Dear Valued Members, Since the last issue of Insight was published, the healthcare industry has continued to face numerous challenges. For non-acute care providers, last year’s extreme weather and climate events—from hurricanes in Texas and Puerto Rico, to fires in Oregon and California—highlight the importance of having strong procedures in place to prepare for and respond to disasters. As we near the 2018 hurricane season, emergency preparedness is certainly top of mind for many of our members. This issue’s cover story offers practical advice to help guide members’ emergency planning activities. It offers invaluable advice for any healthcare professional—especially those working in the senior living industry. The threat posed by cybercrime is another challenge facing many of our members. Over the past two years, cybercrimes and IT security incidents in the U.S. have steadily increased, with no signs of slowing down. The implications are far-reaching for businesses of all sizes, but particularly for small businesses like community pharmacies. According to the Small Business Committee, 71 percent of cyberattacks occur at businesses with fewer than 100 employees. That’s a scary fact, particularly if you don’t fully understand cybercrime. If you want to know what you should be doing to address cyberattacks and safeguard your organization’s ePHI, please review the article on page 9. Healthcare providers also continue to be challenged to improve outcomes while reducing costs. Employeeinitiated spend has become one of the largest unmanaged spend categories for many organizations. Fortunately, this is one area where non-acute care providers can gain some degree of control over costs. Please see the article on page 7, which outlines four steps that can help you take charge of this important, but often-overlooked, expense category. Although our industry faces a growing number of pressures, it’s heartening to see our members recognize the need to be proactive and advocate on the policy and regulatory front. Recent legislative triumphs clearly show how this participation pays off. After a year of riding a legislative rollercoaster, home infusion providers will finally be able to bill Medicare for the essential clinical services they provide. I am beyond pleased that, partly due to the work of our Government Affairs team, payment relief for our members is finally here. Please see page 12 for an overview of our efforts on this issue and details about some of our other policy accomplishments. This issue of Insight also features an in-depth Q&A with one of Innovatix’s pharmacy experts, Liya Davydov, regarding the Innovatix IVIG Calculator—the latest addition to our suite of clinical resources. Dr. Davydov answers frequently asked questions about the new tool and Innovatix’s clinical services. Also, be sure to take advantage of the accredited continuing education article on page 17, which details guideline-directed medical therapy for the diagnosis and treatment of heart failure. Finally, I look forward to seeing you at the 2018 Innovatix + Essensa National Meeting & Expo in Chicago this October 10-12. Working with our member-based Advisory Groups, we have put together a dynamic agenda featuring education, networking, and special guest speakers. If you have never attended the meeting, I urge you to take advantage of this extremely valuable Innovatix member benefit and join us this year. Sincerely,
John P. Sganga Senior vice president Alternate site programs Premier Innovatix | innovatix.com 1