Monday, October 24, 2005 - 10:30AM - 12:30PM

Education Sessions Alternative Services and Private Pay Financial and Business Development Clinical and Disease Management Human Resources Hospice and Palliative Care Services Legal and Regulatory Issues Marketing Management and Leadership Development Pediatric Care Quality and Outcomes Telehealth and Technology Course Schedules Sunday Courses Monday Courses Tuesday Courses

301. Quality and Outcomes
The CMS 8th Scope of Work and Home Health Agencies
The emphasis of the current Scope of Work (SOW) for home health agencies is to increase their ability and proficiency with quality improvement methodologies, with emphasis
on Outcome-Based Quality Improvement (OBQI), to improve the CMS publicly reported quality measure rates. CMS has selected two OASIS quality measures for national focus: acute care hospitalization and emergent care utilization. This session will discuss, in detail, the OBQI target outcomes that CMS is focusing on and the initiatives being developed to
address them.

Objectives:

• Describe the goals of the CMS 8th SoW relative to home health agencies.
• Identify the OBQI target outcomes that CMS is focusing on.
• Identify lessons learned during the 7th SoW that will help agencies achieve success in targeted outcomes.

Faculty: Ann Ganung, BSN, MBA, RN, Senior Coordinator, Special Projects, Quality Partners of Rhode Island, Providence, RI; Patricia Burt, BSN, RN, CPHQ, Accreditation Specialist, United Home Health Services, Inc., Canton, MI

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

302. Quality and Outcomes
Access along the Continuum: Using OASIS Data to Identify Appropriate Hospice Referrals
This presentation will introduce new and powerful information that can be used to better identify those patients in home health care who would benefit from transition to hospice, or to be managed under a palliative care program. Attendees will have the first-ever look at comparative analysis of case weight, primary diagnoses, visit utilization, emergent care, and hospitalization rates and key
clinical outcomes.

Objectives:

• Discuss comparative OASIS data relevant to end-of-life care.
• Describe three key measures that can be used to indicate appropriate transfer to hospice/palliative care.
• Discuss key elements of a successful process.

Faculty: Melinda Fey, BSN, RN, Strategy and Planning Executive, Outcome Concept Systems, Inc., Seattle, WA; Linda Richardson, RN, BSN, MS, Vice President of Clinical Services over Hospice, Visiting Nurse Services, Inc., Indianapolis, IN

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

303. Quality and Outcomes
Therapy "Out-of-the-Box:" Positive Outcomes and Positive Staff Retention
By providing your rehab clinicians with the "tools," they are empowered to create a plan of care that accomplishes many goals. The team approach discussed in this program will tap into your clinicians' hidden excitement and initial desires to become a therapist in the first place.

Objectives:

• Discuss the importance of establishing a Holistic care plan that incorporates the patient's life goals in the home setting.
• Demonstrate the use of creative care planning that results in positive outcomes via case studies.
• Identify the importance of clinician support and ownership in devising the "Out-of-the-Box" Care Plan.

Faculty: Theresa Gates, PT, Director of Professional Services, Home Care Advantage, Inc., Jacksonville, FL

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

304. Legal and Regulatory Issues
Compliance & Your Agency: Is Your Compliance Program Really Working?
Are you and your agency's compliance program ready if the government is conducting focused reviews in target areas or walks in your door because there has been a complaint? Learn from a consulting perspective what are the hot issues and trends seen nationally in all types of agencies.

Objectives:

• Discuss the current compliance and regulatory trends in home care and hospice.
• Identify some of the legal Do's and Don'ts of compliance regarding relationships with referral sources.
• Explain the compliance code of conduct, culture, process, and philosophy from a provider's perspective.

Faculty: Mary Lenzini, RN, BSN, MA, CHCE, President/CEO, Visiting Nurse Association of Southeastern Connecticut, Waterford, CT; Robin Seidman, RN, BSN, MSN, MBA, LNCC, Senior Manager, Simione Consultants, LLC, Westborough, MA; Jeanette Schreiber, JD, MSW, Partner, Wiggin and Dana LLP, New Haven, CT

Course Level: Advanced; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

305. Telehealth and Technology
Merging Technology: Integrating Information to Demonstrate Improved Patient Outcomes and Operating Efficiencies
Partnering to design a successful interface between telehealth, clinical, financial, and reporting systems, the presenters will discuss how the integration of information enables results analysis that is patient-specific, disease-specific and operations- specific.

