2026 HHAC Annual Conference

Christine Merriman, Private Duty Nursing
Dr. Paul Hutchings, Long Term Home Health and Therapies
Amanda Smith, IHSS and Personal Care/Homemaker

This presentation provides a practical, regulation-based review of the most common survey questions and compliance challenges faced by Colorado home care agencies. Using real-world scenarios, it walks participants through key regulatory interpretations related to QMAP use, IHSS oversight, Start of Care requirements, documentation expectations, and telehealth limitations. The session also addresses complex operational issues, including shared location compliance, Geographic Service Area (GSA) expansions, and coordination when multiple agencies serve the same client.Attendees will learn how surveyors evaluate operational separation, clinical oversight, staff credentials, and provider communication—and how deficiencies are developed when these elements break down. The session concludes with guidance on handling mistreatment allegations, understanding background check requirements, and strengthening documentation to avoid common citation pathways.The presentation closes with an interactive “Ask a Surveyor” segment, allowing participants to apply regulatory principles to agency-specific situations and clarify compliance expectations directly.

This session delivers a zero-cost formula for driving accelerated growth in community-based healthcare agencies. It diagnoses critical roadblocks (leadership, talent, culture, planning) and reveals a winning formula focused on lead measure utilization. The strategy leverages unique agency differentiators, shifts focus to reach/frequency/messaging for quality sales calls, and integrates clear accountability systems. The presentation concludes by providing a blueprint to overcome the root cause of underperformance: messaging.