DOH Plans to Visit Providers to Listen and Learn

As we previously reported, the Department of Health’s Office for Aging and Long Term Care (OALTC) has been meeting regularly with LeadingAge NY and other associations over recent months. LeadingAge NY encouraged greater communication by the Department, including direct communication with providers after the disconnection experienced during the pandemic. We felt it important that the Department understand the day-to-day realities of our members' experiences. In the spirit of greater communication and collaboration, we are pleased to report that OALTC is scheduling on-site visits with providers. The Department wants to get out in the field to see the programs and services, and speak to leaders about their challenges, successes and recent innovations. 

We will note that the Department’s plan has evolved, from an initial goal to do a few visits over the summer to an articulated goal of seeing all nursing home, adult day health care and adult care facilities in the state by the end of 2025. They also intend to visit home care and hospice programs, but are approaching it differently given the nature of the service in the community. It is important to note that the Department’s plans may evolve further as time goes on.

The Department will schedule the visit with you in advance. The visits are not surveys, and there is no prescribed agenda. Rather, this is an opportunity for members to highlight the great work they are doing, and to show how hard they are working to recruit qualified staff.  It is also an opportunity to make suggestions for improvements in DOH oversight and survey procedures. There are many new staff in the OALTC, new to DOH and in some cases new to the service they are overseeing, so this can be an educational opportunity as well.

We are pleased that the Department is taking the time to do these visits. It has been a difficult few years for providers, and this is an opportunity to convey the challenges you face—as well as your commitment to your mission and to quality of care and quality of life for the people you serve. Please let us know if you are contacted, and if there is anything we can do to help you prepare an agenda for the visit.

Contact: Diane Darbyshire, ddarbyshire@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8828