Our guide to hot-topic sessions, keynotes, and networking opportunities at RISE West, a hybrid event that will take place August 30-Sept. 2.
We are counting down the days to RISE West 2021! We’ve compiled everything you need to know to make the most of the four-day hybrid event that begins August 30, whether you will be attending in-person at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs or virtually from the comfort of your home or office. Still need to register? It’s not too late! Click here to register for either option.
If you’ve attended RISE West in the past, then you know you’re in for a dynamic learning and rewarding experience. Here’s a look at what’s in store for you at this year’s event (all activities are available to both in-person and virtual attendees unless otherwise noted):
Preconference workshops
Preconference learning sessions will be offered to both virtual and in-person attendees.
Two virtual preconference workshops will take place on Monday, August 30. Workshop A will focus on advanced HCC coding and documentation. Workshop B is an advanced class for risk adjustment professionals.
Two afternoon workshops will be offered to in-person attendees on Tuesday, August 31. The classes will focus on member engagement and provider engagement/education.
World-class keynote speakers
A world-renowned expert on change, a former chief medical officer of the U.S. Medicaid program, and an internationally recognized performance psychologist will present keynotes during the two days of the main conference beginning Wednesday, Sept. 1.
Up first is Jim Loehr, Ed.D., co-founder of Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute, who will focus on the single most important factor in successful achievement, personal fulfilment, and life satisfaction, with takeaways on how you too can learn these characteristics. He will kick off the conference at 9 a.m. MT/11 a.m. EST, Wednesday, Sept. 1. His insights are based on his 30-plus years of propriety research and training of the world’s best athletes and elite performers, including Olympic gold medalists, military Special Forces, hostage rescue teams, surgeons, and Fortune 500 CEOs to achieve sustained high performance.
Dr. Jonah Berger, an expert on change, word of mouth, influence, and consumer behavior, will open the second day of the conference at 9 a.m. MT/11 a.m. EST, Thursday, Sept. 2, with a presentation that focuses on how to change anyone’s mind, with specific examples to payer, provider, and member relationships. A marketing professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Berger teaches Wharton’s highest rated online course. He is also the internal bestselling author of Contagious, Invisible Influence, and The Catalyst.
Dr. Andrey Ostrovsky, managing partner of Social Innovation Ventures and the former chief medical officer of the U.S. Medicaid program, will be the final keynote at 3 p.m. MT/5 p.m. EST., Thursday, Sept. 2. He will review the current and future state of investment in the managed care and digital health care sector. Dr. Ostrovsky will answer questions on future investments, potential growth areas, the Medicare Advantage sector, and what investors are looking for in their portfolios.
Hot-topic sessions
The jam-packed agenda includes more than 30 sessions and 50 speakers. Be sure to review each day’s schedule to make sure you catch the scheduled panel discussions and presentations on the latest regulatory information regarding risk adjustment, Star Ratings, trends in audit and compliance issues, and legal actions in Medicare fraud and RADV audit mistakes.
We’ve previously highlighted five hot topics on the agenda, including sessions on provider engagement, telehealth/virtual primary care, and social determinants of health. You can read about them here. We’re also excited to bring back our popular session featuring a panel of Medicare and Medicare Advantage customers. Kathleen Ellmore, managing director of Engagys, will moderate the session (10:05 a.m. MT/12:05 p.m. EST Thursday, Sept. 2) asking the panel questions about their experience, access to care, and how health plans can improve their services.
Bonus on-demand access: Don’t worry if you miss a session during the live conference. All attendees will have access to the on-demand library of all sessions at the conclusion of the event.
Continuing education credits
Both in-person and virtual attendees can qualify for CEU credits (virtual attendees will need to click the alertness checks on the digital platform throughout the sessions). Click here for details about which sessions have been approved for American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), The Compliance Certification Board (CCB), and the AAPC.
Networking opportunities
More than 450 people will be attending the conference live at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs or virtually so take advantage of our networking breaks in between sessions and scheduled breaks to connect with seasoned professionals in risk adjustment, marketing and communications, operations, data and analytics, and health services.
You’ll have the opportunity to network with senior executives from health plans and provider groups (76 percent of registered attendees identify as C-suite/senior level and 65 percent are from health plans and provider groups).
Networking sessions for both virtual and in-person attendees:
Morning networking breaks will take place 7:45 to 8:45 a.m. MT /9:45 to 10:45 a.m. EST. Wednesday, Sept. 1 and Thursday, Sept. 2. An evening networking reception will take place at the end of the first day of the main event 6 to 7 p.m. MT/8 to 9 p.m. EST.
Virtual attendees will be able to network in the virtual networking lobby. The digital platform allows virtual attendees to turn on their cameras and chat with small groups of up to eight people, visit one-on-one at a private table, or hop from table to table to meet with others.
