The merger of the Nationwide Affiliation for House Care & Hospice (NAHC) and the Nationwide Hospice and Palliative Care Group (NHPCO) took one other step ahead this week as the 2 associations introduced the creation of a transition board that can usher in a mixed group.

The brand new board will oversee the transition to a brand new, consolidated group if and when the merger is accomplished. The merger is predicted to be accomplished in 2024.

The transition council consists of 20 members with all kinds of expertise in dwelling care and post-acute care.

“Throughout the continuum of look after critical sickness, suppliers wish to the long run to make sure we are able to proceed to supply high-quality, patient-centered care whilst affected person wants and cost fashions change,” mentioned Melinda Gruber, proposed vice chair of the transition board , mentioned an announcement. “The affiliation that represents suppliers must also be forward-looking. This proposed transition board is the appropriate group of individuals on the proper time to take NHPCO and NAHC into the long run and proceed to supply worth to our present and future members.”

Melinda Gruber is vice chairman of Corewell Well being.

In October, NAHC President William A. Dombi introduced that his group and NHPCO deliberate to merge. The plan got here with what Dombi described as an “aggressive timeline,” hoping to have the merger accomplished by 2024.

From now till the potential merger, NAHC and NHPCO will function enterprise as regular and function as two separate entities. If the merger is accomplished, the 2 will combine their companies collectively and work on a mixed technique to be applied earlier than 2025.

As for Dombi's future on the affiliation, it’s anticipated that he’ll stay on board till 2024 to climate the doable merger. After that, it's nonetheless up within the air.

“The intention is for me to remain right here till 2024,” Dombi advised HHCN in October. “With the expectation that, assuming we meet someday mid-year, I will probably be there within the position of the brand new group as president emeritus. One thing like that.”

The organizations have moved ahead below the management of a steering committee composed of members from each NAHC and NHPCO, with help from the consulting agency McKinley Advisors.

“This proposed transition board consists of seasoned veterans from the house well being care neighborhood who possess the imaginative and prescient to grasp each the chance and the duty to construct an excellent stronger future for our sectors of the American well being care system,” mentioned the NAHC board chairman. Ken Albert mentioned in an announcement. “Fulfilling our promise to return the House to the middle of American healthcare would require a brand new group with the intensive experience of each NAHC and NHPCO. I’m assured that this gifted group of leaders is prepared for the challenges forward, and that our collective focus will proceed to be on the wants of our members as they search to fulfill the calls for of offering high quality well being care. ”

Albert is at the moment CEO of Androscoggin House Care + Hospice and Chairman of NAHC.

Proposed members of the transition council embody:

• Ken Albert, CEO, Androscoggin House Healthcare + Hospice (Chairman of Transition Board)
• David Causby, CEO of Gentiva
• Trisha Crissman, interim president and CEO, CommonSpirit Well being at House
• Melinda Gruber, Vice President, Corewell Well being (Vice Chair, Transition Board)
• Demetress Harrell, CEO, Hospice within the Pines
• Susan D. Lloyd, president and CEO, Delaware Hospice, Inc.
• Tarrah Lowry, COO, Trustbridge / Empath Well being
• Christine McMichael, government director of the Hospice & Palliative Care Federation of Massachusetts
• Mark Morse, CEO of Enclara Pharmacia
• Mary Myers, retired president of Johns Hopkins House Care Group
• John Olajide, CEO of Axxess,
• Bob Parker, Medical Director of Kindful Well being
• Susan Ponder-Stansel, CEO Alivia Care, Inc.
• Sara Ratcliffe, Govt Director, Illinois HomeCare & Hospice Council
• Lynne Sexten, CEO Agrace Hospice and Palliative Care (secretary of the transition board)
• William Simione, CEO SimiTree, (treasurer of transition board)
• Jennifer Sheets, NAHC Board Member, Former CEO, Interim Healthcare, Caring Manufacturers Worldwide
• Beth Slepian, president and CEO of Granite VNA
• Dave Totaro, Chief Authorities Affairs Officer, BAYADA House Well being Care
• Nick Westfall, CEO of VITAS Healthcare