National Alliance for Care at Home welcomes Sherl Brand as new COO 
The National Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC; Press Release; 12/5/24 
The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) is proud to announce the addition of a proven leader, Sherl Brand, RN, BSN, who will be joining the Alliance as its first Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective the middle of January 2025. Sherl Brand comes to the Alliance with a wealth of experience spanning over three decades in nursing, association management, and health care management. Prior to joining the Alliance, Sherl has been serving as Senior Vice President for Hospice Care at VNS Health. Before that, Sherl held senior positions at CareCentrix and VNA Health Group. Sherl served as chair of the Forum of State Associations for almost four years, and as President and CEO of Home Care Association of New Jersey for seven years. She served on the Board of Directors of the National Association for Home Care & Hospice and the Home Care 100 Advisory Board. “Sherl’s leadership experience and history of successful management of trade associations and home care and hospice organizations make her a perfect fit for the Alliance,” said Alliance CEO Dr. Steven Landers. “I am honored, and deeply grateful, for the opportunity to serve as the Chief Operating Officer of the National Alliance for Care at Home,” said Sherl.

UnitedHealthcare CEO's slaying adds tragic twist to parent company's tumultuous year 
CBS News WCCO, Minneapolis, MN; by Beret Leone, Stephen Swanson; 12/5/24 
Minnesota-based UnitedHealthcare Group Inc. has faced a firestorm of controversy this year. And as investigators search for a motive in the slaying of Brian Thompson, CEO of its insurance arm, they aren't counting anything out. Between a software attack, protests, lawsuits and layoffs by one of its subsidiaries, Thompson's killing adds a tragic end to a troubled year for the company. [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

'I've already had my miracle': 26-year-old Savannah mom enters hospice care with only weeks to live 
ABC WJCL 22 News, Savannah, GA; by Savannah Younger; 12/4/24 
As the holiday season begins, Sara Long, a 26-year-old Savannah woman, is entering hospice care after a prolonged battle with kidney failure. Now the wife and mother is preparing to say her final goodbyes to family and friends. "I wanted to make sure that everything's kind of ready to go for when family visits and all that kind of stuff," Long said. "So, I just want to make things as easy as possible for everybody." Long has been told she has two to three weeks left to live and is now preparing her family for her passing. ... Their daughter, Riley, 4, is too young to understand what is happening, but Long is creating a hope chest so Riley can always remember her. "There are probably dozens, if not hundreds, of letters at this point, to open at different various points in her life. So, like her first day of school all through, or a graduate degree, potentially," Long said. "I feel like I've already had my miracle," Sara said. "I feel like Riley is my miracle. ..."
Editor's note: If you spend time on nothing else in today's newsletter, click here to view this memorable, meaningful video/article. Surely, you will see your own life in a new light.  See our "Today's Encouragement" for today, with a beautiful quote from Sara Long.

‘You did a good job’
Jewish Journal; by Ron Wolfson; 12/4/24 
As Jews, we are instructed to say 100 blessings every day, each of them making us aware of the many things for which we are grateful – from simple bodily functions to the beauty of the world in which we live. ... I have been thinking about the way in which we show, or don’t show, gratitude to our leaders in the workplace, ... “We often think of our leaders as we do our parents,” my friend, mentor, and business consultant Stuart Matlins says to me. “We believe our parents know everything and they’ll solve every problem. Same thing with our leaders. We “parentize” our leaders, especially our CEOs and presidents of organizations. And just as we children hardly ever complement our parents, when do we ever complement our leaders? We rarely say to them, “You’ve done a good job.” ... 
Editor's note: To whom might you voice, "You've done a good job." Mentors? Leaders? Others? Reflecting on your own work, what qualities and measurements for "doing a good job" matter to you, the most? Today, go find at least one person to voice, "You did a good job. Thanks."

5 principles of servant leadership 
Forbes; by Nancy Padberg; 12/3/24 
Servant leadership isn’t just a philosophy; it’s a choice that redefines what leadership should feel like. It’s about prioritizing your associates first. Servant leadership shifts the focus from the traditional leadership model—where the leader’s primary goal is to accumulate power and control—to one where the leader prioritizes the needs of their team, community and organization. This approach builds a healthy workplace culture through collaboration, trust and empowerment. Here are some ways you can embody the principles of servant leadership to improve your company culture from the top down.

• Practice Empathy ...
• Create Space for Collaboration ...
• Develop Others ...
• Lead by Example ...
• Be Transparent and Honest ...

