Home Health Revealed (+Palliative and Hospice)

Hannah Vale, M.Ed.
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Home Health Revealed brings you real stories from real industry leaders about all things related to home health, palliative, and hospice care. From staffing to technology, agency start-ups to scaling and growing an agency. It's the patients that deserve the best care and we want to help our listeners get there.

  1. 12/23/2025

    Heart on the Doorstep: How an Ohio Community College, Local Home Health Agency, and Ride-Alongs Are Growing the Home Health Workforce

    What really happens when a nurse walks through a patient’s front door instead of a hospital doorway? In this episode of Home Health Revealed, host Hannah Vale heads into the field with home health nurses in snowy Northeast Ohio and then sits down with leaders from Lorain County Community College and the Ohio Council for Home Care & Hospice to unpack what she witnessed firsthand. You’ll hear from: Christopher Hirschler, Dean of the Health and Wellness Science Division at Lorain County Community College Lisa Von Lemden, Ohio Council for Home Care & Hospice Hannah DiVencenzo, Program Developer at Lorain County Community College Cynthia Kushner, Director of School, Workforce and Community partnerships Abigail Farabaugh, Career and Academic Advisement Professional Together, they share powerful stories from recent ride‑alongs: organizing overflowing baskets of medications, navigating homes transformed into care spaces, and supporting families through heartbreaking seasons with remarkable resilience. You’ll also hear about those “oh no” moments—like expired blood tubes in the trunk—and how strong team backup turns solo visits into a true network of care. Listen in to learn: Why being invited into a patient’s home is “sacred” work and how it reveals social determinants of health in real time, from housing quality to family support to mental health. How home health nurses flex between roles—clinician, educator, advocate, problem‑solver, even “therapist”—often in the same visit. What schedule flexibility, point‑based pay models, and documentation from home actually look like in a real nurse’s day (including coffee breaks between visits). How AI and technology are changing preparation for visits, decision‑making, and mentorship for newer nurses entering home health.  Why home care can be a smart career move for nurses who want autonomy, meaningful one‑on‑one time with patients, and strong earning potential—without punching a time clock. The episode also highlights new workforce and education partnerships, including a $2 million Department of Higher Education investment into the Center for Community Based Care to grow and support the next generation of home health and hospice clinicians across Ohio. Lorain County Community College shares how it is exposing students to home health early—through ride‑alongs, pathways content, and mentorship—so they can discover if this deeply relational kind of nursing is the right fit. If you’re: A nursing student wondering what’s beyond the ICU or med‑surg, A nurse craving more control over your time and deeper patient relationships, or An educator or leader trying to build stronger home health pathways… …this episode will challenge your assumptions about what nursing “has” to look like and show you what’s possible when care comes to the couch instead of the bedside. Learn more & get connected: Ohio Council for Home Care & Hospice / Center for Community Based Care: visit www.ochch.org and use the Contact Us form to inquire about tuition support, grants, and workforce opportunities across Ohio. Interested in educational pathways at... Chapters (00:00:02) - Home Health Revealed: Why the Home Matters(00:01:28) - Home Health: The Journey(00:07:35) - The Home Health Care Nurse Experience(00:13:13) - The Day in the Life of Home Health(00:16:30) - Social determinants of health in the home(00:20:06) - What is Home Health Care for People?(00:22:17) - The role of nurses in the field(00:25:59) - Home Health Nurse Training: Flexibility(00:31:39) - Home Care and Hospice Programs(00:36:08) - Home Care: The Career Choice(00:42:31) - Riding Along With a Home Health Nurse(00:45:58) - Home Health Care: A Personal Experience

    50 min
  2. Doing More with Less: Compliance, Education, and Support from ACHC

    12/17/2025

    Doing More with Less: Compliance, Education, and Support from ACHC

    In this episode, Hannah Vale is joined by Lisa Meadows, Senior Manager, Survey Operations, at ACHC (Accreditation Commission for Health Care), for a timely conversation on how home health agencies can stay compliant while operating with smaller margins and fewer resources.  Hannah discusses the new partnership and product certification for Velocity. Lisa shares how ACHC is helping agencies meet evolving regulations, improve operational efficiency, and "do more with less"! We also discuss how agencies can access free education through ACHCU. ACHCU provides leaders and teams with practical, on-demand learning to stay prepared and confident in a constantly changing regulatory environment.  From accreditation and survey readiness to workforce education and smarter processes, this episode highlights how compliance can become a strategic advantage.  Learn about HealthRev Partners' partnership with ACHC HERE.  Chapters (00:00:02) - Home Health Revealed(00:00:42) - Lisa Meadows at the ACCreditation Conference(00:01:57) - Top of Mind for Hospice Providers(00:02:49) - ACHC: Helping Providers Meet the Regulations

