HCCI Mourns the Passing of Robert Sowislo |
|
We here at the Home Centered Care Institute (HCCI) were saddened to hear of the sudden passing on Friday, December 17, 2021, of Robert “Bob” Sowislo, who played a key role in the healthcare industry and home-based primary care (HBPC). Sowislo was a former board member of HCCI and served on the board of the American Academy of Home Care Medicine (AAHCM), where he chaired the AAHCM Public Policy Committee.
Sowislo was a key figure in the evolution of home-based care, and a friend to many in the industry. “Bob did everything with grace and humility,” said Dr. Thomas Cornwell, Executive Chairman of HCCI, and Senior Medical Director for Village Medical at Home of VillageMD. “Everything from serving on HCCI’s board, where we benefitted greatly from his knowledge and experience, to receiving a lifetime achievement award from AAHCM in 2020, where he was still serving on the board, to his work on Capitol Hill as a champion for home-based care, including his leading role in the Independence at Home (IAH) Medicare House Call Demonstration. For me personally, he was also a wonderful friend and mentor.”
Many witnessed first-hand how inspiring Sowislo could be: “If you knew Bob, you loved him,” said Julie Sacks, President and COO of HCCI. “The field of home-based primary care is forever changed by his involvement, and he leaves a powerful legacy. He was not just a tireless advocate of HBPC, but it could be argued that he was the advocate. Plus, he was one of HCCI’s greatest supporters from the very beginning. He will be incredibly missed.”
|
|
Echoing Sacks’ words about Sowislo’s legacy, there has already been a tremendous outpouring of reaction to his passing, with many, including J. Richard “Dick” Maybury, Chairman of HCCI’s Board of Directors, talking about the impact he had on them both personally and professionally.
“Bob was not only a great friend of HCCI,” said Maybury, “but also was a mentor to me, helping me understand much about home-based care.”
HCCI offers its sincere condolences to Bob’s family, friends, and colleagues, and all who were touched by his kindness and generosity.
|
|
SAVE THE DATES
New HCCI Webinar Series Focuses on
Driving Sustainability in your House Call Practice
|
|
Maximizing Revenue and Value in 2022:
Billing, Coding and Documentation in Home-Based Care
|
|
HCCI will host a three-part, live interactive HCCIntelligence™ Premier Webinar Series entitled, Maximizing Revenue and Value in 2022: Billing, Coding and Documentation in Home-Based Care. The series will teach you how to maximize revenue while decreasing workflow burdens, ensure appropriate reimbursement for the services you provide and implement valuable internal audit and compliance plans.
Join us on the 4th Wednesday of each month from February through April 2022, at 4pm-5:30pm CT, for each webinar. There, you will hear first-hand from our certified coder and auditor, as well as national leaders and experts in the field of home-based care.
This activity is approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.
|
|
February 23
Mastering E/M Coding & Documentation for the Home & Domiciliary Settings
|
|
March 23
Maximizing Revenue: Beyond E/M Coding & Documentation
|
|
April 27
Empowering Practices: Implementing Internal Coding Audits & Quality Improvement Plans
|
|
Registration opening soon. Watch the HCCI website for more details. |
|
HCCI Returned to In-Person Training in December |
|
Essential Elements of HBPC
Orlando, FL
|
|
Advanced Applications of HBPC
Schaumburg, IL
|
|
Two December workshops marked the return to in-person training for HCCI. Like other training organizations, HCCI has relied on virtual instruction since the start of the pandemic in March 2020.
On Dec. 2-3, Essential Elements of Home-Based Primary Care was held in Orlando. Then, in-person training continued with Advanced Applications of Home-Based Primary Care on Dec. 9-10 at HCCI’s Schaumburg, Illinois, headquarters.
Melissa Singleton, HCCI’s Chief Learning Officer, was pleased that HCCI was able to restart face-to-face instruction with the Florida conference and continue it with the more advanced course in Illinois.
“It was truly energizing to be back with in-person training,” said Singleton. “And it was especially inspiring to see our faculty again being able to share their knowledge and encouragement with medical professionals eager to learn more about the value of home-centered care and key strategies for being successful.”
See learner feedback and photos from the workshops in next month’s HCCInsights.
|
|
Support HCCI this Season with a Charitable Gift |
|
During gift-giving season, we invite you to support HCCI. As a nonprofit, HCCI’s mission of helping providers and practices establish and expand home care offerings is driven in large part by philanthropy.
Four Ways to Donate:
- HCCI Online Donation Form
-
Visit Support HCCI on our website
- Call (630) 283-9200 and tell us you’d like to donate
- Mail a check payable to “HCCI” to the following address: Home Centered Care Institute, 1900 East Golf Road, Suite 480, Schaumburg, IL 60173
DOUBLE YOUR DONATION: If you donate now, the amount will be matched through a charitable gift made by a generous family.
|
|
We recognize the numerous challenges that can be encountered by
HBPC providers and practice staff and the value of having access to
knowledgeable experts and timely guidance.
We at HCCI are here to help in a variety of ways.
|
|
HCCIntelligence™ Resource Center
|
|
The Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC) is conducting an environmental scan to identify initiatives aimed at improving the care of Black patients living with serious illness and their families — the first scan of its kind on this topic. Your response will help CAPC find and disseminate promising practices. According to CAPC, no initiative is too small – they even want to hear about those in planning stages as well as those already implemented. They also ask that you share this questionnaire with relevant colleagues across your organization. The questionnaire should take less than five minutes. Those who complete it will be entered into a raffle to win one of ten $100 gift cards. All contact information will remain strictly confidential. Fill out the questionnaire here.
|
|
For those in our audience in California and those interested in learning from the efforts in that state, HCCI is supporting a complimentary three-part webinar series presented by the Coalition for Compassionate Care of California (CCCC). Aimed at those wanting to increase access to effective, sustainable palliative care service- including policymakers, policy advocates at the state and national level, health plan leaders, palliative care providers, and health services researchers, the following sessions are offered over three consecutive Wednesdays, 1pm-2pm CT:
-
Community-Based Palliative Care Standards: Rationale and Impact (January 26). Register here.
-
Affordability and Sustainability of Palliative Care Services across Medicaid, Medicare, and Commercial Business Lines (February 2). Register here.
-
Building on California's Efforts to Drive Consistency and Quality in Palliative Care (February 9). Register here.
Please note: You must register for each individual session.
|
|
The Coalition to Transform Advanced Care (C-TAC) recently published an article about Medicaid strategies, including broadening access to home- and community-based services (HCBS). According to the article, C-TAC recognizes that these services give older adults and people with disabilities the choice to stay in their homes while receiving critical health, functional and social supports. Medicaid will continue to work with Congress and other federal partners to advance HCBS improvement and reform and to make continued investments in this area. C-TAC will also continue to reinforce those efforts through its advocacy work.
|
|
This email is an advertisement for the Home Centered Care Institute (HCCI). HCCI is passionately committed to its vision of
transforming our nation’s healthcare system by creating universal access to best practice house calls programs,
to ensure that medically complex patients have access to high-quality care in their homes.
|
|
Home Centered Care Institute
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
