Brigham and Women’s Hospital Develops Virtual Reality Hospice, Palliative Training Partnership

Boston-based Brigham and Women’s Hospital recently partnered with the tech company Jolly Good Inc. to develop a virtual reality training program aimed at improving communication skills among serious illness and end-of-life care professionals. The ability to communicate with seriously ill patients and their families is an important part of providing quality care at various points […]

Building Mental Health Supports for Palliative Care Teams

Palliative care organizations that integrate employee feedback into their staff development policies have a fighting chance in battling ongoing burnout and turnover in the field. The palliative care workforce is facing a wide range of challenges that impact their ability to thrive in the field. Providing serious illness care can be emotionally and mentally taxing […]

Program Integrity, Health Equity, Workforce Pressures Top of Mind for Hospice Leaders in 2024

This year has brought both tumultuous challenges and evolving opportunities for hospices that will steer hospice leadership during 2024. Hospice News spoke with a group of industry leaders about the most impactful forces that will shape the space in the coming year. Some themes from last year have carried over as far as their biggest […]

Adult, PACE, Palliative Centers Unveiled Amid Hospice Closures

Empath’s New Adult Day Center Empath LIFE has opened a new adult day center in Tampa, Florida, which will also provide caregiver education and respite services, among others. The LIFE program is a member of Florida-based nonprofit post-acute care provider Empath Health. Services at the program’s new facility include adult day services, primary and skilled […]

Breaking Down Costs, ROIs of Hospice-Death Doula Partnerships

Some hospices that have layered end-of-life doulas (EOLDs) into their workforce are seeing a return on these investments in various forms – including quality outcomes, retention and care continuity. Among the largest benefits of investing in doula workers is that these professionals can help hospices address unmet needs among terminally ill patients and their families, […]

How Quality, Utilization Will Shape Hospice M&A in 2024

Investment trends in the hospice industry have meandered in recent years, impacting providers’ approaches to growth in 2024. The mix of hospice buyers has become more diverse during the past five years to include more private equity investors, large health and hospital systems and home health companies, along with payers. These trends will have lasting […]

‘This Is Different’: Building a Sustainable Palliative Care Workforce

The state of the palliative care workforce is at an inflection point, as employers see both challenges and opportunities in their strategies to boost recruitment and retention. Palliative care providers have weathered many challenges in recent years, including evolving regulations and reimbursement structures, a global pandemic and widespread staffing shortages. Workforce shortages have long plagued […]

Choice Health at Home Acquires Lumicare Hospice

Texas-based Choice Health at Home LLC has inked a deal to acquire Lumicare Hospice, growing its presence in two current markets while establishing services in a new state. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Lumicare Hospice has locations in Texas and Arizona, two states in Choice’s existing service region. The hospice also has […]