Objectives:

• Describe the value of streamlining the collection of information to produce evidence of the value that technology offers.
• Demonstrate the value of a successful interface between technologies.
• Identify and report performance indicators that are patient-specific, disease specific, and operations-specific.

Faculty: Laurie Neander, RN, MS, CEO, At Home Care, Inc., Oneonta, NY; Kim Wipf, RN, BSN, CCRN, Solution Manager for Home Care, BeyondNow Technologies, Overland Park, KS; Michael Leminitzer, BS, CPA, Vice President-Business Development, ViTel Net, Inc., McLean, VA

Course Level: Novice–Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

306. Alternative Services and Private Pay
Circuses Make Money on the Popcorn! Home Care Strategies for Diversification and Growth
In this session, you will learn how VNA of Indiana County is rapidly growing its chronic-care revenues through enhanced linkage with certified services, while also seeking revenue on ancillary services, product sales, and funds development. From mobile mental health to home massage, telemonitors to lifecall pendants and more.

Objectives:

• Identify and develop the Five Domains of Long-Term Care.
• Identify and demonstrate alternative services, sales, and funds development for home care.
• Identify and describe Community Life Care Planning as a business driver that supports an expanded role and
  revenues.

Faculty: Joseph Jackson, LICSW, CCM, President, ElderCare Advisors, Inc., Lenox, MA; Linda Bettinazzi, BSN, RN, President/CEO, VNA of Indiana County, Indiana, PA

Course Level: Intermediate–Advanced; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

307. Financial and Business Development
WWW.Due Diligence: What, Why, and When
Due diligence is usually performed at different levels of intensity and detail throughout the life cycle. This program will discuss the various aspects and the timing of this process. It will also describe the legal, business and strategic considerations in the due diligence and what benefits and pitfalls may break the deal or simply give opportunities to renegotiate the transaction.

Objectives:

• Discuss objectives in a sound due diligence.
• Identify the forms of due diligence.
• Analyze due diligence findings.

Faculty: Sheldon Berman, CPA, CVA, Principal, Simione Consultants, LLC, Hamden, CT

Course Level: Intermediate–Advanced; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

308. Human Resources
Effectively Using Computers in a Staff Development Program
Providence Home Services has included web-based training in its competency and learning program since 1998. They recognize the learning curve both for the employee and the organization. It's only one tool within a much broader kit that must be based in adult learning principles. Learning styles, domains, motivational factors, and desired outcomes provide useful criteria to match an activity to the tools and materials.

Objectives:

• Identify learning activities that are best suited to computer or web-based training.
• List your agency's criteria for an effective learning management system (LMS).
• Identify criteria to successfully author a web-based training course.

Faculty: Nancy Bensen, RN, MSN, CDE, Education Manager, Providence Home Services, Portland, OR; Mary Ellen Warren, LCSW, Quality Manager, Providence Home Services, Portland, OR

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

309. Alternative Services and Private Pay
The Top Techniques to Grow Your Private Duty Home Care Business
Economics, demographics, and market data point to Private Duty Home Care, or non-medical home care, as the fastest growing segment of our industry. This interactive session will describe the top techniques to grow your business and increase your income.

Objectives:

• Describe the three core elements of an effective Private Duty Home Care business.
• Describe the top techniques to grow a business.
• Describe how to increase income through effective staffing.

Faculty: Stephen Tweed, CSP, Home Care Provider, CEO, Leading Home Care ... a Tweed Jeffries Company, Louisville, KY

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

310. Clinical and Disease Management
Second Annual Hot Topics in Home Health Rehabilitation Therapy
A panel of PT, OT and SLP will discuss the current issues facing rehabilitation professionals in home health. This session will be presented by experts from physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology. Clinical development, regulatory issues, recruitment challenges, and guidance on managing therapy staff for appropriate utilization are among the topics that will be discussed.

Objectives:

• Identify current trends and issues in home care.
• Discuss effective management of the issues facing therapists in home care.
• Discuss the role of therapists in the future of home care.

