Areas of Practice
Hospice Strategic Planning
We can guide your organization through the entire strategic planning process, from the development of mission and vision statements to completing an operational plan. We have extensive experience working to build consensus for the planning process at all levels, from board members to management and staff. Our strategic planning assistance has served many hospices, state associations and community based non-profit organizations over the years.
Palliative Care Startups
Wondering where to start with establishing a new palliative care service in your community? Schramm Consulting can help with everything you need, from Medicare enrollment, to budgeting and staffing plans, to market analysis to help you plan your service design.
Organizational Assessment & Executive Mentoring
Our team's decades of experience in managing and advising hospices gives us unique insight into the problems of hospice executives. We can work with your leadership team to help in re-organizing and team-building efforts to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of your hospice. For investors acquiring new assets, we have helped evaluate existing management teams with constructive advice for managing hospice platforms going forward.
Hospice Investor Analysis and support
Because of our deep expertise in hospice reimbursement and regulation, we frequently advise investors, financial analysts and healthcare providers in other parts of the healthcare continuum on prospects for the hospice industry looking forward. Our analysis has been used to help investors understand hospice reimbursement and growth prospects and has also provided direction for future business development for new ownership.
Hospice Facility Planning and Right-Sizing
The changed environment for compliance oversight of general inpatient level care has had a chilling effect on the use of hospice facilities. Our clients rely on Schramm Consulting for frank and realistic advice about whether a market can sustain a hospice facility, and how best to utilize existing beds that struggle with low occupancy. Since 2017 our firm has conducted numerous “right sizing” studies of existing inpatient facilities, and provided consultation helping providers adjust staffing and bed capacity to new market realities while keeping in mind the prominence such facilities often have within local communities as tangible symbols of service.
Hospice Affiliations, Mergers & Acquisitions
As consolidation continues to affect hospice and palliative providers, we have advised clients on potential hospice acquisitions and supported the due diligence process in several recent combinations. For nonprofits, Schramm Consulting has supported multiple new affiliations and horizontal integrations. Hospital-to-hospice, hospice-to-hospice and even nursing home-to-hospice are all deals we’ve supported.
Market Analysis & Operational Planning
Our analysis skills include hospice and palliative market analysis, feasibility analysis and facility right-sizing and planning. In addition to helping clients to identify market opportunities, we can facilitate internal operational planning processes. We can help guide a plan that engages middle management and sets measurable goals for achievement with realistic timelines and reporting procedures.
Certificate of Need For Hospice
Our firm has deep expertise in state-level hospice regulations including Certificate of Need and hospice facility regulations. We’ve guided clients through the process of CON approval for new facilities and new markets, and have advised multiple state hospice associations on CON and other regulations affecting hospice and palliative care. We have particular expertise in the CON process for Maryland and Florida.
Palliative Care Pricing and Contracting
For palliative providers wondering what contracting opportunities they may have beyond billing Medicare Part B, the Schramm Consulting team has experience in pricing and structuring community-based palliative care under per-member-per-month and fee-based contracts. Our team members have advised multiple providers on structuring effective partnerships with payer organizations.