2024 Past Webinars

January 11, 2024   |   Pop-up

The Hospice Special Focus Program is set to begin in 2024. Under this program, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services intends to identify poor performing hospices and improve care delivery through increased survey oversight. CMS’ methodology to identify poor performing hospices has raised alarm throughout the hospice community, but with proactive preparation and open communication, your hospice can prepare for this program effectively.

Join NHPCO for this informative 1-hour webinar as we provide practical tips for hospices on taking steps to prepare for this program leading up to and during the Special Focus Program’s implementation.

Learning Outcomes:

• • • Understand how the Special Focus Program could impact your hospice.
    • Learn how your hospice can engage with NHPCO and support efforts to advocate for a better Special Focus Program.
    • Understand appropriate protocols for communicating with the public, external stakeholders, and community healthcare partners.

January 18, 2024   |   Quality & Regulatory

Join us for an enlightening webinar where we delve into the critical aspects of regulatory compliance and quality considerations in hospice care for the coming year. We kick off the year with an overview of key audit and survey trends. Understand the focus areas and prepare your team for what’s ahead. Drawing from a hospice audit survey conducted by NHPCO and other national associations in 2023, we will discuss major findings, trends, and common challenges faced by hospices. We’ll also provide a comprehensive review of the latest updates in Care Compare and the Care Compare and Quality Assurance Performance Improvement (QAPI) program. Gain insights into the first quarter’s developments and learn how to leverage this information for enhancing patient care quality.

Learning Outcomes:

• • • Understand the key regulatory challenges and trends in hospice care for the upcoming year.
    • Gain actionable insights from the 2023 Hospice Audit Survey.
    • Learn about the latest developments in Care Compare and Hospice QAPI programs.

February 1   |   Substance Use Disorder

Join faculty to learn about the neurobiology of addiction to help improve the quality of life for seriously ill and end-of-life patients. Faculty will discuss the brain regions and neurotransmitters involved in addiction, reward pathways and their role in addiction, and neuroadaptation and the development of tolerance and dependence. The session will conclude with an overview of commonly used substances and different categories of substances in preparation for the next webinar in the series.

Learning Outcomes:
At the completion of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• • • Articulate clinical terms related to neurobiology of addiction as it pertains to seriously ill patients.
    • Interpret the brain regions and neurotransmitters involved in addiction.
    • Interpret neuroadaptation and the development of tolerance and dependence as it relates to seriously ill patients.

February 5   |   Substance Use Disorder

Join faculty for a presentation on commonly used substances, diagnostic criteria for substance use disorder, assessment, patient risk factors, and vulnerability. This session will be divided into three sections. The commonly used substances portion will cover effects, risks, and withdrawal symptoms associated with specific substances. Next participants will learn about the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) diagnostic criteria, screening and assessment tools, and the importance of early identification of substance use disorder and intervention with seriously ill and end-of-life patients. Lastly, faculty will discuss patient risk factors and vulnerability, including genetic and hereditary factors, environmental and socio-cultural influences, and co-occurring mental health disorders and their impact on substance use disorder.

Learning Outcomes:
At the completion of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• • • Explain the effects, risks, and withdrawal symptoms associated with used substances for seriously ill and end-of-life patients.
    • Describe which screening and assessment tools for substance use disorders are appropriate for seriously ill and end-of-life patients.
    • Describe the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) diagnostic criteria for substance use disorders.
    • List genetic and hereditary factors, environmental and socio-cultural influences, and co-occurring mental health disorders and understand their impact on substance use disorder.

February 22   |   Pop-up

Join the faculty to learn strategies for working with patients who have advanced heart failure. Topics include prognostic indicators, improving goals of care conversations, and strategies for supporting the patient with advanced heart failure to hospice and their caregivers. Two hospice medical directors and a social worker will be providing didactic content followed by a case study and caregiver experience. Come and learn from the journey of a patient with advanced heart failure.

Learning Outcomes:

• • • Understand prognostic indicators for patients who have advanced heart failure.
    • Improve goals of care conversations with patients who have advanced heart failure and their caregivers.
    • Explore strategies for supporting patients with advanced heart failure and their caregivers through the continuum of care.

Recording

February 26   |    Substance Use Disorder

Join faculty for an overview of evidence-based treatment approaches for seriously ill and end-of-life patients with substance use disorder. The presentation will include pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, buprenorphine therapy, detoxification and withdrawal management, and inpatient and outpatient treatment programs (IOPs). The faculty will conclude the presentation with a review of the neurobiology of addiction presented in the first webinar “Neurobiology of Addiction for Seriously Ill Patients” and expand on neurobiology’s impact on treatment.