Faculty: Cindy Krafft, MSPT, Director of Rehabilitation Services, OSF Home Care, Peoria, IL; Becky Skrine, MS, CCC- SLP, CHCE, Rehabilitation Services Manager, Baptist Hospital East Home Health Agency, Louisville, KY; Carol Siebert, MS, OTR/L, Assistant Profressor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC

Course Level: Novice; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

311. Financial and Business Development, Hospice and Palliative Care Services
How to Become a Medicare Part B Provider
Have you considered being a Medicare Part B provider for physician services? Home care agencies and hospice programs are developing physician services to provide palliative care consultations. This program will give you the how to's on the process: how to apply for the provider number; how to structure the program; how to bill for services; how to manage the program; and how to establish the medical records and office system.

Objectives:

• List the elements of a Part B application.
• Discuss the legal and contractual considerations of Part B services.
• Evaluate the operational components of Part B services.

Faculty: Carla Braveman, RN, MEd, CHCE, Executive Director, VNA & Hospice of Cooley Dickinson, Northampton, MA; Mary Sheehan, RN, MSN, MBA, Senior Vice President of Clinical Services, Palliative CareCenter and Hospice of the North Shore, Evanston, IL

Course Level: Intermediate–Advanced; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

312. Management and Leadership Development
Maximizing Home Health Aide Productivity Using Six Sigma Methodology
This presentation will describe the application of Six Sigma, a data-driven performance improvement methodology, to the delivery of home health aide services to address these issues and achieve geographic redistribution of aides.

Objectives:

• Describe key elements of the Six Sigma improvement methodology.
• Identify techniques for collecting and analyzing home health aide visit data.
• Develop plans for improving utilization and decreasing costs associated with home health aide services.

Faculty: Patricia Moulton, PhD, RN, Manager of Education and Research, Atlantic Home Care & Hospice, Millburn, NJ; Betty Jo Gerow, BS,PT, Manager of Rehabilitation Services, Atlantic Home Care & Hospice, Millburn, NJ

Course Level: Novice–Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

314. Pediatric Care
Pediatric Pain and Symptom Management at Home
Pediatric home care for children with complex conditions has become a standard of care in recent years. However, complex conditions often present many challenges in terms of undercurrent pain and symptom management needs. In this program, effective strategies for managing pediatric pain and discomfort in the home setting will be presented. Acute, chronic, palliative, end-of-life needs, and integrative therapy options will be discussed.

Objectives:

• Describe the need for effective pain and symptom management for children in the home setting.
• Identify key components of an effective assessment of pain and symptom management needs.
• Differentiate acute, chronic, palliative, and end-of-life needs.

Faculty: Stacy Remke, MSW, LICSW, Coordinator of Education and Psychosocial Services, Children's Hospitals and Clinics, Minneapolis, MN; Jody Chrastek, MSN, CHPN, Coordinator of Hospice and Palliative Care Services, Children's Hospitals and Clinics, Minneapolis, MN

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

Monday, October 24, 2005 - 2:30PM - 4:00PM

Education Sessions Alternative Services and Private Pay Financial and Business Development Clinical and Disease Management Human Resources Hospice and Palliative Care Services Legal and Regulatory Issues Marketing Management and Leadership Development Pediatric Care Quality and Outcomes Telehealth and Technology Course Schedules Sunday Courses Monday Courses Tuesday Courses

401. Quality and Outcomes
How to Measure Your Organization's Performance in One Easy Lesson
In this interactive session, attendees will determine how to build and use a family of measures index to communicate quality indicators in a single tool, which is adaptable to any home care program. Participants will even experience building an index! This includes brainstorming measures, prioritizing measures, weighting measures, establishing performance levels, and tabulating the index score.

Objectives:

• Discuss what the index is, how it is constructed, and how to use it.
• Experience an abbreviated index development process.
• Discuss the skills and knowledge to implement the index in an organization.

Faculty: Mary Ellen Warren, LCSW, Quality Manager, Providence Home Services , Portland, OR; Marla London, MA, Research Director, Providence Health System, Portland, OR; Karen Bell, RN, MBA, Director Hospice and Palliative Care, Providence Health System, Portland, OR

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

402. Quality and Outcomes
Joint Commission Accreditation - 2006 Update
Participants will be presented with the new simplified language used within the text of the standards, as well as the revised applicability of the standards and National Patient Safety Goals. The basic components of the 2006 changes in the manual will be discussed.

