Big Bend Hospice Launches New Hospital-Based Inpatient Unit

Florida-based Big Bend Hospice has unveiled a new inpatient hospice unit on the third floor of Tallahassee Memorial Hospital (TMH). Dubbed the First Commerce Center for Compassionate Care, the unit is designed to expand end-of-life services to a mostly rural eight-county service area in Florida, where Big Bend has operated for more than 40 years. […]

Blue Ridge CEO: Community Hospices Can Lead the Way to Better US Health Care

Community-based nonprofit hospices can help blaze a trail towards a better future in American health care. This will be a core philosophy underlying Blue Ridge Hospice’s strategic goals for years to come, according to the company’s recently appointed CEO Jason Parsons. Virginia-base Blue Ridge services roughly 340 patients through its 2,200 square-mile service region, which […]

VNHS Leveraging Tech to Optimize Hospice Patient Experience

After 75 years of service, Georgia-based hospice provider Visiting Nurse Health System (VNHS) has its sights set on the future. Founded in 1948, the organization was the first home-based care provider to operate in Georgia, and in 1975 launched the state’s first hospice program. A major goal for 2024 will be to maximize the benefits […]

California Hospice Network: State Falls Short in Curbing Potential Malfeasance

The continued licensing of new hospices in California despite a moratorium is “deeply disturbing and frustrating,” the California Hospice Network (CHN) indicated in a statement. The practice is undermining efforts to combat hospice fraud, which has been rampant in California according to media and state government investigations. In 2021, the state enacted two hospice reform […]

Inside agilon health’s Palliative Care Game Plan

The senior care company agilon health (NYSE: AGL) will more than double the size of its palliative care program this year, with plans to leverage its robust suite of data to optimize care. The company is a value-based organization that partners with primary care physicians nationwide to jointly take on the total cost and quality […]

Hospice of North Central Ohio to Affiliate with Hospice of Western Reserve

The Hospice of North Central Ohio (HNCO) will affiliate with Hospice of Western Reserve, also located in the Buckeye state. Financial terms were undisclosed. The HNCO board of directors signed a letter of intent to enter into a Management Services Agreement with Western Reserve for 90 days. In the interim, a diligence process will be […]

Pathways Hospice Achieves Design Excellence with Inpatient Center

When leaders at Colorado-based Pathways Hospice sat down to design its first standalone inpatient center, they sought to build a facility that embodied the core values of hospice care — an interdisciplinary approach that includes care for both the patient and the family. Pathways, and its center, was among the recipients of this year’s Architecture […]

Emergency Department Residents Lack Training in Palliation

Education in palliative care principles for emergency department clinicians could likely improve care for seriously ill patients who present in the ED. Many seriously ill patients rely on emergency department visits to address symptoms that could be alleviated or reduced with effective palliative care, including pain, digestive issues and shortness of breath, among others. However, […]

Centrica Care Navigators Affiliates with NorthStar Care Community

Michigan-based Centrica Care Navigators has affiliated with the NorthStar Care Community, which also operates Hospice of Michigan and Arbor Hospice. Financial terms were undisclosed. Post-transaction, the combined nonprofit organization will care for more than 1,800 hospice patients across 60 Michigan counties, as well as nearly 900 palliative care patients, making it one of the largest […]

SSM Health Acquires Visiting Nurse Association of Greater St. Louis

The Missouri-based health system SSM Health has acquired the Visiting Nurse Association of Greater St. Louis (VNA). Financial terms are confidential. VNA provides a range of home-based services, including hospice care, Advanced Illness Management (AIM), community-based palliative care, private duty care, Visit-A-Bit, vaccination, wellness and music appreciation programs. The organization will now become part of […]