President William A. Dombi for an update on where home health and home care providers currently stand amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Listen to this episode of Disrupt to learn: -- What CMS is doing to help home health providers -- Why industry advocates say more support is needed -- How in-home care will continue to play a major role throughout the COVID-19 pandemic -- And more!

Headquartered in the Boston area, HouseWorks is growing -- and fast. Private equity backing has helped. And so has the company’s unique business model, a blend of home care and home modification. For this episode of Disrupt, we caught up with the leader of HouseWorks -- founder and CEO Andrea Cohen -- to learn about that growth strategy and how it will play out in 2020. During our conversation, we also touched on how HouseWorks has established an extensive partnership network with senior living operators. Listen to this episode of Disrupt to learn: -- How HouseWorks has built a business around home-modification services -- Why Cohen got into home-based care in the first place -- How HouseWorks sources 50% of clients from the senior living market -- And more!

Home health and personal care aides are often referred to as “the eyes and ears” of the U.S. health care system, but they’re still infrequently used in care teams. Changing that is going to take some hard work and dedicated advocacy, according to Dr. Robyn Stone, senior vice president of research at LeadingAge and director of the LeadingAge LTSS Center at UMass Boston. Home Health Care News recently caught up with Dr. Stone to learn more about the evolution of care teams and how in-home care aides fit into health care’s future. During the conversation, the noted researcher also shared best practices for recruiting and retention, common pain points for home health and home care providers alike. Listen to this episode of Disrupt to learn: -- Why care teams often fail to leverage home health and personal care aides -- How providers can improve upon recruiting in a difficult labor market -- What signs suggest in-home care workers are ready to leave their employer -- And much more!

With 2020 right around the corner, the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM) is coming in hot. Providers big and small are mostly ready to go at this point -- but there’s always something new to learn. For the final Disrupt conversation of 2019 -- a year of change for the home health care industry -- HHCN caught up with the Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare’s Joanne Cunningham. Don’t miss this end-of-year update. Start off running in 2020. Listen to this episode of Disrupt to learn: -- What the first few months of 2020 are going to look like under PDGM -- How providers will (or won't) adapt to PDGM, RCD and the RAP phaseout -- Why a separate payment overhaul for skilling nursing could signal CMS hiccups for PDGM -- And more!

Interim HealthCare -- one of the oldest home-based care franchise models around -- is headed in a brand new direction. President and CEO Jennifer Sheets is leading the way. After joining Interim in early 2019, Sheets is now steering Interim toward its new HomeLife Enrichment strategy, which is focused on whole-person care and enabling aging in place. But that's not the only thing on the CEO's leadership agenda. Sheets is also expanding Interim's successful health care staffing segment and beefing up its technology efforts. Listen to this episode of Disrupt to learn: -- Why staffing will play a key role in Interim's 2020 plans -- How Interim is tackling the caregiver crisis through improved recruiting and retention strategies -- How working as a nurse in an urgent-care setting still helps Sheets in her role today -- And more!

For many in the aging services space, the adult day center world isn't exactly clear. Murky federal definitions and regulations mean adult day oversight is largely left to state-by-state governance. Additionally, many individuals maintain overly simplistic, somewhat prejudiced misconceptions about what adult day centers actually provide. But don't be fooled. The adult day market is booming -- and perhaps nobody knows that better than Centennial Adultcare Center CEO William Zagorski. Listen to this episode of Disrupt to learn: - What the adult day market looks like today and what it's projected to look like tomorrow - How home health and home care providers can be key components in the adult day model - Why adult day centers may become more popular settings for older adults in the coming decade - ... and much more!

You’ve probably heard of HomeHero before, the startup once labeled a home care “disruptor” that was eventually forced to close up shop. But have you ever heard of Family Directed? That’s the relatively new technology-enabled home care company that’s trying to breathe new life into HomeHero while also attempting to give consumers more transparency on the home care services they sign up for. Unlike some of its predecessors that vowed to disrupt home-based care, Family Directed isn’t trying to “throw the baby out with the bathwater,” President Kiel Dowlin recently told Home Health Care News. In fact, apart from its consumer-facing offerings, it actually has an enterprise platform for potential agency partners. Listen to this episode of Disrupt to learn: - How Family Directed is growing its business with the help of a long-time home care veteran - What the tech company hopes to accomplish by partnering with existing home health and home care agencies - Why Family Directed believes it will succeed where other h

