WILMINGTON NC – The second annual Charting the Course: Southeastern North Carolina Home Health Care Awards Reception was held at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher on the evening of November 5, 2011. The event hosted more than 300 guests from the medical and business communities of southeastern NC for a night of dinner, dancing, networking and awards presentations.

Michelle Coleman of Community Home Care and Hospice, Janice Williams of Well Care Home Health, Donna Harned of New Hanover Regional Medical Center Home Care, and Mary Clarke of Lower Cape Fear Hospice and Life Care Center were chosen by their peers to receive the Beacon Award for Leadership Excellence in Home Care and Hospice. The Horizon Award for Lifetime Achievement in Home Care and Hospice was presented to Ellen Cameron of Lower Cape Fear Hospice and Life Care Center and Cassandra Taylor of Well Care Home Health. Intracoastal Internal Medicine received the Compass Award for Medical Practice of the Year, and the award for Volunteer Caregiver of the Year went to Ms. Poletha Wilson of Wilmington.

Congressman Mike McIntyre was the night’s honored guest, having recently signed an official proclamation announcing November 2011 as the official Home Care and Hospice month. Congressman McIntyre joined Wayne Long, CEO of Well Care Home Health Care and founder of the awards program, in presenting the awards and congratulating the winners.

Charting the Course gathers the region’s medical professionals from the entire health care spectrum in an effort to encourage collaboration and camaraderie among community health providers. JL Hunt, PA, Griffin Estep Benefit Group, Teleco, McKesson Medical-Surgical, Enterprise Fleet Management, Ferris Mfg. Corp., and Cintas joined area Home Care and Hospice agencies in organizing this event.

Slated to open in early August, the new clinic will ensure timely access to quality care for the veterans of southeastern North Carolina. With Brunswick County’s growing population, the clinic’s location at 20 Medical Center Drive, Supply, NC will allow the VA to provide excellent care to more of North Carolina’s veterans.  

As a healthcare provider serving the citizens of Brunswick County and surrounding areas, Well Care understands the important role the clinic will play in the wellbeing of veterans in our community.   

*Participation by the Veterans Administration does not constitute an implied or direct endorsement of any participating vendors or sponsors of the event.

Home health nurses are on the front lines everyday and provide compassionate care to some of America’s sickest patients inside their homes. They took time out of their busy schedules to come to the nation’s capitol and share their patient’s stories with lawmakers.

Leslie Parker, Tammy Fowler and Michelle Fales, registered nurses with Well Care Home Health of Wilmington, North Carolina, told stories of patient’s in need of home care services in North Carolina. “Had the co-pay provision been in place, many of our families could not have afforded the level of care they needed,” said Parker at the Nurses rally.

Convened by the National Association for Home Care & Hospice on the 46th anniversary of Medicare, nurses from Arkansas, California, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Michigan, North Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island are a part of the two-day visit to Capitol Hill where they will meet with policymakers currently working to reach a final debt ceiling agreement and will share their serious concerns over proposed funding cuts to Medicare and Medicaid services. These 12 states represent more than 50% of US healthcare expenditures alone.

The North Carolina nurses will meet with Senators Hagan and Burr, and Congressmen McIntyre and Jones, while on their trip to the capitol city. They will present photos of current patients in North Carolina and implore the legislators to support the frail and elderly.

Home health co-pays would disproportionately impact poor and sick seniors, shift seniors to more costly settings and increase Medicare and Medicaid costs. Co-pays were repealed in 1972 and remain unpopular today. Home health agencies cannot tolerate any further cuts and co-payments that, if implemented, would have adverse effects on patients. The result would be Medicare having to pay for more expensive levels of care, such as hospitals and nursing homes stays.

“Cost-effective home health and hospice services save money in the long run and should be encouraged, not cut, as a way to reduce the deficit,” said Val J. Halamandaris, president of NAHC. “Home health and hospice already took disproportionate cuts in the health care reform legislation and should not be cut again.”

Over the next few years, $12 billion in Medicare cuts to the industry are already planned, even though home care and hospice services are more cost effective. In 2009, the average home care visit cost $135 per day versus the average hospital visit, which cost $1,800 a day. Preventive home health care saves Medicare and Medicaid billions of dollars per year.

WILMINGTON NC – Well Care was recently named winner of the Health Care category for the 2011 Coastal Entrepreneur Awards.  The Greater Wilmington Business Journal and the UNC-Wilmington Entrepreneurship Center present the awards, which highlight entrepreneurs in the Cape Fear region. 

Winners are selected in each of nine categories, including Internet-related Business, Retail & Hospitality, Non-profit, Manufacturing & Distribution, Health Care, Biotechnology, Technology, Emerging Company, and Professional Services.   According to a Greater Wilmington Business Journal article by Amber Hughes, dated April 18, 2011, the awards program “showcases up-and-coming entrepreneurs in the region and helps them connect with potential clients and investors”.

Well Care Chief Executive Officer, Wayne Long, will interview with a panel of judges to discuss the home health care agency.  After similar meetings with winners from the other categories, the panel will decide on the 2011 Coastal Entrepreneur of the Year. 

