By Kathleen Ganster

There may be no other career field where the care and understanding of employees is as important as it is in the health care field. These are the people who are taking direct care of loved ones and family members and what job could possibly be more important than that? So helping health care workers know what is happening in the overall industry and helping them do their jobs as best as they can is imperative. 

Celtic Healthcare knows and understands the importance of this role. And with ever-changing health care policies and regulations, keeping employees abreast of these changes and knowing that they are satisfied can be a challenge. 

“With health care changes happening at such a rapid pace, we feel this focus is even more important – we want our team to know what is happening, but also take the temperature of what they feel about the changes and how to implement them,” said Bill Gammie, Vice President of Value Based Care at Celtic Healthcare.

[Read more…]

Bill Gammie

By Kathleen Ganster

Keeping the quality in patient care while working with less funding seems to be an overriding theme in health care these days, which makes collaborative efforts between health care providers more important than ever. 

The Affordable Care Act has changed many aspects of healthcare and payment for services is one of those major changes.

“There are numerous payment models that have been put into effect and the changes certainly provide challenges for health care providers. One thing I think most of us in heath care agree upon is that there is a better way to pay for health care,” Bill Gammie, Vice President of Value Based Care at Celtic Healthcare said. 

The traditional payment models in healthcare have shifted to value based models, Gammie explained.  A driving force behind the changes is the financial burden that Medicare has placed on the country. So like it or not, the changes are here to stay. 

[Read more…]

By Kathleen Ganster

Everyone is well aware that April 15^th is Income Tax Day. But did you know that April 16^th is National Healthcare Decision Day?

This year marks the 7^th National Healthcare Decision Day created to bring awareness to the importance of advanced care planning. While the national campaign focuses on the process on April 16^th, advanced care planning is something that Celtic Healthcare does every day through their Journey Program and Journey Counselors. 

“This day highlights the need to take action to make proactive choices for advanced health care or end-of-life healthcare, which is great to bring it to everyone’s attention, but it is important no matter what the day,” said Bill Gammie, Vice President of Value Based Care at Celtic. 

Making those important decisions while not under extreme stress or pressures is obviously the ideal situation for making such important plans. 

[Read more…]

Celtic Healthcare is pleased to announce the acquisition of VNA-TIP Healthcare of Bridgeton, MO, which will expand its home health and hospice service areas from Pennsylvania and Maryland to the Missouri and Illinois region.

VNA-TIP Healthcare, a HomeCare Elite agency, boasts a rich history dating back to the 1917 founding of the VNA of Alton/Wood River Illinois. The agency has grown with the acquisitions of the Visiting Nurse Association of Illinois in 1999, TIP Home Health Services in 2001, and many smaller home health and hospice agencies. 

Gary Liebscher, former President of VNA-TIP Healthcare, grew his Alton-based home health care agency into one of the largest agencies of its kind in the Midwest. VNA-TIP Healthcare utilizes a unique centralized intake department to navigate referrals to over 30 home care and hospice branches in over 50 counties in the bi-state Missouri and Illinois area.

[Read more…]

Celtic Healthcare is pleased to announce the acquisition of VNA-TIP Healthcare of Bridgeton, MO, which will expand its home health and hospice service areas from Pennsylvania and Maryland to the Missouri and Illinois region.

VNA-TIP Healthcare, a HomeCare Elite agency, boasts a rich history dating back to the 1917 founding of the VNA of Alton/Wood River Illinois. The agency has grown with the acquisitions of the Visiting Nurse Association of Illinois in 1999, TIP Home Health Services in 2001, and many smaller home health and hospice agencies.

Gary Liebscher, former President of VNA-TIP Healthcare, grew his Alton-based home health care agency into one of the largest agencies of its kind in the Midwest. VNA-TIP Healthcare utilizes a unique centralized intake department to navigate referrals to over 30 home care and hospice branches in over 50 counties in the bi-state Missouri and Illinois area.
[Read more…]

By Kathleen Ganster

Caring for patients, writing reports, researching cases….there isn’t enough time in a physician’s day to take care of every task.

That is why a partnership with Celtic Healthcare might make sense for many doctors.

“We provide the continuum of care in the standard that our patients have come to expect from their physicians. We can be a valuable resource for physicians,” said Kim Kranz, vice president of hospice.

Celtic Healthcare offers home healthcare and hospice care for patients in post-acute and chronic health stages, working in a team with the patients’ physicians. Teamwork is something that Celtic stresses.

“It is a team effort to keep someone’s loved one in their home, no matter what stage of their life. And of course, the physician is an important part of that team,” said Kranz.
[Read more…]