This month, we encourage you to attend special technology sessions at the LeadingAge Annual Meeting & EXPO, coming up Oct. 29-Nov. 1, and introduce the new CAST Social Connectedness and Engagement Technology Selection Tool.
To help you prepare for Requirements of Participation (RoP) Phase 2, we’ve shared a Nov. 28 webinar.
In policy news, CAST participated in a Telehealth Expo on Capitol Hill last month, ONC has relaxed certification requirements for health IT, and the Senate passed a bill to expand the use of telehealth.
We also tell you about the rise of companion robots and self-driving taxis in senior living, and how to tell if new blockchain technology can help you.
Dive into Technology at Annual Meeting, Oct. 29-Nov. 1
Please join us for the LeadingAge Annual Meeting & EXPO in New Orleans Oct. 29 to Nov. 1. Check out the detailed technology learnings CAST has in store for you in the Technology Deep Dive and Technology Track sessions.
Lead a Session Next Year
Then plan ahead for next year! Propose a session idea for the 2018 LeadingAge Annual Meeting, to be held Oct. 28-31, 2018, in Philadelphia.
We are seeking original, thought-provoking proposals that enable LeadingAge members to hear about creative approaches, new ideas, innovative models, and emerging trends. We’ll also explore the pressing issues facing aging services providers across the continuum of care. Submit your proposal by Dec. 1, 2017.
CAST News
New Social Connectedness and Engagement Technology Selection Tool: Choosing technology to help older adults connect with others? LeadingAge CAST has released a new Social Connectedness and Engagement Technology Selection Tool to help you plan for, select, and implement the best solution for your organization.
This tool is the latest in the series of LeadingAge CAST Technology Selection Tools. Each portfolio includes a white paper, interactive guide, selection matrix, online selection tool, and provider case studies.
Learn more about this new tool by attending our session on this topic, or drop by the CAST booth, #2109.
CAST Highlighted on Capitol Hill: CAST participated in a Telehealth Expo in the United States Senate on Sept. 27, 2017. At the Expo, CAST highlighted its work in telehealth and explained its vision to Senators, Congressional staff, and industry leaders.
It was a great opportunity to share our technology policy priorities, which aim to remove barriers and broaden the access, use, and benefits of telehealth. Barriers include affordable broadband Internet access, especially to rural home health providers, and restrictions on telehealth and telemedicine reimbursements in urban and rural areas alike.
CAST Member News
This month in member news, iN2L releases new cutting-edge tablets, and Front Porch is an early adopter. Lyft Mobility Solutions conducts transportation pilots, LG CNS Healthcare Solutions shares products with post-acute care and senior housing markets, and the Georgia Institute of Technology receives kudos for their smart home technology.
Requirements of Participation (RoP) Phase 2 Webinar: Nov. 28
Don’t forget that you must implement the regulations included in the Phase 2 Requirements of Participation by Nov. 28, 2017. A webinar by PointClickCare, a LeadingAge Gold Partner with CAST Focus, and Pathway Health, a CAST Business Associate, will help ensure you and your team are ready.
Requirements of Participation (RoP): Meeting Phase 2 Requirements will be held Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2017, at 2 p.m. ET.
Sue LaGrange, Director of Education at Pathway Health, will present. The webinar will provide highlights of the updated long-term care RoP and strategies to help you comply in infection control, antibiotic stewardship, and behavior management/dementia.
Policy
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) has relaxed certification requirements for health IT. Now, providers can self-declare their products meet functionality-based criteria, and random audit requirements are on hold. The changes, says ONC, will let health IT developers and ONC focus on interoperability criteria and will let ONC spend more time certifying products.
On Sept. 26, 2017, the Senate unanimously passed the CHRONIC Care Act, which expands the use of telehealth by Medicare Advantage enrollees, accountable care organizations, and people with stroke. The bill will make changes in Medicare payment policies to achieve these goals.
Trends
Companion robots are becoming popular in senior living, with older adults eager to try out this new technology. In California, a retirement community has rolled out self-driving taxis to ferry its residents around the property. We tell you more about these initiatives.
In addition, nearly 60% of the world’s largest companies are now researching blockchain technology as a way to improve their data’s security. We share a new interactive tool to help you decide if a blockchain is good for you.
For a deeper discussion, register for the CAST Technology Deep Dive workshop to be presented Oct. 29 at the LeadingAge Annual Meeting & EXPO in New Orleans, LA. Susheel Ladwa, industry leader of Life Sciences, IBM Cloud Application Services, and co-chair of the AHIP IT Advisory Group, will discuss several 21st-century technologies that will empower businesses over the next few years. He also will share his insights on blockchain technology and its role in healthcare, including electronic health records and health information exchange.
Please Contact Me
If you have news to share with CAST or if I can be of assistance in any way, please don’t hesitate to contact me.