    6 min
  3. Beyond the Noise: Workforce, Technology, and the Reality of Home Health Cuts with Jonathan Fleece and Mike Quinn

    12/15/2025

    Beyond the Noise: Workforce, Technology, and the Reality of Home Health Cuts with Jonathan Fleece and Mike Quinn

    In this power punching episode, we sat down with Jonathan Fleece of Empath Health for a timely and important conversation. When we recorded this episode, the home health Final Rule had not yet been released, but the insights shared remain highly relevant now that it is public.  While the proposed 9% cut would have been catastrophic for the home health industry, even the finalized cuts continue to place real pressure on agencies across the country. At the same time, this moment also highlighted something worth recognizing: the industry rallied! Providers, leaders, and advocates came together to offer meaningful feedback and that collective voice mattered! The episode was co-hosted by Mike Quinn of nVoq, who brings a powerful personal perspective. Mike shares his own experience as a recipient of care through Empath, an unexpected and meaningful connection that surfaced during the conversation. That firsthand experience underscores the impact of care delivered well.  Jonathan dives deep into employee retention and workforce development, emphasizing the importance of listening, truly listening, to staff in order to drive smarter policies, meaningful change, and innovation within organizations. His perspective reinforces that sustainable growth starts with engaged, supported teams.  We also explore how Empath is leveraging nVoq's talk to text technology to empower clinicians in the field, reducing documentation burden and helping teams do more with less. With so much technology flooding the market, this conversation cuts through the noise to focus on what actually works---solutions that deliver a real return on investment and a return on time.  In an environment defined by cuts, complexity, and workforce challenges, technology isn't a nice-to-have; it's a lifeline. This episode bring a grounded, honest look at what's working, what matters, and how home health agencies can move forward with intention.  Want to learn more about the HealthRev Partners and nVoq partnership?

    15 min
  4. Culture Worth Staying For: Inside Capitol Health's Employee Retention Strategy

    12/12/2025

    Culture Worth Staying For: Inside Capitol Health's Employee Retention Strategy

    In this episode of Home Health Revealed, host Hannah Vale and co-host Ethan Schwarzbach from FlyChain are joined by Kara Cox from Capitol Home Health for one of the most eye-opening conversations of the year.  Kara shares a retention strategy almost no one in home health is talking about: quarterly employee bonuses. Yes, bonuses! In addition to celebrations and personal recognition, employees see the results of the overall agency success in a real way.  And the results?  Higher retention, stronger morale, and a company culture people don't want to leave.  We dive in to the measurable impact on employee satisfaction and retention, the role that recognition plays in sustaining culture, and have a financial weigh-in from Ethan on how the bottom line is impacted when employees stay.  Did you know that the FlyChain and HealthRev partnership are helping agencies achieve better financial health with their Advanced Funding Program? Learn more here: https://healthrevpartners.com/resource-center/advanced-funding/  Check out HealthRev's Resource Center to learn more about how Coding and Billing services backed with technology are preparing agencies for a better financial future.

    7 min
  5. Building a Texas Hospice: The Power of the Pivot with Lindsay William

    12/09/2025

    Building a Texas Hospice: The Power of the Pivot with Lindsay William

    In this episode of Home Health Revealed, hosts Hannah Vale and Joe Russell sit down with Lindsay Williams, founder of Four Pillars Hospice in Texas, for a truly powerful conversation on what it truly takes to open and grow a hospice agency today.  Lindsay shares her journey launching a hospice while navigating the realities of purchasing a location, serving rural communities across long distances, and building a team capable of wearing multiple hats. From salaries clinicians who balance care delivery with outreach, to the day to day decisions that shape a new agency's identity, Lindsay pulls back the curtain on the challenges and opportunities of building something meaningful.  This episode explores "the power of the pivot" when regulations, geography and resources don't align, how innovative staffing models can create stability and continuity, lessons learned from starting a hospice in rural Texas (and renting a jet to get from place to place). More than anything, this is a lesson about how flexibility, grit, and mission-driven leadership shape success.  Chapters (00:00:02) - Home Health Revealed(00:00:32) - An Ohioan on the Issues(00:01:16) - Startup Four Pillars Hospice(00:04:00) - Hospice Care for Rural Communities(00:06:03) - Hospice: Utilizing the Community(00:07:15) - Hospice Care as a Rural Provider(00:12:48) - How Hospice Care is Collaborating(00:13:22) - Hospice CEO on Next Step(00:14:51) - Wonders of the World interview

