The home care industry is transforming…and HCA is leading the way. Our Annual Conference will provide you with new ideas and connections to help position you for the future. With timely sessions on strategies for improving employee retention and fine-tuning key leadership skills for maintaining a positive workplace, as well as the latest strides towards effectively managing complex care across the continuum, expert insights on New York’s Master Plan on Aging and what to anticipate with the forthcoming 1115 waiver. Each program is designed to tackle the issues of today and give you the solutions for tomorrow.
Over the course of the conference, we invite you to maximize this increasingly rare opportunity to engage face-to-face as a community – learning, networking and celebrating the amazing work that you do every day in towns and cities across New York State.
Wednesday, May 3, 2023
10:00AM – Noon
HCA Annual Corporation and Board of Directors Meetings
With Invited Guest Speaker
All HCA Members are invited and encouraged to attend the Annual Meeting of the Corporation, where members will vote on the slate of candidates for the HCA Board of Directors. The HCA Board of Directors Meeting will follow immediately. This is your opportunity to learn more about the governing body that shapes the direction of HCA policy, education, advocacy and programmatic priorities.
12:00PM – 1:15PM
Networking Lunch in Exhibit Gallery
1:15PM – 2:15PM
President’s Address
Al Cardillo, LMSW, President and CEO, HCANYS
2:15PM – 3:15PM
Keynote – RETENTION: MORE THAN A BUZZWORD
Dennis McIntee, CEO and Co-Founder, Leadership Development Group
Author of The 8 Qualities of Drama Free Teams, The Power of Pursuit, and Drama Free Teams in Healthcare
Employee retention in a tight labor market has perhaps never been more important than it has been in these post pandemic years that were signified by “The Great Resignation” and “quiet quitting.”
In this presentation, Dennis will distill key elements that are central to employee retention, including the eight motives of people and how to utilize them to develop rapport. He will also share strategies for mastering the skill of artful communication to increase buy-in and help you develop two techniques that will remove the emotional drama that kills engagement.
Hospitality Suite hosted by Care Connect
Open 2:30PM – 4:30PM
3:15PM – 3:30PM
Break
3:30PM – 4:30PM
Concurrent Sessions
The Power of Data Analytics
Erin Masterson, Associate Principal, Consulting, SimiTree
John Rabbia, PT, DPT, MS, MBA, COS-C, Senior Manager, SimiTree
The effective use of data is your agency’s key to unlocking the door to success in a rapidly changing home health landscape. SimiTree’s Erin Masterson and John Rabbia will provide key insights on where and how to utilize agency and market data to save time, increase profitability and develop sound growth strategies; identify the KPIs from your agency data that drive performance and understand how to best use benchmarks and KPI trends to develop strategic initiatives.
Implications of Legalized Cannabis for the Home Care & Hospice Workplace
Frank Kerbein, Director of the Center for Human Resources, The Business Council of New York State
In this program, we’ll look at the implications of legal adult use cannabis from both the employer/employee perspective and from the perspective of keeping our employees safe in a potentially hazardous work environment. Specifically, we’ll review employee protections and employer responsibilities under NYS Labor Law Section 201-d and OSHA Standards and guidance that apply to workers potentially exposed to secondhand cannabis smoke and/or impaired individuals.
Navigating the Recruitment and Retention Pitfalls of Pay Transparency
Michael Passarella, Partner/Head of Employment Group, Olshan Frome Wolosky LLP
As employers continue to implement procedural changes to comply with recently enacted pay transparency laws (NYC and NYS), questions have surfaced about how to successfully navigate this process without negatively impacting retention of their current workforce and their hiring practices. Michael Passarella, a seasoned employment and labor attorney with a depth of experience working with employers with both union and non-union employees, will highlight key elements of the new transparency requirements to help guide your compliance activities. In addition, you will garner insights on potential strategies for bolstering retention of your most valuable assets in today’s turbulent job market.
4:30PM – 6:00PM
Welcome Reception in Exhibit Gallery
Join us for drinks, hors d’oeuvres, and face-to-face networking with peers and industry partners.
Sponsored by:
Dinner On Your Own
THURSDAY, MAY 4, 2023
8:30AM – 9:30AM
Cheers to Our Nurses! A Breakfast Stroll Through the Exhibit Gallery
Pour the bubbly! Join us for a mimosa and mobile breakfast as we kick off National Nurses Month and recognize our home health care and hospice heroes for their leadership, dedication, and commitment to providing quality care.
Thank you for going above and beyond. YOU make a difference every day!
Hospitality Suite Hosted by Net Health
Open 830-230 pm
9:30AM – 10:30AM
Five to Thrive: Using the Science of Happiness to Boost Resilience, Performance and Wellbeing 
Ally Meyers, Positive Psychology Coach & Educator
By intentionally incorporating simple strategies and habits into our routines, we can boost our creativity, performance, and success in every domain of our lives. We are also able to build a “resilience cushion,” preparing us for the inevitable unknowns.
