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We have a very comprehensive and practical understanding of the reimbursement complexities of skilled nursing, sub-acute and the long-term care industry. We have extensive experience in adapting to reimbursement changes and challenges in the LTC industry. These days, the increasing regulatory pressure, and the revenue compression that LTC has experienced over the years, has taken its toll on this industry, making it ever more difficult for skilled nursing facilities to survive let alone thrive.
We have positioned numerous skilled nursing facilities for success with our full In-house management program for SNF Therapy and we continue to do so. However, we recognize that the cost of full in-house management, even though much less expensive than contracted therapy, is still prohibitive for many SNFs in the current climate of LTC.
As such, we are offering new programs; “Turn-key to In-House Therapy” and “Therapy EMR Solutions”.
To position skilled nursing facilities for financial profitability, clinical excellence, and optimal regulatory compliance. To collaborate with SNF providers for the development of customized strategies that optimize revenue and control costs of therapy operations. Ensuring that therapy is utilized appropriately in the capture of reimbursement opportunities.
Skilled nursing facilities will have the tools necessary to manage their own therapy departments with sustainable expense and full optimization of facility reimbursement/revenue. Ultimately our approach will create a more self sufficient and efficient long-term care health system benefiting both the providers and the patients they serve.
Dean Freeland and Rhonda Gaudreau have been business partners for over 12 years; they own and operate Theracore Management Group, LLC. Their partnership in collaboration with various consultants brings decades of experience and expertise in all aspects of skilled nursing care related to the clinical, financial operations and regulatory compliance. Their company’s mission is to position skilled nursing facilities and hospital based skilled nursing facilities for success by imparting practical knowledge and providing guidance and the resources necessary to compete and thrive in the long term care industry.
Rhonda is co-owner of Theracore Management Group LLC a company that specializes in the management of therapy services and consulting for long term care facilities to enhance their operational and clinical outcomes and to improve their regulatory compliance. Theracore is recognized nationally for its Medicare compliance audits and its work with long term care facilities in the appeals process for Medicare denials and probes.
Rhonda holds a Bachelor’s degree from Vassar College and a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from New York University, where she also received a Fellowship in Rehabilitation Technology. She was an adjunct faculty member for several years at New York University and Dominican College in New York.
Rhonda has over 20 years of experience in long term care, initially as a treating therapist and then as the Director of Rehabilitation in a number of facilities in the Northeast. She held the director role in nationally recognized rehabilitation hospitals, sub-acute facilities and in large 250- 500 bed skilled nursing facilities. She also served as a leader and trainer in the CQI process and survey preparedness for OBRA, JCAHO and CARF accreditations. Upon relocation to the Midwest, she served as the Director of Operations for a national rehabilitation provider, exceeding budgeted revenues of 6 million annually.
Her expertise has benefited long term care facilities in terms of optimizing clinical care, achieving regulatory compliance and exceeding budgeted financial expectations.
Dean is co-owner of Theracore Management Group LLC a company that specializes in the management of therapy services and consulting for long term care facilities to enhance their operational and clinical outcomes and to improve their regulatory compliance. Theracore is recognized nationally for its Medicare compliance audits and its work with long term care facilities in the appeals process for Medicare denials and probes.
Dean began his career as a professional baseball player, both in the minor leagues and on the major league roster with San Francisco. After nine years, he left professional sports and attended the University of Wisconsin, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Therapy.
Dean has over 10 years of experience in the field as a practicing clinician and in the management of rehabilitation departments. He has held management positions in outpatient therapy clinics and in skilled nursing facilities, including multi-state regional responsibility for a national rehabilitation provider.
His operations experience includes direct oversight of clinical operations, financial management, audit processes, survey preparedness and program development in the areas of wound care, restorative nursing and falls prevention. Dean’s last position was as the Chief Operations Officer of a therapy consulting company where he worked with numerous skilled nursing and assisted living facilities leading the startup of therapy operations.
Dean is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association.
