We’ve a new sample letter that explains OASIS-C to physicians, available for download in MS Word format. Elsewhere on the OASIS-C page, you’ll find summaries of information from NAHC and CMS, as well as other pertinent information.
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Due to unprecedented demand, the Alliance has already distributed and/or received orders for nearly all 8,000 copies of its 2010 Guide to Private Services. And it’s still 2009!
To ensure that the Guide is always available and up-to-date, we will be printing 2,000 copies of a 2nd Edition, set for release by the end of the year. In the meantime, we are still taking orders for the Guide, which is also available for free download.
The 2010 Home Health Resource Directory should be available in January and will be shipped to every hospital, COA, and ASAP in the state, as well as every oncologist and geriatric specialist.
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Join us for the 2010 Northeast Home Health Leadership Summit, the premier gathering of home health agency leaders from throughout the northeast and mid-Atlantic states.
The Summit is sponsored by the Northeast Home Health Leadership Collaborative, a consortium of state home care trade associations representing provider and associate members in the northeast.
This cutting-edge conference — now in its eighth year — is attended by home care executives seeking to take their operation to the next level. The Summit is unique from other leadership conferences in that it focuses on future trends in health care and management and brings thought leaders from the business and policy sectors. The Summit is also an excellent opportunity to network with peers.
Though the 2010 Summit is being held in Boston, the Home Care Association of New York will handle all registration. HCA of Massachusetts members will receive their member discount.
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I will be representing the Alliance at the annual Case Managers Society of New England conference in Worcester on Thursday and Friday. In addition to distributing copies of the 2009 Resource Directory — I ran out of the 100 copies I brought to last year’s conference — I will debut the new 2010 Guide to Private Care Services at this meeting.
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The Alliance now has a new Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/HCA_Of_Mass.
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Current issues of our members-only publications are available on our our Newsletter archive.
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The Boston Globe has an excellent article up about in-home hospice and palliative care, and the importance of end-of-life counseling.
The article focuses on Plymouth resident Ed Pratt, who has terminal cancer. After talking things over with his wife and doctor, he is now:
…immersed in the details of dying. As part of his hospice care, he and his wife met last month with a chaplain to work on Ed’s final wishes, a document that will span everything from bedside prayers to memorial service music. Ed receives regular visits from a registered nurse to oversee pain management, a home health aide who provides personal care, a social worker to address the family’s emotional needs, and volunteers who provide companionship (and a cribbage partner) when Catherine, a department manager at Target, is at work.
“She’s a real sweetheart,’’ Ed said of his home health aide. “She’s the reason I’m nice and clean-shaven. I’m gonna be a star . . .’’ he sang in a wobbly croon.
…
[Pratt is] dying his way – surrounded by family, unburdened by treatment, writing articles for the church bulletin. He’s even rediscovered his sense of humor.
“The cancer, it’s not a funny thing. But if you can crack a joke every once in a while,’’ he said, “you can go through it in a less stressful way.’’
E-publication will resume on August 21.
The July 31 and August 7 issues of Update are now available for download on our newsletter archive.
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With more than 1,000 healthcare and technology leaders world-wide, from hospitals, clinics, home health agencies, large employers and health plans attendees will exchange ideas with tech entrepreneurs, business execs, investors, government officials and patient organization representatives.
Partners is extending a special opportunity to to all Home Care Alliance members, friends, and colleagues to register for October’s Symposium for $795; that is $100 off the regular rate. To obtain the discount, register as “general public” at on the event’s website and type in “HCAlliance” in the invitation code box.
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