A few years ago, many would have considered ride-hailing and health care apples and oranges. But today, they’re more like peanut butter and jelly, with companies such as Uber and Lyft rolling out health care divisions of their own. In this episode of Disrupt, you’ll hear from the head of one of those divisions: Dan Trigub. He came to Uber Health in December following a 2-year stint at Lyft -- and with a background in home care. Trigub recently connected with HHCN to discuss where home-based care fits into the picture, as well as how that picture is evolving. Listen to this episode of Disrupt to learn: - What Uber is looking for in home-based care partners - Where Medicare Advantage comes into play - Which in-home care partnerships Trigub is most excited about - … and much more!

Led by CEO Jeff Wiberg, Family Resource Home Care is the product of a merger between two of the biggest home care providers in the Pacific Northwest. The company is now using that scale to create density in its markets and go after emerging Medicare Advantage opportunities. In general, Family Resource Home Care's transformation mirrors the industry at large, which is currently engulfed in a major consolidation wave. In fact, the days of the small mom-and-pop home care provider may be coming to an end, according to Wiberg. Listen to this episode of Disrupt to learn: - Why Family Resource Home Care is pursuing an aggressive growth strategy at this point in time - How the company is approaching the new Medicare Advantage opportunities created by CMS over the past two years - What further consolidation might mean for the industry moving forward - ... and much more!

With its transition to a nonprofit model, Bayada Home Health Care has had a busy past couple years. Next up for the billion-dollar home-based care provider? Finding new ways to do -- and pay for -- what it does best. In this episode of Disrupt, CEO David Baiada will tell listeners what that means for the future of the company. Listen to this episode of Disrupt to learn: - Why Bayada is leaning into managed care and dual-eligible populations - How brands like H&R Block and Bic fit into the company's history - What the nonprofit is doing to make sure at-home care has a voice in Washington - … And much more!

If you haven’t yet heard of Minnesota-based Lifesprk, you likely will very soon. Led by CEO Joel Theisen, Lifesprk provides a range of services in the home -- including home-based primary care -- to help seniors achieve their health and wellness goals. The model has been so successful, the company teamed up with Utah’s Intermountain Healthcare in 2018 for the launch of their Homespire joint venture, which Theisen also oversees. Going after value-based care arrangements is Lifesprk’s bread and butter, according to Theisen. Additionally, when it comes to emerging Medicare Advantage (MA) opportunities for non-medical in-home services and supports targeting chronic care management, Lifesprk is “all in,” he said. Listen to this episode of Disrupt to learn: - Why Intermountain decided to team up with Lifesprk, a company several hundred miles away - How Lifesprk is positioning itself to land value-based care arrangements and MA contracts - Why isolation can be fatal for home care providers - … And much more!

Fresh off a quarter filled with nearly 20 acquisition deals and announcements, LHC shows no signs of slowing down in the months -- or years -- to come. In this episode of Disrupt, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer Bruce Greenstein gives listeners some insight into the home health giant’s “maniacal” JV execution, disaster plan strategy and recent explosion in ACO involvement. Listen to this episode of Disrupt to learn: - How home health providers can get into the ACO game - Why LHC Group is more bullish on its JV strategy than ever before - What Greenstein says is LHC Group’s “best kept secret” - … And much more!

With a new EVP, one of the oldest and largest nonprofit home- and community-based health care organizations in the country has its eyes set on the future. In this episode of Disrupt, you’ll hear from Andria Castellanos, executive vice president and chief of provider services at the Visiting Nurse Service of New York (VNSNY). Castellanos recently sat down with HHCN to reflect on her first six months in the new position and the direction in which she's the taking VNSNY. Listen to this episode of Disrupt to learn: - How VNSNY is preparing for PDGM and other regulatory headwinds - Why Castellanos is leaning into social determinants of health and value-based contracts - What goes into managing successful managed care relationships - …And much more!

