Why Interim Management For Home Health Or Hospice? It May Be The Answer You Have Been Waiting For!
Kenyon HomeCare Consulting • March 3, 2021
We get numerous calls a year for interim management services. Some have experienced a sudden departure of an executive. Others are in the process of altering their executive team and are preparing to bridge the inevitable gap of leadership the vacancy will leave. Regardless of the reason for the vacancy, these agencies realize the lack of a leader, even a temporary one, can leave the home health or hospice agency vulnerable to internal and external breakdown. These are the agencies that have assessed themselves and realize that they are at risk.
Unfortunately, many home health or hospice agencies wait until the leadership position has been vacant for a period of time and the disintegration has begun. Only when they see the revenues falling and the referrals dropping off do they begin to think of hiring a temporary leader. Many that I have talked to felt they could replace the position within a couple of months but six months later, it hasn’t happened. This prompts the call to a firm offering interim executive management services.
Ready For An Interim, What Do I Need To Know?
When engaging a firm to provide interim management there are several things you should remember;
1. The cost of the interim manager will probably be an additional 30 to 40% of your current salary plus any out of pocket expenses which could include rent, auto, gasoline, airfare, and food.
2. There should be a comprehensive organizational assessment prior to the interim manager starting services. (Without the assessment, the interim staff will take much longer to get on board and be able to turn the home health or hospice back in the right direction). This is an additional cost above and beyond the monthly expense for the interim manager.
3. Allow at least six months for the interim staff person to be able to show corrections resulting in increased referrals and revenues.
Why Do You Need The Organizational Assessment?
The next questions are why so much and why so long? We only need someone for a couple of months and can’t afford that much. Why do we have to have the assessment?
First, an assessment not only identifies priority areas for the interim manager to work on, it gives the company an opportunity to have unbiased eyes on your operations. This gives you a picture you rarely see. If the assessment is comprehensive, then it should uncover issues and problems that have not been identified by either the management or the staff. In some circumstances, it is the key to determining why you are having compliance or financial issues. Secondly, fresh eyes of a seasoned executive brings potential for a myriad of different solutions. This allows the home health or hospice agency to experience new perspective. It provides the tools and processes to carry the home health or hospice agency successfully into the future.
Let Kenyon Homecare Consulting Help:
If you find that your home health or hospice agency has a vacancy in a key leadership position and need to fill the position with a temporary executive, let us help. Kenyon HomeCare Consulting is your answer. Call us at or at 206-721-5091 or contact us online for a free consultation about your needs.
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