    15 min

  6. 12/03/2025

    Home Health Revealed Episode 100: Conversations That Changed the Game

    Join us for a milestone celebration of Home Health Revealed by HealthRev Partners—our 100th episode! Reflect on four transformative years in home health: nationwide HHVBP rollout since 2022, PDGM-driven reimbursement cuts, climbing aide turnover near 35%, and the shift to value-based care and Medicare Advantage. We've covered it all—from staffing crises to AI tools and CMS final rules. Whether you're tackling AR aging, clinician burnout, or payer mix shifts, this retrospective delivers actionable takeaways from 100 episodes of industry truth. A HUGE thank you to our guests, our listeners, and our partners. Here's to the next 100 episodes! Chapters (00:00:02) - Home Health Revealed: Turning 100 Episodes(00:01:19) - A Thanksgiving Special: Thank You(00:03:24) - Home Health Care: The Last Four Years(00:05:48) - Home Health Revealed: A 100-Episode Podcast(00:10:44) - Home Health Revealed: The Next 100 Episodes

    13 min
  7. The 2026 Home Health Final Rule: What It Really Means for Your Agency

    11/30/2025

    The 2026 Home Health Final Rule: What It Really Means for Your Agency

    Explore the essential updates from the official CMS Fact Sheet on the 2026 Home Health Final Rule in this episode of Home Health Revealed, hosted by Hannah Vale. This episode breaks down what the CMS rule means for home health agencies, covering payment changes, compliance updates, and care quality adjustments. Key highlights include: A 2.4% market payment update, offset by adjustments, resulting in an overall 1.3% reduction in Medicare payments to home health agencies. Recalibrated PDGM case-mix weights and updated LUPA thresholds, changing how agencies need to plan visits and document care. Important changes to the Home Health Quality Reporting Program (QRP), including removal of the COVID-19 vaccination measure, as well as updates to OASIS data elements. The launch of a revised Home Health CAHPS survey, new value-based purchasing measures, and changes in quality measure weightings. New compliance provisions and revised provider enrollment rules designed to ensure program integrity and fight fraud. Whether you’re an agency leader, clinician, or RCM professional, this episode provides everything you need to know direct from CMS guidance to keep your agency compliant, competitive, and prepared for 2026. Don’t miss Hannah’s expert take and practical tips for navigating the year’s most important regulatory updates. Like, share, and subscribe for more insights on home health policy, revenue cycle optimization, and industry trends. #HomeHealthRevealed #CMSFinalRule #HomeHealth2026 Chapters (00:00:02) - Home Health Revealed(00:00:36) - CMS Final Rules for Home Health Services (2026)(00:03:28) - CMS Final Rule 1, Home Health Payment Rates(00:05:47) - CMS Rule 6, Home Health Quality Reporting Program (HHQ(00:12:36) - CMS Final Rule 2026 for DME POS

    19 min
  8. Quality in Home Health: Bridging Care & Compliance, featuring Nina Del Grande, Addus

    11/25/2025

    Quality in Home Health: Bridging Care & Compliance, featuring Nina Del Grande, Addus

    In this episode, we welcome Nina Del Grande, Director of Quality- Home Health at Addus HomeCare, for an insightful discussion on why quality is the hearbeat of home health.  Nina brings her deep passion for quality to this conversation, showing how it influences everything from star ratings to documentation to the level of care delivered. Together, we dive into the important connection between the actual patient and the "paper patient", providing exceptional patient-facing care while maintaining compliance, how targeted education can strengthen both clinical outcomes and documentation, the impact of of quality on reimbursement, reputation, and clinician confidence, and practical strategies for leaders and clinicians to align care delivery with documentation requirements.  Chapters (00:00:02) - Home Health Revealed(00:00:36) - How Quality Drives Everything at Addis Home Care(00:05:41) - President Trump on the culture of the NBA(00:05:58) - Democracy in the Elevator

    6 min
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4.4
out of 5
39 Ratings

About

Home Health Revealed brings you real stories from real industry leaders about all things related to home health, palliative, and hospice care. From staffing to technology, agency start-ups to scaling and growing an agency. It's the patients that deserve the best care and we want to help our listeners get there.

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