In-person attendees will be able to network in socially distanced reception areas, compliant with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), state, and venue guidelines.
In-person only networking events will take place:
- 4 to 5:30 p.m. MT, Tuesday, August 31 – opening happy hour at The Broadmoor
- 12:50 to 1:55 p.m. MT, Wednesday, September 1 – lunch/networking break and interactive roundtables (Tables A-J)
- 6 to 7 p.m. MT, Wednesday, September 1 - Whiskey/Bourbon taste testing in the Exhibit Hall (sponsored by Convey Health Solutions)
- 7:45 to 8:45 a.m. MT, Thursday, Sept. 2 – interactive roundtables (Tables K-R)
More about the Whiskey/Bourbon taste testing
Join Convey Health Solutions for a one-hour whiskey tasting during the Wednesday evening cocktail hour in the exhibit hall beginning at 6 p.m. MT. The event will feature 291 Distillery, including:
- 291 Colorado Barrel Proof Single Barrel Whiskey
- 291 Colorado Barrel Proof Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey
- 291 Colorado Small Batch Rye Whiskey
- 291 Colorado Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey
A distillery expert will be on hand to talk about the different whiskeys and answer any questions attendees may have, such as what’s the difference between a Bourbon Whiskey and a Rye Whiskey?
More about the roundtables
Roundtables are 20-minute speed-networking presentations, which allow in-person attendees to attend several discussions per session. Fun fact: Those who attend multiple roundtables will be eligible for a raffle ticket for a $250 gift card. There will be prize drawings on Wednesday and Thursday.
Roundtable topics and sponsors include:
- The top five “hacks” for data quality optimization for commercial and government health plans (Table A, Centauri)
- Maximize your risk adjustment data for provider education (Table B, GeBBS Healthcare Solutions)
- Expanded in-home lab capabilities supporting gap closure and improved patient outcomes (Table C, Matrix Medical Network)
- Payer/provider collaboration for prospective gap closure (Table D, Talix)
- Leveraging technology to optimize provider engagement (Table E, Biomedix)
- Capturing additive value through tech-enabled reprocessing and risk adjustment coding (Table F, Change Healthcare)
- Driving membership and improving outcomes through your OTC benefit (Table I, NationsBenefits)
- Closing care gaps and improving access for quality improvement by leveraging a referable moment (Table J, ReferWell)
- Accelerating member SDoH strategies, program development and ROI (Table Q, TransUnion Healthcare)
- Improve health outcomes and address SDoH with fresh grocery delivery (Table L, FarmboxRx)
- Top tips for digitally engaging, not enraging your members (Table M, HealthCrowd)
- Is it time to change your approach to fall prevention? (Table O, Nymbl)
- Increasing member engagement to close care gaps. (Table R, InComm Healthcare)
Visit with exhibitors
Check out new ideas, products, and services at our on-site and virtual exhibit halls.
In-person attendees will have the opportunity to shop the socially distanced exhibit hall for new solutions from dozens of leading service providers. The exhibit hall will be open from 7 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 1 and 7:45 a.m. to 4 pm MT on Thursday, Sept. 2. Visit booths, watch product demonstration, and bring along a bag to collect lots and lots of vendor swag!
Virtual attendees are encouraged to visit the virtual exhibit hall where you can make one-on-one appointments, live chat with vendors, and download product resources.
Health and safety protocols for in-person attendees
If you’re joining us in person in Colorado Springs, rest assured that the RISE team is incorporating health and safety measures based on guidance from the CDC and The Broadmoor.
We are pleased to share that our conference venue, The Broadmoor, is a Sharecare VERIFIED™ property with Forbes Travel Guide, which means the property is verified on more than 360 global health security standards including cleaning, masks, PPE, ventilation, and hygiene.
Click here to read the health and safety requirements for all individuals who attend the conference in-person. Please note that guidelines and protocols are changing frequently so please check the RISE West website for updates.
If you are not feeling well or have reason to believe you may have been exposed to COVID-19, we strongly urge you to follow the CDC guidelines for self-quarantine, not travel, and attend the conference virtually.
Final tips
To make the most out of your experience, here are some insider suggestions:
- Take time to download session resources and handouts from the digital platform. These are great takeaways to share with your colleagues who couldn’t attend.
- If you’re heading to a session of interest or enjoying a particular event, let colleagues know about it on social media. Use #RISEWest2021 to share photos, your thoughts, and continue the conversation.
- After the event, catch up on what you missed. Access to on-demand recordings will be available for 90 days after the event.
- Follow up with conference colleagues. Connect with them on LinkedIn, send them an email, or call them to schedule that meeting you talked about during the conference.
- Reconnect with our sponsors and exhibitors. Visit their websites to see all the resources they have to offer, get your questions answered, and set up a meeting.