NHIA: 'Where the best learning happens'

ORLANDO, Fla. - Hang on infusion providers. It's going to be a bumpy ride. Fortunately, the National Home Infusion Association's (NHIA) annual conference aims to help you thrive, say association execs.

“We certainly feel that with some of the challenges that have come up over the previous year in our part of the healthcare arena that it has been turbulent,” said Steve Jurich, senior vice president and COO of NHIA. “Our members have to be creative and try to rise above and further expand their ability to provide that care.”

That attitude is reflected in the theme of this year's conference: “Thriving Amid the Turbulent Ride.” The event takes place March 31-April 3 in Orlando, Fla., and features an executive pre-conference, an exhibit hall with nearly 100 exhibitors and a broad slate of educational programming.

The challenges that Jurich refers to include the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA); the passage of compounding legislation; and cuts to reimbursement.

“I think the challenge with an evolving healthcare delivery marketplace is not only staying current from a regulatory perspective, but also some of the fundamental core elements for providing service and enhancing your service delivery model in the midst of all that,” said Nancy Kramer, vice president of clinical affairs. “In our executive preconference, we are addressing the care coordination elements of the ACA, and some of the enhanced reimbursement-related quality measures that we are seeing across the healthcare continuum.”

One popular aspect of the conference is its networking opportunities. The association has a fun event planned at Universal Orlando and is also bringing back its popular roundtables, said Jurich.

“There's something there for everybody regardless of your role on the team,” he said.  “The nature of the dialogue (during the roundtables) is highly educational, but it's so frank and down to earth. That's where some of the best learning actually happens.”