Hospice Access Concerns Mounting Among Evolving LGBTQ+ Regulations

Hospices have grown increasingly concerned that evolving federal policy regarding LGBTQ+ populations may have a range of negative impacts on end-of-life outcomes and access. A host of regulatory evolutions have taken place under the Trump administration related to transgender rights and gender-affirming policies. The potential challenges of the current regulatory landscape should not dictate how […]

New Day Acquires Heritage Home Healthcare

Texas-based New Day Healthcare has inked an agreement to acquire New Mexico-based Heritage Home Healthcare LLC for an undisclosed sum. The deal widens the company’s patient reach and marks its entrance into a new state. The acquisition has been several years in the making, according to New Day Founder and CEO G. Scott Herman. Organizational […]

‘Moving Mountains’ to Understand Pediatric Palliative Patient Preferences

Gauging pediatric patient preferences can come with nuanced challenges as palliative care providers contend with a lack of consistent, standardized measures for these populations. Measurement of pediatric palliative care preferences is evolving compared to adult populations, said Dr. Toluwalasé Ajayi, director of pediatric palliative care and interim chief of palliative medicine at Rady Children’s Hospital-San […]

Hospices Unpack GUIDE Model’s First Year

Hospices are seeing the potential for caregiver support improvement in the first year of the Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) payment demonstration. Intended to improve care management, caregiver education and respite access for dementia patients and their families, the GUIDE model could have significant impacts, according to Dr. Marny Fetzer, chief medical officer at […]

How Thanatology Is Driving Hospice Care Innovation

Thanatologists examining dying and grief practices have uncovered significant trends shaping hospice and bereavement care models in recent years. Thanatology is derived from the Greek word for death, “thanatos.” It is commonly described as the study or description of death, dying and loss and the psychological, social, cultural, biological and spiritual aspects of these processes. […]

Hospice of the Red River Valley Rebrands as HIA Hospice

North Dakota-based Hospice of the Red River Valley has rebranded as HIA Hospice. The new name stands for “hearts in action,” a motto the nonprofit has adopted for more than 40 years, according to HIA Hospice Executive Director Tracee Capron. The rebranding reflects the organization’s evolution of hospice services and its growing geographic footprint, Capron […]

Creative Hospice Care CEO Settles $9.2M Kick-Back, FCA Fraud Case

Creative Hospice Care Inc. CEO Mahlega Abdsharafat has agreed to pay $9.2 million to settle allegations that the company and its affiliates were involved in fraudulent activities. The settlement was released by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on Wednesday resolved three lawsuits brought against the Georgia-based company and its affiliates, collectively dubbed the Creative […]

Revamped End-of-Life Doula Training Program Strives to Improve Hospice Patient Engagement

A recently relaunched end-of-life doula training program may be fanning the flames of stronger hospice patient and family engagement. The International End-of-life Doula Association (INELDA) recently revamped its training program to better support hospice providers and the patients they serve. The association has honed key educational components of the program over the past decade with […]

‘Profound Disparities’ Fueling Greater Palliative Spiritual Care Innovation

Palliative care models are increasingly deepening the integration of a more diverse range of spiritual support, but reimbursement obstacles are stymieing innovative progress. This is according to Sarah Byrne-Martelli, palliative care researcher at the Center for Aging & Serious Illness at Massachusetts General Hospital. She previously served as senior chaplain for the hospital’s division of […]

Hospice Quality Concerning in Assisted Living Facilities

Patients receiving hospice in one of the most common end-of-life care settings may not be receiving adequate services. Researchers from Ohio University and the University of Rochester recently examined Medicare claims and Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) data of 51,303 assisted living residents who received hospice care from 2018 to 2019. Quality […]