In June, Homecare Homebase customers were featured in news articles discussing new deals, staffing and retention strategies and value-based care tactics. The industry is holding is breath to see how strategies will pivot after the home health final rule comes out later this year.
HSPN Highlights HCHB Customers’ JV Partnerships
Hospice News explored the trend towards JV partnerships and cited the partnership activity of several HCHB Customers including Amedisys, Brookdale Senior Living, Contessa Health, HCA Healthcare, LHC Group and Traditions Health. Joint ventures have become a key growth strategy for several of Homecare Homebase’s customers. These partnerships allow Hospice agencies to lend their expertise to hospital systems and increase referrals. Read the full article here.
AccentCare and VNA Health Comment on Value-based Care
Value-based care strategies are top of mind for many organizations in the home-based care space. Leaders from AccentCare and VNA Health commented on their company’s value-based care arrangements in a Home Health Care News Article. Leaders touched on the effect that PDGM has had on value as well as some of the strategies and challenges that the companies are currently tackling. Read the rest of the article here.
AccentCare Addresses Hospice Care for the LGBTQ+ Community
Hospice News interviewed Dr. Balu Natarajan, chief medical officer of AccentCare’s hospice division on ways that Hospices can be more inclusive care for the LGBTQ+ community. Concerns around respectful treatment, acknowledgment of chosen families and the burden of having to educate their care providers can make members of the LGBTQ+ community hesitate when it comes to hospice care. Natarajan addresses setting up an effective program and increasing access to care. Read the full article here.
LifeSpark Reflects on Industry Changes
Joel Theisen, CEO of LifeSpark, shared his insights on the effect that the move towards value-based care and more holistic approaches to home-based care will have on the industry in a Mcknights Home Care article. He shared the need for companies to combat senior isolation by connecting patients with a variety of services that address activities of daily living. Read the full article here.
LifeSpark’s commitment to pushing the envelope has been brought to the forefront with the appointment of Matt Nyquist as LifeSpark’s chief population health officer. Nyquist will oversee the company’s global risk products and market expansion efforts. In his previous role as CIO for Optum’s population health business and center for digital health, he learned how to put patients at the center of a variety of health services. Read the rest of the article here.
Addus Optimistic About Rising Recruitment Numbers
Like many organizations in the industry, Addus HomeCare Corporation has had to navigate workforce shortages caused by COVID-19 quarantine, burnout and competition. However, rising retention rates are signaling the potential for the company’s organic growth in the months to come. Addus is also actively looking at M&A opportunities that allow the company to add clinical services to its areas that have a strong personal care base. Read the rest of the article here.
The Pennant Group Announces Leadership Changes
Daniel Walker, current CEO of The Pennant Group has announced his retirement and desire to focus on his family and charitable endeavors. He will remain chairman of the board for the organization. Starting August 1st, Brent Guerisoli will be stepping into the role of CEO. Guerisoli joined the company in 2012 and has been integral to Pennant’s success. John Gochnour will become President as well as COO moving forward. Read the full article here.
Enhabit Discusses Plans for Expansion
Enhabit Home Health is planning to hit the ground running after completing its spinoff from Encompass Health on July 1st. The company has set aside $2-3 million to open de novo locations in the last half of 2022. Enhabit has also allocated $50-$100 million for acquisitions that will help the organization co-locate services. Read the rest of the article here.
Amedisys Benefits from Contessa Purchase
Amedisys purchased Contessa Health, a company that provides high acuity care in-home almost a year ago. Amedisys saw the Contessa purchase as an opportunity to provide for more patients across the care continuum. The purchase has unlocked several joint venture partnership opportunities for Amedisys and now the company is considering in-home high acuity care a core part of the organization’s business. Read the full article here.
Amedisys unveiled that Contessa Health now has partnerships with Baylor Scott & White and Memorial Hermann Health System that will expand palliative and home-based medical care in Texas through value-based initiatives. “Contessa’s risk-based payment and care model has led to a 44% reduction in hospital readmission rates among its patients — as well as a 35% drop in length of hospital stay — while achieving a patient satisfaction rate upwards of 90%, according to the company.” Read the rest of the article here.
St. Croix Purchases Lexington Hospice Care
St. Croix Hospice continues to grow with the acquisition of Lexington Hospice in Lombard, Illinois. The company has been quickly expanding throughout the mid-west. Lexington’s location, track record for compliance and diverse staff made the agency an attractive asset to St. Croix. The company now has more than 50 locations across nine states and serves more than 3,000 patients. Read the rest of the article here.
Kindred Re-brand to CenterWell in Progress
Kindred home health locations in 14 states have completed branding to “CenterWell”. Humana began the rebranding process to bring together its payor agnostic healthcare offerings under a single umbrella. The 14 states leading the rebrand include Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Main, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Texas, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin. The final phase of the rebrand is scheduled for September. Read the full article here.
LHC Group Advances Towards Deal with UnitedHealth Group
LHC Group’s shareholders voted to approve the pending sale of the company to UnitedHealth Group. 27 million of the organization’s 31 million shareholders participated in the vote. If the deal is finalized, Keith Myers will move into a new role, CEO emeritus and senior advisor to Optum. Optum is a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group. Josh Proffitt will become LHC Group’s CEO. Read the rest of the article here.
Trinity Health at Home Purchases Above & Beyond
Trinity Health at Home has agreed to purchase Above & Beyond Home Health Care and Hospice in July. Above & Beyond Home Health Care is based in Monticello, Iowa. “Trinity Health At Home looks forward to partnering with Above & Beyond to care for the Monticello community and surrounding areas.” Read the full article here.
Choice Health at Home and Silverstone Hospice Retention
HCHB customers Choice Health at Home and Silverstone Hospice weighed in on hospice recruiting and retention challenges and the importance of organizational culture in a Hospice News article. Nurse burnout on their exit from the healthcare industry as a whole has been a big concern and a positive, supportive culture may be the best way for organizations to combat shortages. Read the rest of the article here.
Traditions Health Comments on CONs
Freeman Smith, north region president for Traditions Health spoke with Hospice News about the dwindling presence of certificate of need laws across the United States. Other factors have a greater effect on cost control now, leading at least 18 states to reassess their CON laws in the past three years. Read the rest of the article here.
New Pennant CEO Shares His Perspective
Brent Guerisoli is replacing Daniel Walker as CEO of The Pennant Group Inc. starting August 1, 2022. Guerisoli will continue to focus on empowering local leaders through acquisitions in the company’s target markets. Creating structured framework for systems and processes is key. He is looking forward to the focus on quality that is expected to come from HHVBP and sees it as a win for companies like Pennant. Read the full article here.
