Heartlinks Expands Hospice, Palliative Programs with New Adult Family Home

Heartlinks is opening a de novo located in Sunnyside, Washington, with an aim of providing a range of services to seniors in the area. Hospice and palliative care will be a “strong focus” of services provided at the new senior living facility, Heartlinks Adult Family Home, said Shelby Moore, the organization’s executive director. Other services […]

New CMS Medicaid, CHIP Guidance Could Help Clarify Pediatric Palliative Care Payment

The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released new guidelines intended to better support state-based pediatric reimbursement systems and help improve equitable health access among youth populations. The new guidance includes best practices for state Medicaid programs and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to implement and comply with early and periodic […]

The Hospice CARE Act’s Potential to ‘Dramatically Reshape’ End-of-Life Care Delivery

Hospice providers and stakeholders are carefully examining the proposed changes included in the recently introduced Hospice Care Accountability, Reform, and Enforcement (Hospice CARE) Act as the bill begins its journey through the legislative process. Leading concerns in the industry include the bill’s suggested regulatory reforms to address program integrity in the hospice industry, along with […]

Hospices Seek Creative Hiring, Retention Solutions as Labor Costs Rise

Fierce competition for clinical resources amid widespread workforce shortages has hospices taking nimble approaches to their recruitment strategies, including pivoting financial investments and building stronger educational partnerships. Competition in the health care market has been driving up salaries, particularly among nurses, according to Jennifer Lemere, vice president of clinical operations at St. Croix Hospice, a […]

Hospice Fraud Casts Lengthening Shadow Over Future of Industry

Fraudulent operators in the hospice space have misspent millions of Medicare dollars in recent years. This problem has become so severe that it has become one of the defining issues facing the hospice industry, with providers and other industry stakeholders expressing concern about significant impacts to future payment, access, sustainability and utilization.  This is the […]

New Executives Tapped At Hospice Organizations Across Country

Dr. Cameron Muir Named NPHI’s New CMO Dr. Cameron Muir has been named as the new CMO of the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI). Muir steps into the role while holding his existing title as NPHI’s chief innovation officer. His new title signals the organization’s strategic plans to reshape hospice care delivery […]

Compassus CEO Mike Asselta: Hospice, Home Health JVs Crucial to Growth

Home-based care provider Compassus has been on a growth trajectory for several years running – placing hospice and home health at the center of its strategic vision. Compassus provides home health, home infusion, palliative and hospice care across 30 states. The home-based provider also offers advanced care management and skilled nursing facility-at-home services. Joint ventures […]

Palliative Care ‘Ahead of the Game’ in Approaches to Treating Rare Diseases

Researchers are ramping up efforts to better understand the complex trajectories of rare diseases, with evidence mounting around palliative care’s potential to improve outcomes among those patients. The Center for Innovation & Value Research recently launched the second phase of its Rare Disease Project, an initiative aimed at examining the diverse range of these illnesses […]

Treasure Coast Hospice, St. Francis Reflections Lifestage Care Complete Affiliation

St. Francis Reflections Lifestage Care and Treasure Coast Health on Tuesday completed their affiliation, a move nearly a year in the making after the two Florida-based nonprofits signaled they would join forces. Combined, the two organizations provide hospice and palliative care to more than 7,000 patients annually across Brevard, Martin, St. Lucie and Okeechobee counties […]

Hospices Leverage School-Based Partnerships to Strengthen Bereavement Care

Some hospices have increasingly recognized the value of collaborating with local educators when it comes to improving community grief support for bereaved children and their families. Establishing collaborative relationships with educational institutions can help hospices ensure that they’re developing age-appropriate grief services, according to Cole Warner, director of support services at North Carolina-based Hospice of […]