Literature Review

Statement from NPHI on US election results National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI); Press Release; 11/6/24On November 6th, the Associated Press declared that Donald Trump is the new president-elect of the United States. In response to this news, the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) issued the following statement from Tom Koutsoumpas, our CEO: "Following the election of President-Elect Donald Trump, the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) reiterates its dedication to advocating for high-quality, compassionate care for all patients and families facing serious illness. NPHI looks forward to collaborating with the incoming administration and new Congress to address critical needs in healthcare policy, expand support for advanced illness care, and work toward a stronger healthcare future for patients, families, and caregivers alike. ... [Click here to read the full statement.] ... At NPHI, we are committed to ensuring that every American has access to dignified, high-quality care. We will work with the new administration to protect and enhance the Medicare hospice benefit, expand access to high-quality care at home, and advance policy solutions that center on patient needs and community well-being."

NPHI CMO, CIO Dr. Cameron Muir: Translate hospice quality into value Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 11/1/24 As both Chief Medical Officer and Chief Innovation Officer for the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation, Dr. Cameron Muir has committed to help guide operators towards a value-based future. NPHI is a national advocacy organization with more than 100 nonprofit advanced illness care providers, including those offering hospice and palliative care services. Muir joined the organization in 2019 as its chief of clinical innovations. During his tenure, he has helped to develop and oversee the launch of the NPHI Innovation Lab, which focuses on designing systematic approaches to improve advanced illness care by examining trends in population health, claims analytics and practice optimization. Muir recently sat down with Hospice News to talk about the ways medicine and health care innovation intersect, as well as the need to focus on quality to prepare for the industry’s value-based future. [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

Strengthening our community: NPHI welcomes four new member organizations National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI); by NPHI; 10/30/24 The National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), the national voice for nonprofit advanced illness care, is pleased to welcome four new members to our innovative, mission-driven community: Hospice of the Piedmont, Hospice of Wichita Falls (HOWF), Montgomery Hospice & Prince George’s Hospice, and Stillwater Hospice. These organizations exemplify the dedication and care that NPHI members stand for, strengthening our commitment to mission-driven, nonprofit end-of-life care services across the nation. Editor's note: NPHI is a sponsor of this newsletter.

Retiring NAHC President Bill Dombi exhorts advocates to keep fighting HomeCare; 10/22/24 The departing leader shares his vision for the future of home health & hospice at his final conference. Bill Dombi met his first bully in kindergarten. It only took a day for him to fight back, leaving the bully with a bloody nose and Dombi punished in a corner, the retiring president emeritus of the National Association for Homecare and Hospice (NAHC) said as he bid farewell on the last day of the organization’s annual conference in Tampa, Florida. "I was smiling the entire time—and learning that’s not the way to do it," Dombi told the crowd during his last moments on the convention stage. "You’ve got to go to law school instead." Dombi is retiring at the end of the year and was celebrated throughout this year's event, which was launched under the NAHC title, but actually took place as the National Alliance for Care at Home Home Care and Hospice Conference and Expo after NAHC and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) merged in July. [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

Hurricane Helene Disaster Relief Fund for home care & hospice employees in the CarolinasAssociation for Home & Hospice Care of North Carolina (AHHC of NC); by Judy Penn, Executive Director; 10/3/24 Click here to DONATE. Click here to APPLY for Assistance. urricane Helene has severely impacted our community, with many lives already lost in the Carolinas, and countless missing with no means of communication.  The Carolinas Foundation for Hospice & Home Care is accepting donations to distribute directly to hospice and home care employees devastated by this storm. Agencies are facing tremendous challenges, including displacement and/or evacuation of staff and patients, collapsed roads, failing infrastructure, lack of water, and the inability to communicate with downed lines. There is a major need for gas to continue to power generators for oxygen dependent patients both in home settings and hospice inpatient facilities. The Association staff has been in contact with government agencies to us keep up-to-date on the situation as it unfolds. Our industry is comprised of caring, compassionate individuals who help those in need. Please consider donating to the Hurricane Helene Relief Fund to help home care and hospice employees hit the hardest. ... 100% of ALL ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS are being borne by the Association and the Foundation. 100% of your donation (tax-deductible) comes in, and 100% of your donation goes out.

National Alliance for Care at Home CEO Dr. Steven Landers: Build a better future for hospice, home health Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 9/16/24 Spreading the home-based care community’s message is about more than health care, it also speaks to the priorities and values of society at large, according to Dr. Steven Landers, the newly appointed CEO of the National Alliance for Care at Home (NACH). The alliance last month announced that it had tapped Landers as its top executive. NACH is the newly combined organization formed by the June merger of National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO).  Landers on Monday outlined a vision for the alliance at legacy NHPCO’s Annual Leadership Conference in Denver. “The story of this work needs to be told louder, more clearly, with the best possible data, with the strongest team, the best resources, because it’s easy to get drowned out. It’s easy to get drowned out in a world where there’s so many people competing for federal dollars, for attention. I think we’ve got a chance with this alliance,” Landers said at the conference. “This isn’t just about health care. It’s about our society. It’s about our compassion, our love for one another, connectedness. It’s a deep and important cause.” 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Steve Landers, MD, MPH, Named Inaugural Chief Executive Officer of NAHC-NHPCO Alliance NAHC-NHPCO Alliance Press Release, Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC; by Elyssa Katz and Thomas Threlkeld; 8/26/24, 9:36 am ET Steven Landers, MD, MPH, has been named the inaugural Chief Executive Officer (CEO) 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. ... “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.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Steve Landers, MD, MPH, Named Inaugural Chief Executive Officer of NAHC-NHPCO Alliance - Mon 8/26/24 9:36 am  NAHC-NHPCO Alliance Press Release, Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC; by Elyssa Katz and Thomas Threlkeld; 8/26/24, 9:36 am ET Steven Landers, MD, MPH, has been named the inaugural Chief Executive Officer (CEO) 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. ... “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.”

Merger will take advocacy efforts to new heights, NAHC, NHPCO leaders sayMcKnight's Home Care; by Adam Healy; 8/1/24The merging of two major trade associations is a key step forward for home care and hospice advocacy efforts, according to leaders of the National Association for Home Care & Hospice and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization... The [NAHC-NHPCO] Alliance also provided an update on its CEO search. The organizations have previously stated that neither Dombi nor Ben Marcantonio, CEO of NHPCO, will be eligible to lead the merged organization. Instead, CEO candidates have come from a variety of backgrounds, including healthcare policy and advocacy, consulting and lobbying, government agencies and regulated entities, according to Melinda Gruber, vice chair of the Alliance’s transition board of directors. “We’ve had a large number of candidates and interest,” Gruber said Wednesday. “We are nearing the finalist selection phase … and we cannot wait to make an announcement after that.” Finally, NAHC and NHPCO disclosed that “The NAHC-NHPCO Alliance,” the associations’ current moniker, will likely not be the name it uses as a fully merged organization. “Trademark hurdles” have delayed the announcement of its official new name, but it is anticipated to be revealed soon, according to Ken Albert, chair of the transition board.

Why home health providers should expect to see a ‘less draconian’ final payment rule Home Health Care News; by Joyce Famakinwa; 7/22/24 As home health providers continue to digest the proposed payment rule for 2025, National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) President William A. Dombi believes that the industry will ultimately see a comparatively toned down final rule. “We believe we will not end up with this proposed rule as a final rule,” he said during the opening presentation at NAHC’s Financial Management Conference in Las Vegas on Sunday. “We will end up with something less draconian. The cuts will be reduced because, No. 1, that’s what they’ve done for the last several years, and, No. 2, it’s an election year.” Even with a prediction of a “less draconian” final payment rule, NAHC is still gearing up to fight against home health cuts and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) payment-setting methodologies.

Celebrating growth: NPHI welcomes new members to its mission-driven family NPHI, Washington, DC; 7/15/24 The National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), the national voice for not-for-profit hospice and palliative care providers, is thrilled to announce the addition of several not-for-profit hospice organizations to its ever-growing community. Over the past year, the organization has experienced remarkable growth, underscoring its collective commitment and mission to providing the highest quality end-of-life care. ... [These include:] Byt The Bay Health; Blue Ridge Hospice; Center For Hospice Care; Community Nursing Services; Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice; Hospice Austin; Hospice of Northwest Ohio; Hospice & Palliative Care Association of New York State (HPCANYS); Hudson Valley Hospice; Hudson Valley Hospice; Kaua'i Hospice; Midland Care Connection; Navian Hawaii (formerly Hospice Hawaii); Sutter Care at Home; Tillery Compassionate Care. Notable Mentions: Tom Koutsoumpas, CEO of NPHI and Carole Fisher, President of NPHI

NAHC-NHPCO Alliance announces Town Hall HomeCare; 7/17/24 The NAHC-NHPCO Alliance (the Alliance) is continuing the process of integrating the two organizations into a single, cohesive champion for the care-at-home community. The Alliance said the member voice is critical to the success of this endeavor. As such, all members of legacy NAHC and legacy NHPCO are invited to a virtual Town Hall on Wednesday, July 31, 2024 to learn more about new leadership, progress on integration, how members can stay involved in the Alliance and more. Any questions are welcome and will be answered by Alliance leadership. The Town Hall will take place on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, from 4-5:30 p.m. ET. [Click on the title's link for additional information.] ... The Alliance has created information pages on each of the respective websites, which are accessible to all regardless of membership status.