Becoming a servant leader is a journey. It requires dedication, self-awareness and a genuine desire to uplift others. By prioritizing your team's needs, advocating for collaboration and leading by example, you can create a healthy culture where your team feels empowered to contribute their best.

Non-profits join forces to help homeless in Texoma 
TexomasHomepage.com, Wichita Falls, TX; by Mariana Vela LEon; 12/4/24 
This holiday season, you can give warmth as a gift to someone in need in Texoma. If you have extra winter clothing that you need to get rid of, consider donating it to two non-profits that make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate. Homeless Lives Matter and Complete TX Hospice Care are joining forces to help those who may be struggling to keep warm during the cold winter season. ... 
Editor's note: This simple, meaningful community outreach can make a significant difference. How might you replicate this--with fast turnaround--at your organization? Perhaps a drive among your employees and volunteers? Read this article for more of their logistics.

Aging and unhoused: What end-of-life care looks like 
Next Avenue; by Terry Ann Donner; 12/2/24 
Karen Robyn is a 62-year-old homeless woman on disability; ... she fears dying alone on the streets or in a hospital hooked up to machines she doesn't want to use. ... For the 138,098 people aged 55 and older experiencing homelessness and 5 million older adults living below the poverty level, dying alone and unhoused is a real concern.  ... However, a viable solution has been quietly growing in communities across the country. Small nonprofit community homes provide hope for terminally ill people who do not have a reliable caregiver or a stable living environment. These small homes, usually caring for up to 4 to 10 guests at a time, provide "family" caregivers and a safe place to receive end-of-life care. They are developing outside of the health care system and receive no federal or state funding. Kelley Scott, executive director of the Omega Home Network and Clarehouse in Tulsa, Oklahoma, explains that the network's mission is to "foster the development of nonprofit community homes for people who are dying and have no caregiver support" due to a lack of family, homelessness or family dysfunction. The network has 135 members with 55 homes providing care and another 70 to 80 homes in development.

New alliance steps up as voice for providers & patients 
HomeCare; by Hannah Wolfson; 12/3/24 
Stopping Medicare cuts, ensuring Medicare Advantage beneficiaries have good access to care, passing groundbreaking hospice legislation and bringing homecare into the forefront are all priorities for the newly-formed National Alliance for Care at Home, said CEO Steve Landers. “We’ve got to start improving access to home health care, and the way that we do that is we end this march of payment cuts that are being set forward by Medicare,” Landers said at the Alliance’s Homecare and Hospice Conference and Expo, which was held in October in Tampa, Florida. ... The alliance has automatically enrolled members of both legacy organizations, but Landers said that for renewals or new members, participants will be required to sign an attestation that says they have a program in place for quality and compliance, that they monitor the Office of Inspector General’s expulsion list and don’t take referrals or staff from organizations on that list and that they strive to participate in Medicare’s quality reporting programs.

The ISNP opportunity for hospice providers  
Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 12/5/24 
Hospice providers can collaborate with institutional special needs Medicare Advantage plans (ISNP) to reach patients who reside in long-term care facilities. ISNPs restrict enrollment to MA eligible individuals who, for 90 days or longer, have had or are expected to need the level of services provided in a long-term care (LTC), skilled nursing facility, a LTC nursing facility, intermediate care facility for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ICF/IDD), or an inpatient psychiatric facility. The nonprofit senior services organization Empath Health, which operates several hospices, recently partnered with the MA organization American Health Plans to bring their services to ISNP-enrolled patients.

Regulators extend some telemedicine flexibilities, gauge telehealth’s ‘new path forward’ in hospice 
Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 12/4/24 
Regulators recently extended certain temporary telemedicine waivers granted during the pandemic, with some flexibilities now sunsetting in 2025 rather than the end of this year. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have announced the extension of telemedicine flexibilities for the prescribing of controlled medications until Dec. 31, 2025. ... The move was made in response to feedback the agencies received from more than 38,000 comments and two days of public listening sessions. The extension allows for more time to consider a “new path forward” for telemedicine, according to the DEA and HHS. “We continue to carefully consider the input received and are working to promulgate a final set of telemedicine regulations,” the agencies stated in an announcement. “With the end of 2024 quickly approaching, DEA, jointly with HHS, has extended current telemedicine flexibilities through December 31, 2025.” The temporary rule, entitled as the Third Temporary Extension of COVID-19 Telemedicine Flexibilities for Prescription of Controlled Medications, was recently submitted to the Federal Register and will take effect/become effective Jan. 1, 2025.