As winner of the Health Care Category, Well Care will be honored at an awards breakfast on May 20, 2011.

 To compose a team for the plunge, each team member must be backed by a $50 donation.  As the only fundraiser benefiting Special Olympics New Hanover County, 100% of all donations collected from the Polar Plunge go towards supporting the county’s Special Olympic athletes.  According to the program’s website, Special Olympics New Hanover County has more than 600 athletes training and competing in more than 13 sports, such as tennis, softball, gymnastics, aquatics and golf, to name a few.   Adults and children with intellectual disabilities compete in these sports, and participation is free.  WellCare is proud to sponsor a Polar Plunge team and provide support for Special Olympics New Hanover County and the wonderful opportunities it offers participants. 

The Polar Plunge event ensures a Saturday afternoon full of fun.  In addition to the 3 p.m.  swim, there will be live music, a costume contest, food, a silent auction and much more.  For a schedule of events, or for details, visit www.plungenhc.com.  Come out and support the Well Care team and others who dare to take the plunge!

Chief on the agenda is the board’s review and approval of NAHC’s 2011 Blueprints for Action, which set the organization’s regulatory and legislative agendas.   Among other functions, NAHC supplies legal and governmental advocacy for the benefit of home care and hospice providers and patients.  The board’s approval of the annual Blueprints for Action authorizes NAHC to move forward with advocacy efforts and legislative recommendations deemed important to the industry, and confirms the organization’s priorities and direction for the year.

Also slated for the board meeting are reports from NAHC President, Val J. Halamandaris, and Treasurer, Gary Thietten, as well as the appointment of committees.  After adjourning, board members are invited to attend the NAHC Strategic Planning Congress, which will begin Thursday night with a dinner and guest speaker, Howard Bedlin, Vice President for Legislative Affairs for the National Council on Aging.   The Strategic Planning Conference continues on Friday, concluding that evening.

Charting The Course Photo Album (November 6, 2010)

The evening of November 6, 2010 marked Southeastern North Carolina’s first home health care reception and gala. Thanks to the support of our sponsors and the hard work and planning provided by the event committee, guests enjoyed an evening full of music, dancing, food, fellowship and fun. Many of our regions healthcare and business leaders and employees were in attendance, offering an opportunity for networking and celebration. Not only was the evening enjoyable, it brought awareness of the home health care industry and the benefits it provides our community, and also served as an occasion for relationship building among the entire health care network.

The night was highlighted by the presentation of four recognition awards. Hilda Rose Jones from Pediatric Services of America received the Beacon Award for leadership excellence in home health care. Susan Casper was recognized as volunteer caregiver of the year and received the 360 Degrees of Care Award. Eugenia Warren, who is retired from Well Care and Nancy Ellison of New Hanover Regional Medical Center Home Care, both received the Horizon Lifetime Achievement Award for Dignity and Compassion. The Compass Award went to Wilmington Health Associates for Medical Practice of the Year. Nominations were accepted from the region-at-large and were judged by a group of five community members.

Charting the Course was a success and with all the positive feedback received, we anticipate another great event in 2011. Thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate. Our photo album reviews the occasion and documents plenty of fond memories: enjoy!

After reading the proclamation aloud, Mayor Saffo presented the document to Long, who commented on the occasion; “On behalf of the home health, home care and hospice providers, staff and patients, I thank you for supporting an industry that is so vital to our citizens”.  Expanding on the importance of these services, Long explained that, in New Hanover County alone, more than 8,000 patients will receive in-home care this year.   He continued by quoting Dr. Kenneth E. Thorpe, a nationally known health policy expert, regarding the critical role that in-home care providers play in the lives of the elderly, disabled and chronically ill. 

Statewide, roughly 400,000 North Carolinians depend on home and hospice care on an annual basis.   According to the Association for Home & Hospice Care of North Carolina, in-home care services in our state are provided by approximately 100,000 home care and hospice employees. The month of November is dedicated to recognizing these individuals for their commitment to providing excellent health care and their dedication to the patients they serve.

Karen will present the home care bonus session, Maximizing Efficiencies in the Home Care Aide through Technology.  To succeed in the home care market, an agency must efficiently maximize outcomes.  Now, more than ever, regulatory guidelines for home care programs demand careful documentation of patient visits.  Automating this documentation process ensures efficient adherence to regulation while effectively maximizing patient outcomes. 

As a panelist for the conference session entitled All Hands on Deck: Maintaining Healthy Workplace Recognition in Tough Economic Times, Ted Horton will discuss solutions to rewarding and recognizing staff for outstanding job performance despite current budget realities.  Workplace morale and employee camaraderie are essential to agency success, but can be difficult to establish and maintain in tough economic times, especially with the majority of staff working outside the office.  Panelist will provide guidance to overcoming these obstacles.

WellCare is pleased to be recognized as an industry leader and proud of Karen and Ted for their willingness to share their expertise!

The discussion forum will be in the Warwick Ballroom at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.