Pay Meeting Fees Here
The August 26, 2026 educational program will be the Annual Meeting of the Council and will be in person at Stonewall Resort in Roanoke, WV. The full-day meeting will feature Keynote speaker Carrie Cooley, RN, MSN, Principal at Weatherbee Resources in the morning, and a presentation by Katherine Hill Calloway, DO, MPH in the afternoon, following lunch (provided).In the Keynote presentation, “Utilizing the new Service and Spending Variation Index (SSVI) and PEPPER Report to Mitigate Payment-Related Scrutiny Risk,” Carrie will do a deep dive into the brand-new Service and Spending Variation Index (SSVI) and Program for Evaluating Payment Patters Electronic Report (PEPPER) which are currently the best tools for hospices to review claims data over time to identify potential areas of practice and payment-related vulnerability. However, very few hospices know how to accurately review and analyze the reports to identify and self-correct any identified areas of vulnerability. Carrie Cooley, Principal of Weatherbee Resources, is the nation’s leading expert on Hospice PEPPER Reports and payment-related scrutiny; during this course, Carrie will explain how to review and analyze the new SSVI and FY2025 PEPPER and offer timely recommendations to mitigate payment-related scrutiny risks.
The keynote will begin at 10:00 a.m. and last 90 minutes. Following lunch at noon, Dr. Calloway will give a 60 minute presentation on “Non-pharmacological Comfort Care as Adjunct and Stand-alone Treatment Modalities in Hospice & Palliative Care,” which explores practical, evidence-informed non-pharmacological approaches that complement traditional symptom management and, in selected situations, serve as effective stand-alone therapies to reduce suffering and improve quality of life for patients and families. Participants will examine the role of osteopathic manipulative treatment, auricular acupuncture (NADA protocol), therapeutic touch, aromatherapy, music and art therapy, guided imagery, environmental modifications, caregiver coaching, and other integrative approaches in addressing pain, dyspnea, anxiety, nausea, agitation, and existential distress. Through patient stories, current evidence, and clinical pearls, attendees will leave with practical strategies that can be implemented immediately in home hospice, inpatient hospice, long-term care, and palliative care settings. Nurses, and social workers can receive continuing education credits for this programming (1.8 contact hours for nurses; 1.5 contact hours for social workers). To receive these credits, individuals must pre-register, attend, fill out and submit an evaluation. A limited block of rooms has been acquired at Stonewall Resort at a rate of $195 for the night of August 25th. These rooms are first come first served, and can be booked here. You can pay meeting fees at the link above or selecting the appropriate link below. Registrants should also email jhall@hospicewv.org with the names of those who will attend the meeting. Registration for this event is $50 for members which can be paid by check or here (including the PayPal fee for a total of $51.75 per person), and $75 for non-members, which can be paid here (including the PayPal fee for a total of 77.62 per person).