In this interactive presentation, Positive Psychology Coach and Educator Ally Meyers will highlight the five key building blocks of happiness as supported by evidence-based research from the field of Positive Psychology. These fundamentals will leave you feeling empowered and ready to make the changes necessary to thrive, both personally and professionally.
10:45AM – 11:45AM
Morning Concurrent Sessions
Best Practices for Improving Star Ratings and HHVBP Outcomes: Insights from the National Healthcare at Home Best Practices Study of 781 Agencies
Lindsay Doak, MBA, Director of Research, BerryDunn
As the home health landscape continues to evolve, agencies are seeing an increased focus on outcomes. And with the introduction of home health value-based purchasing (HHVBP), these outcomes will now influence payment with adjustments as high as -5% for agencies that do not perform. Join Lindsay Doak, Lead Researcher of the National Healthcare at Home Best Practices Study, as she outlines best practices from the study that correlate with improved quality, patient satisfaction and hospitalization rates. This includes clinical team models, technology practices, operational strategies and much more.
The Joint Commission Home Care Accreditation Deemed Survey Process: What to Expect, How is it Different, & What Resources are Available
Keri Culhane, MBA, BSN, RN, Associate Director, Business Development for Home Care, The Joint Commission
The accreditation survey process can seem overwhelming, especially when seeking deemed status for Medicare certification. This session will break down what you can expect starting when The Joint Commission Surveyor arrives through the Exit Conference on the last day of survey. In addition, this session will explore supplemental benefits you may experience throughout The Joint Commission survey process, and what types of ongoing resources are available to Joint Commission accredited organizations that can contribute to your success. Join us for a breakout session where Keri will walk you through the step-by-step Joint Commission survey process, so you feel knowledgeable and prepared when survey day comes.
New York’s Master Plan on Aging: Implications for Home Care & Hospice
Carol A. Rodat, Special Advisor to Adam Herbst, Deputy Commissioner for Aging and Long Term Care, Office of Aging and Long Term Care
You need to know the details and aspirations of the State’s new “Master Plan on Aging!”
NOW is the time to learn, provide input, and strategically position to maximize the Plan’s impact for the priorities, concerns, and opportunities you care about.
In this session, you’ll directly meet with the state’s two lead agencies – the Department of Health and the Office for the Aging – implementing, garnering input on, and ultimately shaping the Master Plan.
The Master Plan, launched by Governor Hochul, is intended to bring together a diverse group of stakeholders and experts to build creative recommendations “to ensure that older adults and individuals of all ages can live healthy, fulfilling lives while aging with dignity and independence.” The Master Plan will focus comprehensively through committees and subcommittees on categories including long term services and supports, home and community-based services, formal caregiving, informal caregiving, health and wellness, housing, community planning, transportation, economic security, technology, and more.
Your organization cannot afford to miss this session!
Mastering Customer (and Other) Communication – Whitney Room
Dennis McIntee, CEO and Co-Founder, Leadership Development Group
In this session, we will discuss how to blend mindset and skill set in order to overcome obstacles in challenging conversations. Participants will learn how to read the story behind the story to uncover root issues quicker and more thoroughly.
Explore the top two mistakes that people make in communication and develop immediately applicable strategies to turn mistakes into effective interactions.
We will explore:
- How to build better dialogue skills to increase effective interactions.
- How to create safe conditions for communication.
- How to take your emotions out of the equation so you make the best decision.
11:45AM – 12:00PM
Break
12:00PM – 1:30 PM
2023 HCA Home Care Awards Luncheon at the Saratoga City Center
Celebrating Our 2023 Honorees
Saratoga City Center
Ruth F. Wilson Award:
Ginger Hall, Public Health Director, Jefferson County, Watertown
Caring Awards:
Yolanda Drayton, RN Educator, Americare, Brooklyn
Janet Sovik, Home Health Aide, Nascentia Health, Syracuse
Home Care Champion Award:
Tracy Crandall, RN Case Manager, Eddy VNRA, Troy
Trailblazer Award for Quality and Innovation:
VNS Health Nurse Residency Program, New York City
Representatives: Monica Cayemitte, Elizer Cooper Audain, Yvonne Eaddy, and Alice Rainford-Miller
1:30PM – 2:15PM
Desserts with Exhibitors in Exhibit Gallery
2:15PM – 3:15PM
Afternoon Concurrent Sessions
Understanding the Home Care Agency Survey Process
Seon Davis, MPH, MBA, Deputy Director, Division of Home and Community Based Services, NYS Department of Health
As home care agencies get accustomed to the arrival of surveyors at their doors again for recertification and complaint surveys, a refresher to the survey process, what to expect when the surveyors arrive and an update of what’s new will assist your staff in being more prepared and ready when the surveyors knock on your door. The meaning of terms such as complaint investigation, immediate jeopardy, statement of deficiencies, plan of correction and the associated requirements for providers are important for all providers to know and understand.