Encompass Health is one of the nation’s largest providers of post-acute health care services, offering both facility-based and home-based patient care in 36 states and Puerto Rico through its network of in-patient rehabilitation hospitals, home health agencies and hospice agencies. CEO April Anthony leads the company’s expanding home health and hospice business. That expansion most recently includes Encompass Health’s plans to acquire Alacare for a price tag north of $200 million. Listen to this episode of Disrupt to learn: -- Why Encompass Health announced plans to acquire Alacare Home Health & Hospice -- How the company plans to adapt to the Patient-Driven Groupings Model and mitigate certain aspects of the model -- Why Encompass Health prioritizes workplace culture ... and much more!

Since joining Amedisys (Nasdaq: AMED) in 2014, CEO Paul Kusserow has spearheaded an ambitious turnaround effort, during which time the company’s stock has climbed from around $20 per share to the more than $130 per share range it sits at today. Most of Amedisys’ growth over the years has come organically, though the Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based company has been active on the M&A front as well, reflected by its two recent hospice deals. Listen to this episode of Disrupt to learn: - What Amedisys is doing to prepare for PDGM - How the company has grown over the last four years - Why Amedisys is becoming an even bigger hospice player - …And much more!

As the population ages, the caregiver shortage worsens and Medicare Advantage plans continue to add supplemental benefits, the home care industry is becoming increasingly complex. In this episode, you’ll hear how Neal Kursban -- CEO of Family & Nursing Care, one of the largest private pay home care companies in the Washington, D.C area -- is navigating those challenges and more to keep his 50-year-old company at the front of the pack. Listen to this episode of Disrupt to learn: - How Family & Nursing Care drove its caregiver turnover rate down to 14% - Why profit margin doesn’t tell an agency’s whole story - What’s prompting the family-owned agency to expand after decades in business - …And much more!

Michigan-based Great Lakes Caring, Connecticut-based National Home Health Care and Texas-based Jordan Health Services were -- not too long ago -- three separate home-based care providers. Backed by Blue Wolf Capital Partners and Kelso & Company, they came together in a three-way mega-merger in May 2018, officially rebranding under the Elara Caring name in July. G. Scott Herman serves as CEO of Elara Caring -- now one of the largest home health providers in the country, serving more than 65,000 patients and their families daily with services that span the continuum of personal care, skilled home health and hospice care. Using predictive analytics to enable longitudinal care will be one of the keys for Elara Caring moving forward, as will its behavioral health offerings. HHCN caught up with Herman to hear about his plans for the company moving forward, including its take on preparing for the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM). Listen to this episode of Disrupt to learn: -- Why three successful home-based

Cincinnati-based FirstLight Home Care -- named to Franchise Times’ Fast & Serious List in January -- is one of the largest home care franchise systems in the country. FirstLight has seen steady year-over-year growth with CEO Jeff Bevis at the helm, but industry headwinds and a changing regulatory environment may present obstacles for the franchise giant moving forward. Among FirsLight's big plans: a new brain health program, tackling senior isolation, eyeing Medicare Advantage (MA) opportunities and pushing a conversion model to bring independent agencies into its vast network. HHCN caught up with Bevis to talk about his plans for FirstLight and learn how home care agencies are carving out an important role in the overall care continuum.

Since taking over as president of the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) in early 2018, Bill Dombi has spearheaded the organization’s advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill on behalf of its 33,000 or so home care, hospice and home health members. With major policies such as the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM) and the Review Choice Demonstration (RCD), 2018 has been a busy year for NAHC. 2019 is likely to bring more of the same, perhaps made event more complicated by congressional changes and increased oversight, especially for the hospice industry. Dombi shed some light on his advocacy plans for the year ahead with HHCN.

Since joining HomeWatch Caregivers in 2015, Julie Smith has led the company from being family-owned to being in private equity ownership, through transactions that set industry records for their multiples. Today, HomeWatch Caregivers is leveraging the PE capital to expand its footprint, and it is also bolstering its technology platform to drive care coordination and other efforts --- all of which are making the company into a true disruptor, Smith believes. She is bullish on Medicare Advantage, but also has concerns about how to better match up the franchise-based home care model with the needs of increasing care coordination with different types of payers and providers. Listen to this episode of Disrupt to learn: -- Why home care is such an attractive opportunity for private equity and why the current market for home care is "irrational" -- Details of HomeWatch Caregivers' initiative to build a more robust technology platform, taking cures from startups that have entered the industry in the last several ye