Learning Outcomes:
At the completion of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• • • Recall evidence-based substance use disorder treatment approaches for seriously ill and end-of-life patients.
    • Demonstrate when seriously ill and end-of-life patients are appropriate for buprenorphine therapy, detoxification, and withdrawal management.
    • Describe when inpatient and outpatient substance use treatment programs (IOPs) are appropriate for seriously ill and end-of-life patients.
    • Explain the neurobiology of addiction and its impacts on treatment for seriously ill and end-of-life patients.

February 29   |   Substance Use Disorder

Join the faculty to discuss substance use disorder considerations within hospice care. The session will begin by covering universal opioid precautions – a protocol for the safe and effective medication management of patients. We will then transition into discussing harm reduction approaches, bereavement and risks of family grief, as well as suicide in hospice. For substance use disorder consideration in the palliative setting, see the March 4 webinar.

Learning Outcomes:
At the completion of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• • • Identify knowledge of universal opioid precautions.
    • Demonstrate ways harm reduction can increase a patient’s quality of life.
    • Identify when there are risks of family grief.

March 4   |   Substance Use Disorder

Join the faculty for substance use disorder considerations in palliative medicine. The faculty will discuss universal opioid precautions and managing pain in patients at risk for substance use disorders. In addition, learn about palliative care in the context of behavioral health and addiction and ways to include caregiver training and support as part of billable visits as described in the 2024 physician fee schedule.

Learning Outcomes:
At the completion of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• • • Identify universal opioid precautions.
    • Understand how to manage pain in palliative care patients who are at risk for substance use disorder.
    • Understand palliative care in the context of behavioral health and addiction.
    • Identify ways to include caregiver training and support as part of billable visits as described in the 2024 physician fee schedule.

March 11   |   Substance Use Disorder

Join the faculty for the final webinar in the substance use disorder series. In this webinar, faculty will discuss the impact of substance use disorder on family dynamics, assessment and intervention, and environmental and social influence. Participants will learn about family-centered approaches to treatment and recovery as well as how to care for their own team. The session will conclude by addressing confidentiality and privacy concerns, legal implications, ethical dilemmas, and considerations for healthcare professionals.

Learning Outcomes:
At the completion of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• • • Understand the environmental and social influences on substance use disorder and demonstrate the impact on family dynamics.
    • Identify family-centered approaches to treatment and recovery, including resources and support groups.
    • Identify ways to care for the team when moral distress is present.
    • Understand confidentiality and privacy concerns in substance use disorder treatment.
    • Understand legal implications, ethical dilemmas, and considerations for healthcare professionals.

March 14   |   Quality & Regulatory

The patient and family/ caregiver experience during end of life is similar but very different when it comes to hospice care delivery. Come join us to learn about not only deeper dives in CAHPS survey, Stars Ratings, impact to hospice quality, regulatory and compliance but also how your organization can impact the outcomes. In this webinar, we will discuss the current state of what the data show, what’s working and what is not working and what you – as providers need to know from quality and compliance angle. We will also outline the roadmap from theory to practice – how to operationalize improvements in the family/ caregiver experience and how to be prepared for upcoming requirements like the Special Focus Program.

Learning Outcomes:

• • • Describe the impact and significance of the family and caregiver experience in the context of end-of-life care
    • List the available regulatory and quality implications of data submission as it relates to the Special Focus Program
    • Articulate the connection and impact of an actional quality improvement organizational program

April 4   |  Regulatory

Are you ready for the crucial changes in Medicare hospice physician enrollment requirements? Join us for a pivotal webinar tailored to guide hospice providers through these imminent adjustments, set to take effect on May 1, 2024.

Under the new regulations, Medicare will exclusively reimburse hospice services certified by physicians who are enrolled in or validly opted out of Medicare. To ensure you’re fully equipped to navigate these changes seamlessly, we’ve assembled an expert panel from the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO).

Learning Outcomes:

• • • Detailed insights into the specifics of the upcoming changes in enrollment requirements.
    • Comprehensive understanding of hospice physician payment considerations under the new regulations.
    • Practical guidance on navigating the enrollment process effectively.
    • Strategies to ensure compliance and mitigate potential challenges.