Diann Ikeler is Senior VP of Operations for Theracore Management Group, LLC. In her role, she provides direct management of the clinical and financial operations of several skilled nursing facilities. She is also a trainer for Theracore’s billing software system and several quality improvement programs and care initiatives. Additionally, Diann performs Medicare compliance audits and works with several clients in the Medicare Denials and Appeals process.
Diann has 20 years of experience as an Occupational Therapist. She earned a Bachelor’s degree from St Ambrose University and began her career in the hospital system in acute care and inpatient rehab then joined the largest not for profit long term care provider in Wisconsin as a staff therapist. She was eventually promoted to Rehab Director by Theracore and was responsible for the supervision of 24 therapists at two continuous care campuses.
Rhonda serves as Theracore’s Regional Director for our SNF management contracts in the state of Florida. She oversees therapy departments in those facilities through regularly scheduled onsite visits, daily communication with directors of rehab, and regular reporting to facility and corporate administrators regarding therapy operations. Her focus includes analysis of therapy staffing and programming needs, training staff in skilled therapy documentation and billing, assuring efficient department operations and, above all, assuring provision of high-quality skilled therapy services.
Rhonda received an Associate’s degree from Miami University of Ohio, then went on to earn her Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Therapy from Eastern Kentucky University. She has over 30 years of experience as an OT. She began her career as a staff therapist working in a wide range of settings, including acute care, inpatient rehab, home health, and skilled nursing. Rhonda served as a Director of Rehab for an in-house therapy program and for 2 large contract therapy companies; she was promoted to the role of Area Manager for one of those companies, overseeing programs in 12 Kentucky skilled nursing facilities. She moved to Florida in 2021 and joined the Theracore team in her current role.
Brad is a Physical Therapist with more than 20 years of experience in multiple care settings. Brad has worked in outpatient, skilled nursing, and home health in both urban and rural areas. Brad has extensive experience as a staff and lead therapist, director of rehabilitation, clinical specialist, assistance director of operations, and corporate director of therapy services.
Brad has a passion for the geriatric population and working in the skilled nursing and home health settings. With the ever-changing payment environment, he has worked extensively, coordinating therapy care and discharge planning strategies to facilitate smooth care transitions from facility to home with home health and outpatient therapy services. He has worked with multiple organizations in planning and staffing these settings to provide high quality care with excellent patient outcomes.
Julia is a speech-language pathologist who has excelled in patient treatment, clinical program development, and operational management for more than 15 years. Julia has a varied background in patient treatment having worked in a number of environments including acute care hospital, neonatal intensive care, pediatric home health, adult and pediatric outpatient, and long term care. She has extensive experience working with swallowing, speech, and cognitive-language disorders affecting pediatric, adult, and elderly populations. This expertise includes certification in Vital Stim Therapy an electrical stimulation modality to improve swallowing function in children and adults. Julia is passionate about the use of clinical interventions to assist early childhood development as well as return adult and elderly patients to a level of function that allows for continued dignity and purpose with their lives.
She has achieved clinical success utilizing her received specific training in “Spaced Retrieval” as a therapeutic technique for patients with Alzheimer’s, traumatic brain injury, CVA, or other dementia related conditions to improve dignity and quality of life in ways that matter to the patient and their loved ones. Julia is certified in Montessori techniques and program development which she uses to help facilities facilitate resident independence and reduce environmental stressors.
In addition to her significant accomplishments as a clinician, Julia has served in regional and multi state roles as a director of clinical training and development of physical, occupational, and speech therapy services in long term care. She has presented nationally on interdisciplinary approaches to dementia management to increase the awareness and involvement of all practitioners in understanding the realities of residents with dementia. In 2009, Julia completed RAC-CT certification through the American Association of Nurse Assessment Coordinators (AANAC), a comprehensive training and certification for completing the Minimum Data Set (MDS). RAC- CT certification enables Julia to assist the facility and rehab departments with completion and RUGs management of the increasingly complex MDS. Finally, Julia is a co-owner of a Wisconsin based Rehabilitation Company that contracts with skilled nursing facilities throughout WI as well as operates several outpatient PT clinics and is an active member of the Wisconsin Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Association (WSHA) and the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA).