Some federal legislators are working to address workforce issues in the hospice space, as well as bolstering support for family caregivers. In a fractious political environment, hospice and palliative care policy is one area in which members of both parties find common ground. Lawmakers have introduced a series of bipartisan bills designed to relieve workforce […]
A rising number of hospices have undergone name changes in recent years, prompting many to consider the elements of an effective rebranding strategy. As hospices nationwide develop new services to engage patients further upstream, some are rebranding to reflect their expanded scope and to avoid the word “hospice” in their company names, hoping to ameliorate […]
As audits proliferate in the hospice space, providers can benefit from understanding the appeals process. Hospices are increasingly wading through an alphabet soup of auditing activity in the industry. Auditing types anticipated to ramp up in hospice include Targeted Probe and Educate (TPE) audits conducted by Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACS) and others involving Unified Program […]
With burnout as a major cause of turnover, hospices are applying technology to take some of the pressure off of staff in hopes of boosting retention. A frequent goal is reducing the amount of time spent on documentation. Though complete and accurate documentation is essential to regulatory compliance, patient safety and securing payment, the sheer […]
End-of-life doulas (EOLDs) and community health workers can add an additional layer of support that can help hospices improve connections and outcomes among patients and families. However, building these collaborations has come with financial barriers. EOLDs have had a growing presence in the serious illness and end-of-life care space, but their services are not reimbursed […]
Though its temporary bonus program has ended, VITAS Healthcare has built on the momentum it created with accelerated hiring and corresponding gains in capacity. VITAS is a subsidiary of Chemed Corp. (NYSE: CHE). The bonus program, which ended in July, included a one-time retention payment that ranges from $2,000 to $15,000 per employee for nurses, […]
Hospice care and palliative care services have similar, but diverging, threads across the care continuum. An area of increasing overlap centers around patient consultations discussing symptom management and goals of care. Supportive care for patients and families is a common thread in both hospice and palliative care, with providers touching different points along a patients’ […]
As Amedisys Inc. (NASDAQ) awaits the outcome of its pending acquisition by Optum, the company showed only modest gains in its hospice segment. Both admissions and average daily hospice census were down in the third quarter of the year, 6% and 2%, respectively, compared to Q3 2022. Net service revenue for the segment reached slightly […]
Revocations of the hospice benefit can have serious adverse effects on patients and families, as well as providers. Understanding the causes and repercussions of these incidents can help operators prevent them, when appropriate. Live discharges can occur for a number of reasons, including the patient or family changing their minds about receiving hospice care, or […]
ProMedica Shutters Two Home Health Locations ProMedica is shuttering two home health and hospice programs in Ohio and Michigan. The closures will take effect in November. The closures are part of the nonprofit health system’s strategic plans to divest its home health care services, the company indicated in a letter penned to the Ohio Department […]
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