NHPCO NewsLine Winter 2021 - 5

Message from Edo
As we near the end of 2021, and I near my fifth year at CEO
of NHPCO, I continue to be astounded at your ability to lean
into caring. While our entire world has dealt with having to
adapt to constant sickness and grief, you-who do this for a
living-have shown the world how to do it with grace and
resilience. Since our early days as a grassroots movement,
changing the paradigm of care for people facing serious and
life-limiting illness, we have successfully evolved.
And yet we have been challenged ourselves. Throughout
2021 we have delt with the effects of the COVID-19
pandemic that have included workforce shortages, staff
burnout, compliance questions, supply chain challenges, and
a national grief shared by all Americans. We have also been
faced with the need to assure that our care and care teams
are delivered in an equitable and inclusive manner. However,
we have met these trials and remain undaunted in our
mission to deliver person- and family-centered,
interdisciplinary care. While challenges will continue, I know
that the year ahead will be one of hope and innovation for
us all. In fact, 2022 marks the 40th anniversary of the
legislation that created the Medicare hospice benefit -
that's something to celebrate. However, what's far more
exciting is the opportunity to innovate and evolve as we set
the direction for the next 40 years.
Over the past year, we have seen a score of successful
advocacy efforts that brought additional provider relief
funding and engagement with the Administration and
Capitol Hill. We launched the innovative Quality Connections
program and enhanced our data collection tools that include
the new Measures of Excellent and the upgraded Evaluation
of Grief Support Services. We have also updated and
enhanced our caringinfo.org site, which provides timely
consumer information about advance directives, palliative
care, and hospice. These are just a few of the representative
accomplishments of NHPCO. It must be noted, that your
involvement and support is integral to all that we are able
to accomplish, and for that I am grateful.
Best wishes for a happy, healthy, and safe holiday season.
All of us at NHPCO look forward to working with you in the
year ahead.
Edo Banach, JD,
President and CEO
http://www.caringinfo.org
NHPCO NewsLine Winter 2021

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