Demographic disparities in end-of-life care and hospice utilization have been a persistent problem in the field for decades, but new research reveals disparities in quality of care for minority patients as well, particularly when it comes to a lack of hospice referrals, late hospice referrals, or a lack of advanced care plans or palliative care. […]
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (BCBS) is developing tools to guide advance care planning conversations, designed to identify patients’ wishes, goals, and desires for their care at the end of life or if they become unable to communicate or make decisions. The evidence-based tools will use specific terminology found to help individuals feel more […]
Health care IT company Brightree is partnering with CommonWell Health Alliance, an association of health IT companies, to improve access to hospice and home health patient documents and data via electronic medical record systems. Brightree is a wholly owned subsidiary of ResMed (NYSE: RMD). The partnership is designed to allow for speedier transfers of information […]
A rising number of hospices are building community partnerships to accommodate patients’ nonmedical needs, allowing them to continue receiving care in the home. These partnerships support quality patient care and position hospices to capitalize on the growing recognition among payers that addressing social determinants of health can reduce health care costs and improve patient satisfaction. […]
More that 40% of health care organizations have experienced a cyber attack involving the “WannaCry” ransomware cryptoworm within the past six months, according to a report by the cyber security firm Armis. Health care organizations, including hospices, continue to be the preferred target of cyber criminals who can glean patient names, insurance information, financial information, […]
Cultural changes to family dynamics and demographics may require hospices to adjust their care and business models to care for patients who have no family support. Since its inception, hospice has been centered on both the patient and family, not only through providing services to the family but also relying on them as an essential […]
As hospice and palliative care providers work to prevent staff shortages from reaching crisis levels, institutions like the University of Maryland are expanding educational opportunities for clinicians seeking hospice and palliative care training. The University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) has established a new Division of Palliative Medicine to help bolster the palliative care […]
The University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) has received approval to create a fellowship program in hospice and palliative medicine, creating that state’s first formal training program to alleviate the ongoing shortage of hospice and palliative care clinicians. The Omaha-based Children’s Hospital and Medical Center and Nebraska-Iowa Veterans Affairs Healthcare System will partner with the […]
Many patients would be unable to remain in their homes without family support, leading to costly hospitalizations and nursing home admissions, but these caregivers often need education on how to care for their loved ones at the end-of-life, a well as lessons self-care and how to cope with loss, stress, and grief. Hospice providers adhere […]
The LHC Group (NASDAQ: LHCG) is fueling its hospice growth engine through the company’s hallmark joint venture strategy as well as new acquisitions, according to CFO Josh Proffitt, speaking at the William Blair 2019 Growth Stock Conference in Chicago. LHC Group has targeted an additional 130 markets for hospice expansion in areas where they already […]