Health Dimensions Group (HDG) will be attending the National PACE Association’s 2016 Annual Conference October 23–26 in San Francisco, California. HDG consultants will be presenting at three sessions.

Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) Overview

Sunday, October 23, 3:00–4:30 p.m.
Lori Aronson, MBA, NHA, Manager, Consulting Services
Melissa Van Bruggen, MBA, CPA, Consultant, Financial Analysis and Reimbursement

Lori Aronson and Melissa Van Bruggen will be presenting on the history and financial performance of PACE during the PACE Basics pre-conference workshop. Participants will learn what the PACE model includes, the history and basics of the program, and the financial performance of the model. Participants must be registered for the pre-conference workshop to attend.

Rising to the Challenge: What Is the Growth Potential of PACE in Your Market and Across the Nation?

Tuesday, October 25, 8:00–9:30 p.m.
Peter Fitzgerald, MSc, National PACE Association
Colin Higgins, Director of Analytics and Research, Health Dimensions Group
Tracy Robledo-Clark, Immanuel Pathways

In this presentation, participants will learn about the current enrollment and market penetrations of all operating PACE programs by selected characteristics in order to benchmark realistic enrollment projections; and about the size of the PACE market relative to the total dual eligible market for select states where state policymakers are pursuing statewide expansion. Additionally, participants will hear a case study of how an operational PACE program used a demographic and market study to guide PACE expansion.

Taking a ‘Fourth-Right’ Approach: Using Systemic Benchmarking to Guide the Management of Service Utilization

Wednesday, October 26, 9:30–10:00 a.m.
Lori Aronson, MBA, NHA, Manager, Consulting Services
Carrie Hays McElroy, MSN-HCA, RN, Gero-BC, Trinity Health PACE

The presenters will describe how to implement performance tracking for internal and/or external benchmarking purposes. The session will also identify two areas where uniform tools can help guide decision-making related to service utilization. At the end of the session, participants will be able to identify the “four rights” of care management.

For more information about the conference, visit www.npaonline.org/education/conferences; and check out conference activities on Twitter using hashtag #NPA2016AC and at @HDGConsulting; @colin_higgins77; @lori_aronson; and @VanVanbruggen.

Day 2 of the National Summit started bright and early yesterday morning. We spent breakfast eating and mingling with our wonderful sponsors from near and far.

Right after breakfast attendees had the option to choose between two different session tracks: “Alternative payment Arrangements: Learning how to Ride the New Wave” and “The Doctor is Really In: Expanding Primary Care in the Senior Housing and Elder Care Environment.”  Although picking between these two sessions was a tough choice, attendees found value in both sessions that they would be able to apply to their individual organizations.

After a quick break to check out the sponsor booths, attendees were faced with another difficult choice between two dynamic concurrent sessions. One option was “Alternative Payment Arrangements: Building Win-Win Relationships with Managed Care Organization, Bending the Curve and Sharing the Gain” and the other option was ”The Technology Value Proposition: Integrating Tools, Systems and People to Improve Elder Care”

We enjoyed a delectable lunch and some free time, and then wrapped up our day with a workshop intensive on bundled payment in the industry. The panel, moderated by Jade Gong, senior advisor at Health Dimensions Group, really got into the finer details of redesigning care delivery processes and increasing the levels of patient activation.

Day 2 made it easy to understand why the National Summit has become the event to mark on your calendar year after year. Rodney McBride, vice president of health and community services at John Knox Village, explained to us why this is his fourth year back at the National Summit. “There is a high level conversation that takes place at this conference that does not occur anywhere else” explains McBride. “The integration of post acute and hospital information is very forward looking. I’m excited to implement what I’m learning here from an operational and strategic standpoint.”

After a busy day full of new connections and new information, attendees dispersed to explore the abundance of activities that Orlando, Florida has to offer before the final day of the National Summit. We can’t believe it’s almost over, but mark your calendars! The 2016 Summit dates have officially been announced. We hope you can join us in Las Vegas on February 22-24, 2016.