Objectives:

• Apply the intent of the Joint Commission's 2006 National Patient Safety Goals to their organizations.
• Discuss the significant differences between the 2004/2005 and the 2006 Comprehensive Accreditation Manuals for Home Care.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the rationale and implementation of the Joint Commission's 2006 Subscription Billing
  Program.

Faculty: Maryanne Popovich, RN, MPH, Executive Director, Joint Commission, Oakbrook Terrace, IL; Robert Floro, BA, RRT, Associate Director, Joint Commission, Oakbrook Terrace, IL

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

403. Human Resources
Improving Education Outcomes Enhances Quality
This session will discuss principles of clinical education paramount for home health professionals. Application of cognitive mapping will provide the framework to adapt agency education processes to consider visual, tactile, and technologic methodologies. Innovative agency examples will exemplify these critical elements of successful education programs.

Objectives:

• Identify principles of clinical education for enhanced skill attainment.
• Identify critical success elements of staff education and training.
• Discuss one agency's application of innovative strategies to achieve success.

Faculty: Patricia Tulloch, RN, BSN, MSN, Senior Consultant, RBC Limited, Staatsburg, NY; Orael Keenan, RN, MSN, CEO, Visiting Nurse Association of Long Island, Garden City, NY

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

404. Legal and Regulatory Issues
The Medicare Prescription Drug Program
CMS has come to appreciate that home health care providers are in an ideal position to help Medicare beneficiaries and their families navigate the health system and to recognize the new Medicare Prescription Drug benefit. This CMS Region 10 Provider Services Branch program offers information and training on the new Medicare Prescription Drug Program.

Objectives:

• Explain the New Medicare Preventive Benefits available in 2005 and the New Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit – Part D available in 2006.
• Discuss the PDAP (Prescription Drug Assistance Program) – a web-based prescription cost comparison tool.
• Review the Medicare Modernization Act (MMA) 641 Demonstration Program that offers access to prescriptions for seriously and chronically ill Medicare Beneficiaries.
• Review the Medicare Prescription Drug Discount Card available now as a transition to the Prescription Drug Benefit.

Faculty: Toni Lysen, Professional Relations Liaison, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Seattle, WA

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

405. Telehealth and Technology
Keystone Telecare: Passive Monitoring, Medication Compliance and Vital Signs
Keystone found that its low cost and flexible combination of technologies has a potentially wide and significant application to create better avenues for care of the chronically ill and aging Medicare and Medicaid population. The speaker will present the model of care that is based on coordinated and proactive daily monitoring, education, guidance, and case management with the support of relevantly low cost technologies.

Objectives:

• Identify strategies for managing care with a systematic approach utilizing low cost integrated technologies.
• Discuss the cost of technology and the effect on cost of care.
• Describe through case study the efficacy of these technologies.

Faculty: Gail A. Inderwies, RN, BSN, MBA, Executive Director, Keystone Hospice, Wyndmoor, PA; Louise Taft, BA, Telehealth Coordinator, Keystone Hospice, Wyndmoor, PA

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

406. Financial and Business Development
"Getting to the Bottom of It:" Recognizing the Drivers Underlying Your Financial Performance—Part I: Revenue Drivers
This session will begin with faculty identifying the key revenue drivers such as: market growth; payment adjustments by type; common down-codes by category; and average case mix weights, etc. Discussion will then be focused on the tools required for measuring and evaluating revenue driver impact and performance.

Objectives:

• List four revenue drivers that impact financial outcomes.
• Identify the tools required for evaluating/measuring revenue driver impact and performance, and determining drill- down parameters.
• Describe how effective data drill-downs can assist in the identification of opportunities for revenue improvement.

Faculty: Celeste Roberson, BSN, MPH, Senior Partner, Roberson, Muck & Associates, Wilmington, NC; Jan Potts, RN, BSN, MBA, Vice President of Operations, Northwestern Memorial Home Health Care, Chicago, IL; Danny Hart, CPA, MBA, Partner, Horne, LLP, Jackson, MS

Course Level: Novice–Advanced; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

407. Financial and Business Development
Cost Report 101: How to Complete a Medicare HHA Cost Report
This program is designed to demonstrate the basic structure of the Medicare cost report. The program will explore, in- depth, the various worksheets that make up the cost report, along with the CMS 339 questionnaire and other required attachments.

