Hospices see improved quality and operational efficiency as their biggest return on technology investments in three key areas. But several unknowns and challenges exist in the journey to deeper technology integration.
Today’s hospice leaders need a firm understanding of the varying and rapidly changing advances in technology that can impact their business lines and ability to support patients and staff, said Bivek Pathek, chief information officer at Empath Health.
Keeping pace with the evolving technology landscape can be pivotal for hospices’ sustainability as rising demand pressurizes workforces, Pathek indicated. The Florida-based nonprofit hospice and senior care provider operates 17 affiliates including Trustbridge, Tidewell Hospice and Suncoast Hospice, among others. Understanding where and how to steer technology investments takes strategic planning and careful consideration, he said.
“Technological advances and solutions are populating as soon as the challenges and opportunities arise,” Pathek told Hospice News in an email. “Keeping eyes on the big picture and focusing on the ways to utilize these advancements will continue to drive us where we want to go as an organization. [Implementation] takes investment of time, money, resources, and pulling our clinicians out of the field for training. It’s not a decision made lightly but with thought, knowing that the [return on investment (ROI) is huge.”
3 emerging technologies
Predictive analytics, remote patient monitoring and virtual reality therapies are three emerging technologies that are becoming increasingly prevalent among hospices, according to an Axxess report shared with Hospice News. The report surveyed thousands of home health, hospice, palliative and home care professionals nationwide about their technology investments in 2025.
More than half (53%) of the survey respondents indicated a focus on technology investments in staff training and engagement tools. Dare coordination technologies were a second-leading priority among 47% of the participants. Roughly 27% of the respondents prioritized predictive analytics and patient data management, while 29% stated a focus on remote patient monitoring, telehealth and diagnostic investments.
“Technology is reshaping care at home like never before, with advancements paving the way for transformative care delivery,” the report indicated. “Among these, artificial intelligence (AI) stands out as a key opportunity to address persistent operational challenges. However, many organizations express uncertainty about effectively integrating AI into their workflows and patient care.”
The biggest ROIs of technology investments
Technology has increasingly come to the forefront as a way for hospices to increase access, improve quality, and boost staff productivity and satisfaction, among other factors.
AccentCare, Agape Care Group and St. Croix Hospice are among the providers recently investing predictive analytics to gain a wider lens of understanding into both patient needs and quality metrics.
Thus far, the technology investment has paid off in terms of improved outcomes, according to Ashley Arnold, senior vice president of quality at St. Croix Hospice. The Minnesota-headquartered hospice provider has more than 75 locations across the Midwest.
While technology advancements can come with a host of financial considerations, an important piece of weighing the costs and risks is determining whether these investments lead to better quality for patients and staff alike, Arnold stated.
“We are very pleased with how technology — in concert with caregiver judgment — has positively impacted our patient care and engagement, as well as the ability to empower staff throughout the organization to work at the top of their skill set,” Arnold told Hospice News in an email. “As we have moved into predictive modeling and advanced analytics to help augment the clinicians’ judgement, we will continue to improve patient engagement and hospice experiences for patients and families.”
Technology enhancements have become a significant part of supporting staff communication and collaboration across the interdisciplinary hospice care delivery model, Arnold indicated. Technology advancements have been at the crux of improved retention and operational efficiency.
Patient monitoring systems are also part of the overall operational picture of hospice business, Arnold said. The hospice’s Voyage Vigil Program is one example of how the provider leverages technology to help identify the most vulnerable patients in need of more intense care. Additionally, St. Croix Hospice voice-to-text technology to reduce clinical documentation time and administrative burdens.
Integration of patient data platforms has helped to make real-time information accessible across multiple disciplines, Arnold said. St. Croix Hospice’s technology utilization considerations hinge on how these investments can help drive operational efficiency, as well as how they improve compliance, patient engagement and quality, she stated.
“We have found this technology results in a double win of reducing clinician documentation time while also improving the quality of the documentation,” Arnold said. “We utilize technology to help reduce the burden of administrative tasks on caregivers, improve our caregiver’s engagement with patients, improve quality and compliance, and be more efficient with operations. It’s essential that we ensure each piece of technology meets these objectives before implementation and that we’re consistently measuring outcomes.”
Virtual reality utilization has also expanded in the hospice space, with organizations such as The Elizabeth Hospice, Emmanuel Hospice, Hospice Savannah, Hospice of Southern Maine and Tidewell Hospice rolling out these technologies in recent years.
Some hospices have found that patients receiving virtual reality therapies reported improved experiences and quality of life. Other providers have leveraged virtual reality to help onboard new staff and provide ongoing training opportunities, seeing improved retention as a large return on investment.
Virtual reality technology can enhance patient and staff engagement, according to Pathek. Though Tidewell Hospice has since sunsetted the virtual reality system, other artificial intelligence (AI) programs may hold promise in Empath’s future technology investments, he stated.
A large key for hospices to navigate is how quickly technology evolves, and the care delivery and operational challenges associated with that rapid pace, he stated.
“We must continue to match that change and evaluate these systems and their impact on the patients we serve,” Pathek told Hospice News. “We are investing in AI-driven care coordination and predictive analytics to support personalized patient experiences and improve outcomes. ROI is huge when looking for long-term solutions.”
Hospice technology outlook
Technology has a footfold in hospices’ sustainability and growth potential, according to Pathek. Empath Health has quadrupled growth across its business lines over the past five years. Technology integration has been part of its expansion, aiding in staff and operational integration processes of newly acquired assets and balancing clinical capacity, he stated.
Going forward, Empath is currently seeking to increase use of robotic process automation (RPA) technology and its AI programs to optimize clinical workflows and revenue cycle management, while also ensuring efficiency and quality.
“Given our growth in recent years, we’re always integrating new processes and, naturally, new technology. Looking ahead, Empath is actively investing in AI-driven predictive analytics, care coordination optimization and population health risk stratification to further enhance hospice and palliative care,” Bivek said. “By 2026, we aim to scale personalized care plans, voice recognition technology, and mature predictive analytics capabilities, ensuring we continue leading the way in patient-centered, data-driven care.”
Navigating the future of technology utilization in hospice care will come with many financial challenges alongside operational considerations, Arnold said.
Hospices must also establish ways to measure how their technology investments are performing, and how they can implement safeguards that protect both staff and patients, she added.
“Attempting to predict the future of technology in the hospice space is extremely difficult,” Arnold told Hospice News. “Technology is a very powerful tool as long as you’re honest in your deployment and monitoring.”