There's a crossroads in every industry. A point where leaders need to take a breath, regroup, and chart a path forward. That moment is now for home health care, and it was embraced in San Diego at the inaugural Home Care Innovation Forum (HCIF), a gathering not for the many but for the impactful.
This was a space for asking critical questions. What does the explosion of Medicare Advantage mean for us? How do we make our operations deliver more value? And how do we hang on to our caregivers in a time of scarcity and high turnover rates?
Change isn't just inevitable; it's a catalyst for growth. That's the wisdom Taco Bell's CEO Mark King offered in his keynote. In his words, “You need to disrupt yourself, or someone else will.”
A meeting of minds ensued, featuring some of the biggest thought leaders in the industry. Gentiva's David Causby, BAYADA's Dave Totaro, Humana Home Solutions' Andy Agwunobi, and Home Helpers Home Care's Emma Dickison grappled with the future under the guidance of Ken Albert, President and CEO of Androscoggin Home Healthcare and Hospice. The main theme? Carving a path for growth and excpetional patient care.
The conversation evolved, covering strategies for risk management, the importance of industry advocacy, and the power of collaboration among providers.
The seemingly unstoppable momentum of Medicare Advantage (MA) in home health care was also tackled, with insights from Brent Korte of Frontpoint Health, Shelly Sun of BrightStar Care and Angelo Spinola of Polsinelli. As we look to 2030, when nearly 7 in 10 eligible seniors are expected to be under this model, positioning for growth is more crucial than ever.
Panelists agreed: Even though challenges exist in the MA payer-sphere, providers would be foolish not to embrace it. 
HCIF’s Innovation Talks didn't just inform, they inspired. We heard about the best ways to negotiate with conveners from Bruce Greenstein of LHC Group, innovative ways to retain caregivers from Summer Napier of Healing Hands Healthcare, and the importance of a holistic approach to in-home care for those aging in place from John Kunysz of Intrepid USA.
Healthcare Futurist Ron Galloway gave a glimpse into the potential of AI and ChatGPT in transforming home care. Meanwhile, hip-hop icon Darryl “DMC” McDaniels of Run-DMC shared a heartening and uplifting conversation with Bruce Greenstein about how collaboration is not just beneficial for business, but instrumental in elevating the care we provide.
“Collaboration leads to innovation,” McDaniels said.
Attendees remarked how they appreciated the intimacy at HCIF, where they had time and space to form relationships with new connections, as well as deepen ties with known colleagues. Intimacy is a cornerstone of how a HCIF retreat is designed, allowing for meaningful networking to take place.
Between talks, supplier companies met with top executives in a series of 20-minute sit-downs, discussing the latest innovations and cutting-edge products meant to fill in the gaps in the rapidly changing landscape of today’s home health care and hospice industries. The meetings, a signature element of a Home Care Innovation Forum retreat, are an intimate, personable way of networking not found anywhere else.
But it wasn't all dialogue and discussion. There was time for wine blending at the historic Bernardo Winery, surfing lessons under the SoCal sun, and even an electrifying performance by DMC as hot air balloons glowed above in the night sky. Even as attendees let loose, HCIF raised over $8,000 for Hilarity For Charity, Seth Rogen’s Alzheimer's non-profit.
The inaugural Home Care Innovation Forum may have wrapped, but this is merely the opening act. We are already giddy with anticipation for our next retreat, May 19-21, 2024 at the Silverado Resort & Spa in Napa.
A new event for a new era in home health care, the dialogue at HCIF has just begun, and we're nowhere near finished.
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