Objectives:

• Demonstrate the basic structure of the Medicare cost report.
• Review the various worksheets that make up the cost report along with the 339 questionnaire and other required attachments.
• Discuss what information can be developed from an accurate and completed cost report.

Faculty: Thomas Boyd, BA, MBA, Principal, Boyd & Nicholas, Inc., Rohnert Park, CA; Vern Peterschmidt, BS, President, Peterschmidt & Associates, Albuquerque, NM

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approved Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

408. Human Resources
Managing the Education of Your Workforce to Create "Knowledge Workers"
This session discusses the importance of tracking the educational components, both software and soft skills, within your home care organization. Learn new strategies to help move your employees from workers with knowledge to "knowledge workers."

Objectives:

• Discuss how a blended learning approach and assessment can increase employee satisfaction and productivity.
• Demonstrate how a training assessment program is implemented and measured.
• Identify direct and indirect impact of training assessment and develop sample learning continuum curriculum.

Faculty: Erick Allen, Corporate Education Manager, CareCentric, Atlanta, GA

Course Level: Novice-Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

409. Hospice and Palliative Care Services
Using Operational Benchmarks to Strengthen Your Hospice Program
This presentation will include methods for looking at business efficiencies, comparison to national and regional benchmarks, and suggestions for developing internal measures to improve hospice operations. Expense management, diagnosis mix, shifts in lengths of stay, and location of service and trends in referral patterns are some of the measures hospice leaders need to be tracking. This presentation will give you important knowledge to build a foundation for your program's business decisions.

Objectives:

• Describe vital management information used to determine your hospice program's strengths and areas for development.
• Identify three important indicators to monitor operational efficiencies.
• Cite five valuable financial indicators to measure effective financial performance.

Faculty: Patti Gray, Senior Manager, Simione Consultants, LLC, Vancouver, WA

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

410. Clinical and Disease Management
Alzheimer's Care: Increasingly the Face of Home Health
By necessity, interventions must encompass the management of challenging behaviors characteristic of Alzheimer's disease. This necessitates that every provider approach the patient with a sense of humor, intense caring, and the ability to think creatively.

Objectives:

• Differentiate between stages of Alzheimer's disease and discuss assessment strategies for determining stages.
• Discuss at least three benefits of using a team approach in the care of an Alzheimer's patient.
• Describe challenging behaviors and the six – "R's" approach to respond to these behaviors.

Faculty: Verna Carson, PhD, APRN/PMH, National Director of "Restore" Behavioral Health, Tender Loving Care Home Health Services, Fallston, MD; Linda Bell, PT, BS, National Rehabilitation Director, Tender Loving Care Home Health Services, Houston, TX; Christine Ebell, OT, BA, BS, Field OT, Tender Loving Care Home Health Services, Port St. Lucie, FL

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

411. Management and Leadership Development
Dashboards: Check Them Before Flying!
In this presentation, you will learn ways to effectively collect, analyze, and report financial and clinical data in ways that are meaningful for successfully managing operations. After attending this session, you will be able to navigate your agency through complex competitive and regulated environments similar to skilled pilots operating a jet aircraft.

Objectives:

• Describe how dashboards can be used for solid business decisions.
• Describe how to develop a meaningful dashboard.
• Describe and demonstrate how to evaluate and follow-up on indicators in your dashboard.

Faculty: Cathy Follmer, RN, BSN, CRNI, CHCE, Executive Director, Mercy Home Care, Cincinnati, OH; Ron Barrera, Senior Manager, Simione Consultants, LLC, Hamden, CT

Course Level: Advanced; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

412. Hospice and Palliative Care Services
Introducing Point of Care Automation in a Hospice Setting
Discover how to overcome clinical barriers to point-of-care technology in a hospice setting and realize the benefits — better communication, improved clinical efficiency, and increased cost accuracy. Ensuring that every member of the care team recognizes the patient's status at any given moment is essential for quality care. Automating clinicians at the point of care provides greater standardization and consistency of care, enhances communication, improves efficiency, facilitates regulatory compliance, optimizes clinical resources, and improves patient/caregiver satisfaction.

Objectives:

• Identify the documentation needs of individual hospice disciplines.
• Discuss the traditional barriers to POC technology that have arisen in hospice settings.
• Discuss one agency's successes in overcoming objections and implementing various documentation devices.

Faculty: Margaret Mercer, RN, MSN, Systems Analyst, Mary Greeley Medical Center, Ames, IA; Angela Doran, RN, Clinical Services Manager, Mary Greeley Medical Center, Ames, IA; Pamela Aipperspach, RN, BSN, CCM, Clinical Consultant, McKesson Corp, Springfield, MO

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

413. Marketing
Private Duty Marketing Success
In this session, participants will determine how other agencies are successfully building strong and profitable private pay programs. Some of the marketing strategies for private pay are applicable to all types of home care and some are not. Discover some of the best practice ideas from across the nation.

Objectives:

• Discover best practices in marketing private pay services.
• Identify tricks of hiring, training, and managing a sales team.
• Target the best segments of the market with the greatest profit potential.

Faculty: Michael Ferris, Principal, Home Care Marketing Solutions, Chapel Hill, NC

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

414. Pediatric Care
"We Don't Take Kids Do We?" Pediatric Palliative Care for Adult Programs
In this presentation, the faculty will discuss this approach and examine a case study of what an adult home care and hospice did to provide pediatric care without significant financial impact, the lessons they learned, and how they are doing it now. This case study will help participants to recognize how all these aspects of care are applicable to their own practice and that of their agency.

Objectives:

• Describe the need for pediatric hospice and palliative care.
• Identify the key differences between adult and pediatric palliative care and identify further informational resources.
• Identify the impact of caring for children at the end of life individually and throughout the program.

Faculty: Joan Ramer Chrastek, MSN, CHPN, Clinical Coordinator- Hospice/Palliative Service, Children's Hospitals and Clinics, Minneapolis, MN; Stacy Remke, MSW, LICSW, Coordinator of Education and Psychosocial Services, Children's Hospitals and Clinics, Minneapolis, MN

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA

Monday, October 24, 2005 - 4:15PM - 5:45PM

Education Sessions Alternative Services and Private Pay Financial and Business Development Clinical and Disease Management Human Resources Hospice and Palliative Care Services Legal and Regulatory Issues Marketing Management and Leadership Development Pediatric Care Quality and Outcomes Telehealth and Technology Course Schedules Sunday Courses Monday Courses Tuesday Courses

501. Clinical and Disease Management
Evidence-Based Practice for Advanced Dementia: Lessons Learned
As the statistics point to an increasing number of individuals with dementia, it is imperative that home care and hospice nurses utilize Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) strategies to provide state of the art dementia and comfort care for those persons in the advanced states. This educational session will highlight proven interventions that address palliative care goals, meet the educational needs of health care staff, and provide the building blocks for an advanced dementia care program at your agency.

Objectives:

• Describe the demographics and care trends related to advanced dementia.
• Explain the top interventions and best practices that promote palliative care for persons with advanced dementia.
• Demonstrate how to build an advanced dementia specific program for home care and hospice agencies based on EBP.

Faculty: Carol O. Long, PhD, RN, CEO, Capstone Healthcare Group, Phoenix, AZ; Jan Dougherty, MS, RN, Project Director, Hospice of the Valley, Phoenix, AZ

Course Level: Novice; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

502. Quality and Outcomes
Six Sigma: Quality Improvement with the Bottom Line in Mind
This program describes how an integrated multi-product line home care company used Six Sigma as the framework for improving quality outcomes, customer service, and financial performance in data-driven process improvement. Designed to reduce variances, improve the quality of outcomes, customer satisfaction and the bottom line, this approach was pioneered in the early 80's by manufacturing companies.

Objectives:

• Describe the Six Sigma framework as a process for quality improvement.
• Identify operational applications of Six Sigma.
• Discuss how Six Sigma improved clinical and financial outcomes.

Faculty: Nancy Martin, MSN, RN, President & CEO, Vital Care, Cheboygan, MI; Shari McLennan, BSN, RN, Director of Quality Improvement, Vital Care, Cheboygan, MI

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

503. Quality and Outcomes
How to Use Benchmarking & Best Practices to Improve Patient Care & Outcomes
Attendees will learn about one agency's experience and participation in a national benchmarking project on Foley catheter infections. The presentation will describe the power inherent in the performance improvement process to solve patient care problems, improve patient care and outcomes, build relationships in the physician community, and use benchmarking for strategic marketing activities.

