Beth Carpenter and Associates: Pathfinder Newsletter

THE PATHFINDER NEWSLETTER
Hello! Welcome to the January 2008 issue of THE PATHFINDER. With the holidays behind us and the decorations safely back in their boxes, we face the new year. 2008 will provide all of us with some challenges as we take care of our patients and support our caregivers. All of the issues we face in 2008 requires us to be lead our agencies to success. Because leaders and their agencies are only successful through the people they lead and coach, I am including an article on coaching, one of the six styles of leadership followed in situational leadership. Coaching is key to accomplishing your goals for this year and developing our industry's future leaders. I'll talk more about situational leadership over the next couple of months, but just let me say that I believe in situational leadership and its benefits to every organization. Home Care funding changes force us to examine at our clinical services and monitor efficiency versus need. In this issue of THE PATHFINDER I have included an article on diabetes and the the burden of multiple health conditions. It discusses the need to develop a "whole-person approach" to patient care - something Home Care has a great deal of experience with. In Hospice we continue to struggle with the CAP issue across the country. Research does show that patients live longer with hospice care. A research study by NHPCO partnering with Milliman, Inc shows that hospice patients live an average of 29 days longer than non-hospice patients. Overall length of stay for an agency affects the total agency reimbursement because of CAP. Hospices in Oklahoma, Alabama, Mississippi, Utah, and Arizona have been affected the most with the CAP issue and the required pay-back. I am excited about the opportunities ahead of us in 2008 as we serve our patients and their families. If we can provide you with any assistance , please do not hesitate to contact us. Best wishes, Beth Carpenter

COACHING THAT COUNTS By Estienne de Beer Leader2leaders.com Andrew Wood explains the big picture as follows: "Leadership is not a right of passage, or at least it shouldn't be. Leadership is a state of mind. A philosophy. An attitude. Understanding this, you can recognize and develop the key traits that will enhance and improve your personal capacity for leadership." Great leaders touch the lives of their followers through coaching. The key to consistent business success is to understand that people come before spreadsheets. The personal growth and coaching of their employees is put on top of the priority list and soon the results on the spreadsheets will follow. Coaching that Counts continues here...

DIABETES DILEMMA: OLDER PEOPLE WITH DIABETES FACE A HEAVY BURDEN FROM CO-EXISTING CONDITIONS By ScienceDaily As if diabetes weren't enough to handle, a new study shows that 92 percent of older people with the disease have at least one other major chronic medical condition - and that nearly half have three or more major diseases besides their diabetes. To read The Diabetes Dilemma

NEW RESEARCH FINDS PATIENTS DO LIVE LONGER UNDER HOSPICE CARE By NHPCO A new study published in the March 2007 issue of the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management reports that hospice care may prolong the lives of some terminally ill patients. Among the patient populations studied, the mean survival rate was 29 days longer for hospice patients that for non-hospice patients. In other words, patients who chose hospice care lived an average of one month longer than similar patients who did not choose hospice care. To read further...

HOSPICES DON'T AGREE ON ISSUES WITH MONEY CAP By Jeff Raymond, Staff Writer newsok.com The second highest ranking official at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services predicts an examination of the hospice cap, but stops short of suggesting what form changes should take. The cap is a cumulative amount of money - about $21,000 - the Medicare agency will hospices per patient per year. If hospices exceed the cap in what they bill Medicare, they must reimburse the rest or take out a 12.5 percent interest loan. More on this issue....

Beth Carpenter Beth Carpenter and Associates 847-382-1035 bcarpenter@bethcarpenterandassociates.com Beth Carpenter and Associates has earned a reputation as a company with deep industry experience and one that works closely with its clients to identify solutions that meet their business goals and strategic objectives. We do not simply advise. We partner with our customers to implement the solution and ensure its success. Sincerely, Beth Carpenter

ARE YOU ON THE RIGHT PATH? Since 1995 Beth Carpenter and Associates has provided its real-world experience to the management of healthcare companies, especially those organizations with a focus on home health, hospice and private duty, in the areas of operations, clinical services, sales and marketing. We work with management to identify the strategic direction of the organization and implement the necessary changes that allow health care providers to move forward in today's environment. We help you choose the right path to success and then we walk it with you.

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