HHS OIG's Fall 2024 Semiannual Report to Congress
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [HHS] - Office of Inspector General [OIG]; by OIG; issued on 12/4/24, posted on 12/4/24 
The Fall 2024 Semiannual Report to Congress highlights OIG's work focusing on the most significant and high-risk issues in health care and human services related to HHS programs and operations during the semiannual reporting period of April 1 through September 30, 2024. The semiannual reports are intended to keep the HHS Secretary and Congress informed of OIG’s crucial findings and recommendations.  ...

• Full Report
• HHS-OIG's Efforts Result in $7.13 Billion in Expected Recoveries and Receivables, According to Fall 2024 Semiannual Report

Editor's note: Encouraging to hospice providers, "hospice" is not mentioned in these high-risk issues. This report's "At a Glance: OIG Accomplishments" (page 5 of the PDF) lists the following OIG's FY 2024 Highlights:

• $7.13B Expected Recoveries and Receivables
• 434 Recommendations Issued
• 1,548 Criminal and Civil Actions
• 3,234 Exclusions

Dallas’ Analog Informatics emerges from stealth to modernize patient engagement in over 150 languages 
Dallas Innovates, Dallas, TX; by Lance Murray; 12/4/24 
AIC aims to "bridge the communication gap" between healthcare providers and patients worldwide by leveraging secure AI and modern communication tools. CEO Philip Lieberman created the platform based on his experiences in caring for his hospitalized mother-in-law during the COVID pandemic. ... Shocked that he knew “more about his Amazon packages” than the state of his loved one, Lieberman vowed to use the experience and resources he’d gained from the previous multinational companies he created “to bring compassionate yet automated continuous communication to every patient and their families.” ... AIC aims to "bridge the communication gap" between healthcare providers and patients worldwide by leveraging secure AI and modern communication tools.  ... AIC said its platform “bridges the communication gap” between healthcare providers and patients, offering continuous automated logistical support in more than 150 languages. 

Critical components of the digital operating model in health 
bounteous x Accolite; by Abby Matchett; 12/4/24 
... To determine how to shape your resources and structure an operating model, you must first assess and evaluate several critical inputs, starting with the overall digital transformation strategy. 

• Strategy & Vision ...
• Technology & Architecture ...
• Data & Analytics ...
• Processes & Workflows ...
• Talent & Capability ...
• Organizational Culture ...
• Governance & Risk Management ...
• Measurement ...

PIH Health hospitals targeted in ransomware attack 
CBS News KCAL, Los Angeles, CA; by Laurie Perez and Dean Fioresi; 12/4/24 
PIH Health was targeted in a ransomware attack, forcing officials to completely shut their network offline and leaving millions in the dark when it comes to healthcare. ... Officials say that they were targeted on Sunday by a "criminal act" that "compromised their network." In turn, network services were turned off at their hospitals in Downey, Whittier and downtown LA. ... "Meeting the healthcare needs of our communities remains our highest priority," said a statement from PIH Health. "We continue to provide care during our downtime procedures at all of our facilities, including all three hospitals, medical offices, home health, hospice, outpatient imaging and laboratory."

Executive Personnel Changes - 12/6/24

• VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region names Jessica Boutin CEO, effective Jan 1, 2025, serving the counties of Franklin, Rutland and Bennington in Vermont
  
  
• Humana announces Celeste Mellet will succeed Susan Diamond as CFO of Human Inc. (NYSE: HUM) effective Jan 11, 2025
  
  
• MaineHealth announced the appointment of Erin Brown its first permanent Vice President of Advancement and Chief Development Officer
  
  
• Curio Wellness appoints Dr. David Casarett as Medical Director. Dr. Casarett is a palliative care physician and health services researcher whose work focuses on improving systems of care for people with serious, life-threatening illnesses. He is a Professor of Medicine at Duke University and Chief of Palliative Care for Duke Health. Curio Wellness is a  cGMP-certified, vertically integrated cannabis company and market-leading innovator of health and wellness products.

I would rather have 26 really good years full of adventure and full of meaning and full of love and just the most beautiful people and I'm so glad that I got that instead of 100 mediocre ones. ~ Sara Long, 26 years old, in hospice care; Savannah, GA; click here to view this meaningful video/article featured in our newsletter today