Objectives:

• Describe the components of the performance improvement model: FOCUS-PDCA.
• Define terms: benchmark, best practice, peer mean, target.
• Cite three benefits of performance improvement using benchmarked data.

Faculty: Karen Marshall Thompson, MS, RN, Administrator, SOMC Home Health Services, Portsmouth, OH

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

504. Telehealth and Technology
Telehealth Home Health Success Story for CHF Patients
Learn step-by-step, where to begin, how to initiate, and what to expect when starting telehealth. In Centura's experience, hospital readmissions were reduced by 90%, ER visits by 100%, and by reducing the number of home care visits to the patients, the agency had a 50% reduction in staffing expenses.

Objectives:

• Demonstrate how to effectively manage a capitated managed Medicare population with CHF.
• Demonstrate Positive Clinical Outcomes through Telehealth.
• Discuss Strategic implications for generating revenue for Telehealth.

Faculty: Dianne Newberry, RN, BSN,MHA, Statewide Manager for Case Management, Centura Health At Home, Denver, CO; Melody Wright, RN, CCM, Director, Centura Health At Home, Denver, CO; Erin Denholm, RN, BSN, MSN, Senior Vice President, Centura Health At Home, Denver, CO

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

505. Marketing
Developing a Total Agency Marketing Team of Employees
By applying many of the marketing principles used in outside marketing efforts and programs to the internal communications, agency leaders can guide employees to a better recognition of, and even a passion for, the agency's vision. When all the agency's employees are living the vision, clients are much more likely to experience the agency in a way that's consistent with what your marketing team has promised. This session shows you how to achieve these goals effectively.

Objectives:

• Develop internal marketing principles.
• Link internal and external marketing.
• Incorporate the agency vision through company policy.

Faculty: Selene Madrid, Director of Marketing, Southview Homecare, Kansas City, MO; Edward Lewis, RN, FNP, President/CEO, Southview Homecare, Kansas City, MO

Course Level: Novice–Advanced; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

506. Financial and Business Development
"Getting to the Bottom of It:" Recognizing the Drivers Underlying Your Financial Performance—Part II: Cost Drivers
This session is the second of a two-part session series and will focus providers on the key cost drivers that affect financial outcomes. The first session in the series (406) focused on the key revenue drivers underlying financial performance.

Objectives:

• List three cost drivers that impact financial outcomes.
• Identify the tools required for evaluating/measuring cost-driver impact and performance, and determining drill-down parameters.
• Describe how effective data drill-downs can assist in the identification of opportunities for cost control and improved financial
  performance.

Course Level: Novice-Advanced; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

507. Financial and Business Development
Manage Growth and Make a Profit Using Information Systems in a Rural Health Care System
During its integration, North Mississippi Medical Center increased efficiency and managed 40% growth overall and 100% growth in their hospice. They experienced a $3.7 million turn-around during this integration. This presentation shows how the steps taken to achieve these results as well as integration, implementation, and use of information technology, achieved outstanding results.

Objectives:

• Explain productivity improvements.
• Describe support for agency growth.
• Outline improvements in clinical
  information sharing.

Course Level: Novice–Advanced; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

508. Human Resources
Caring for Your Employees from the Inside Out
This presentation assists participants to more clearly identify key, passionate, non-clinical talents utilized in the process of caring for self and others. It also provides numerous strategies for providing excellent service gathered from healthcare organizations across the country, including resources currently being gathered for a fourth book on elder caring.

Objectives:

• Describe common themes from interviews with more than 60 healthcare administrators regarding the care of employees and the promotion of employee self-care.
• Complete and be able to administer to employees a non-clinical talent inventory.
• Choose from 50 strategies to care for employees as they apply to five normal processes of caring.

Faculty: James Henry, MDIV, Positive Strategies Unlimited, Puyallup, WA; Linda Henry, BS, Positive Strategies Unlimited, Puyallup, WA

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

509. Clinical and Disease Management
Falls Benchmarking and Prevention
Learn about the Missouri Alliance for Home Care (MAHC) Fall Reduction Benchmarking Project. This project provides a systematic methodology to define falls, assess falls risk, track fall incidents, and collect benchmarking data. The audience will also learn what modifications and interventions have been implemented in fall prevention programs.