Understanding the process and the many terms and requirements before the survey happens will help in decreasing staff anxiety when the surveyors arrive. Join us for a breakout session on understanding the home care agency survey process where Deputy Director from the Division of Home and Community Based Services Seon Davis, MPH, MBA will present.
Medicare Advantage Plans: Strategies for Engagement in a Growing Market – Broadway 3
Bill Winfrey, Director, Medicare Innovation Practice, ATI Advisory
With 50% of Medicare eligibles enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans and rising, it is imperative that home care providers stay up to date on the current trends and business opportunities within this growing market.
In this presentation by Bill Winfrey, ATI Advisory’s Director of Medicare Innovation, attendees will learn about the latest developments in the Medicare Advantage program, including nonmedical supplemental benefits that plans are using to pay for home care services.
The session will provide:
- an overview of trends in Medicare Advantage, including enrollment and benefit offerings,
- a discussion of MA/home care innovations, and
- tips on how home care providers can approach MA plans for potential contracting.
3:30PM – 4:30PM
Creating Drama Free Teams
Dennis McIntee, CEO and Co-Founder, Leadership Development Group
Author of The 8 Qualities of Drama Free Teams, The Power of Pursuit, and Drama Free Teams in Healthcare
Creating Drama Free Teams builds the ultimate foundation to increased productivity, retention, and overall employee satisfaction. To create a drama-free team, you first must become a drama-free leader. Some leaders play the game “Simon Says” in their organizations but great leaders know the real game is “Follow the Leader.” This keynote explores tools on self-management. Nothing makes a better impression on people than the ability to lead yourself.
Attendees will receive a complimentary copy of Dennis McIntee’s Drama Free Teams in Health Care. Dennis will be available for book signing immediately following the presentation.
5:00PM – 7:00PM
HCA’s Dance Party: Cocktails in the Courtyard @ The Night Owl
After a robust day of learning, networking and skill-building, it’s time to shake-off the topics of the day and celebrate the amazing work that you do! Join HCA for some dancing and merriment in the Courtyard at The Night Owl Cocktail Lounge! Get an early start celebrating Cinco de Mayo with tasty offerings from local, authentic Mexican taqueria – La Capital Tacos.
FRIDAY, MAY 5, 2023
8:00AM – 9:00AM
HCA Town Hall Breakfast
HCA Policy Team
No script, no agenda, no topic off the table … this freewheeling session is your opportunity to say what’s on your mind, present ideas and pose questions to HCA’s Policy team about any home care, hospice, FI, and MLTC issues confronting your organization and peers.
9:15AM – 10:15AM
Right Care, Right Time, Right Place: Complex Case Management Across the Continuum
Courtney Bourke, Senior Fellow, Healthcare Policy at Rockefeller Institute of Government, and Consultant with Sachs Policy Group
Sally Dreslin, MS, RN, Executive Director, Step Two Policy Group
Sarah DuVall, MPH, CPHQ, Director, Behavioral Health, HANYS
Individuals with complex medical, social, and behavioral needs often end up in inappropriate settings with inadequate supports. Over the years, multiple initiatives and agencies have sought to address this issue. The Rockefeller Institute of Government and Step Two Policy Group have been seeking to accelerate these efforts by bringing the most creative and successful clinical practices and models to the forefront, helping facilitate and advance dialogue among various agencies, providers, and funders and highlighting the great work produced by HANYS that quantifies the problem that results in patients being inappropriately housed within hospitals. Join this session to learn more about progress on this issue.
10:15AM – 10:30AM
Break
10:30AM – 11:45AM
Understanding and Positioning Yourself in the Coming $13B NYS 1115 Waiver
Kalin Scott, Senior Advisor, Helgerson Solutions Group, LLC
The state’s new, multibillion dollar waiver is nearing final stages of negotiation with the federal government. In anticipation, organizations across the state have begun to equip with structural and staff readiness, critical skillsets, formation of new collaborative partnerships, and other strategic preparation aligned with the waiver’s goals of system integration, coordination, and improved access and care. In this must-attend session of the Conference, learn from a key and long-experienced health care principal the latest picture of this planned new waiver, the best understanding yet of its goals, rollout and working structure, and the critical ways providers, practitioners, and health plans can position themselves for this coming wave in the state’s health care system. Once again, the train is already boarded. Are you in a lead car? Are you relegating to the caboose? Are you even on it? Is it pulling away before you take notice? Be ready, seize the opportunity.
11:45AM
Closing Remarks & Adjournment