It's springtime! In just a few short days, we will be exhibiting and presenting at NHPCO's 25th Management and Leadership Conference. We have anticipated spending time with you in Washington, DC, just as eagerly as we have looked forward to spring.

Transcend will be presenting at two sessions which offer very timely and practical information as you market your hospices. "Effective Marketing to Physicians to Overcome Barriers to Referrals" will be presented on Friday, April 23 at 3:15 p.m. This 90-minute, interactive workshop will be presented by our president, Martha Vetter, and Dr. David Fisher, a Chicago board-certified geriatrician and palliative care physician. On Saturday, April 24 at 11:45 a.m., Transcend's Stan Massey and Kristin Jordan will present "Using Marketing Outreach to Overcome Reimbursement Cuts & Improve Your Bottom Line." Plus we'll be at booth #604, so please stop by. We'll be conducting a mini-survey and one lucky participant will win a mini-laptop computer. If you are unable to attend, please complete the online survey by April 30.

For those of you who are not able to attend the sessions, we'll be dedicating the next several issues of Transcendent to bringing you the highlights of the talks and survey.

Selling is exactly what has to happen to overcome fears, time constraints and lack of awareness many physicians have about hospice. Selling may not be a word hospices like to use for their liaison or provider relations programs, but it is accurate. The dictionary defines selling as: "to persuade or induce someone; to cause to be accepted; and to win acceptance, approval or adoption." Isn't that exactly what hospices need to do? MORE >>

Do you know who your underserved markets are by cause of death?

Through various research techniques, hospices can determine the number of patients, by disease type, who are dying in their community and the number not served by hospice. This is the first step in understanding which patients and doctors show the most promise for referrals.

For more information, contact Kristin Jordan, Director, Research & Strategy

As a marketing director or administrator at your hospice, you know that the government is talking about further reducing Medicare costs in order to make sure everyone has access to health care. With a $2 billion Budget Neutrality Adjustment Factor (BNAF) in place already, cuts are certain for the next seven years. You're wondering how your hospice will survive or thrive if your Medicare reimbursements are further cut. MORE >>