Objectives:

• Identify what constitutes a "fall".
• Define the ten required core elements of the risk assessment.
• Describe the steps to track fall incidents and collect data.

Faculty: Mary Schantz, Executive Director, Missouri Alliance for Home Care, Jefferson City, MO

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

510. Clinical and Disease Management
Teaching the ABC's of Diabetes Management
Early screening, detection, and individualized diabetes care is vital. The standards of medical care and national standards for diabetes self-management overall emphasis are prevention of long-term complications which are effective in decreasing the cost of health care. Learn how individualized guidelines and treatment can promote effective clinical outcomes.

Objectives:

• Discuss the 2005 American Diabetes Association: Clinical Practice Recommendations.
• Describe therapeutic care options for patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.
• Identify diabetes education home care management strategies.

Faculty: Betty Senemmari, RN, Certified Diabetes Educator, Home Care Provider, Diabetes Education Coordinator, Christus St. Mary Hospital, Port Arthur, TX

Course Level: Novice; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

511. Quality and Outcomes
In the Northwest: Rising above the CMS Quality Tides
In this presentation, you will learn how one agency has been able to rise above the CMS tides of quality. After careful analysis of the CMS outcomes, the agency was able to identify and isolate agency issues, formulate an action plan, and improve 9 out of 11 quality indicators in an 18-month period. Legacy Visiting Nurse recently won the Quality Innovator Award for their program.

Objectives:

• Describe how to identify and isolate agency issues.
• Identify root causes and inconsistent OASIS errors in your agency.
• Discuss three methods in which your agency can improve their CMS outcomes.
• Redesign your agency documentation review procedure.

Faculty: Cheryl Lovell, BA, Administrator, Legacy Visiting Nurse, Portland, OR; Angela Bergman, BSN, Director of
Patient Care Services, Legacy Visiting Nurse, Portland, OR

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)

512. CANCELLED

513. Hospice and Palliative Care Services
New Medicare-Certified Hospice CoP QA/PI Program Requirements: Are You Ready?
Section 418.58 of the proposed Hospice Conditions of Participation (CoP) would require a hospice to develop, implement, and maintain an effective, ongoing hospice-wide data-driven quality assessment and performance improvement (QA/PI) program. Hospice must document quality improvement projects conducted, why and the measurable progress achieved. It will be necessary to track performance to show sustained improvements. The QA/PI program must reflect the complexity of a hospice's organization and services performed by staff and personnel who are under contract or arrangement, focus on indicators related to improved outcomes, and demonstrate improvement in hospice performance. The new CoPs will not require a specific QA/PI program. This workshop will present four different data collection systems now being used to allow attendees to choose what will work best for their own situations.

Objectives:

• Identify the new QA/PI requirements under the revised Hospice CoPs;
• Discuss how the revisions differ from the current requirements;
• Identify different options for meeting the new requirements.

Faculty: Carla Braveman, RN, M.Ed, CHCE, Executive Director, VNA/Hospice of Cooley Dickinson, Northampton, MA; Timothy Boon, RN, BS, CRNH, VP for Hospice and Palliative Care, Connecticut VNA, Wallingford, CT; Teresa Craig; CEO, Suncoast Solutions, Largo, FL; Christie Franklin, VP, Professional Services, Acquisitions & Start Up, AseraCare, Fort Smith, AR.

514. Pediatric Care
Bringing Pediatric Health Care Home
There are well established mechanisms for covering the cost of care in acute and ambulatory settings. However, we do not have well established mechanisms for covering the true costs of community-based care for pediatric patients even with Medicaid funding. This presentation will review and share services pediatric providers can provide, and show how to design cost effective operations and identify various funding sources that are available for pediatric patients.

Objectives:

• Describe various funding sources available for home care services to pediatric patients.
• Identify cost effective operational design to reduce financial losses.
• Define various pediatric services that can be provided in the home and other services an agency might explore.

Faculty: Wanda Stackpole, RN, Clinical Director, Children's Homecare, Columbus, OH

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA)