Hospices Striking Back Against Cyberattacks

Hospices are seeking solutions to protect themselves and their patients against cybercrime. Data breaches can have widespread implications, including violations of patients’ privacy and substantial financial losses for providers. In the United States, the average cost of a cyberattack on a health care provider reached $15 million in 2019, a study in the journal Healthcare […]

NAHC, NHPCO Seek Greater Collaboration with ‘All Options on the Table’

The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) and the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) are exploring opportunities for more formalized collaboration. NAHC and NHPCO have formed a joint exploratory committee to assess how the two industry groups may be able to partner going forward. While they have not announced specific plans, […]

VITAS Taps Alexander Fernandez as CFO, EVP

Chemed Corp. (NYSE: CHE) VITAS Healthcare has appointed Alexander Fernandez as its CFO and executive vice president (EVP). Fernandez oversees the Florida-based hospice company’s finances, investor relations and accounting functions. He will also help to drive VITAS’ growth, accelerate positive financial trends and ensure compliance. Fernandez joins the company at a crucial point in its […]

Tech Companies Empathy, Sharecare Partner to Add Bereavement Support to Employment Benefits

Technology firms Empathy and Sharecare (NASDAQ: SHCR) have partnered to expand the benefits that companies can offer to bereaved employees. Sharecare offers a platform that is designed to unify all the elements of an employee’s benefits to help them navigate their continuum of needs. Through this partnership, employees will be able to access Empathy’s bereavement […]

RAND Corp.: Families Report Better Care from Nonprofit Hospices

The families of patients who received care from nonprofit hospices give their providers higher marks on quality than those who went with for-profits, a RAND Corp. study has found. RAND researchers analyzed Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) Survey data from 653,208 caregivers whose family members received care from 3,107 hospices between April […]

Labor Among the ‘Swing Factors’ in Enhabit’s Hospice Growth Plans

Labor is a big “swing factor” in how Enhabit Inc. (NYSE: EHAB) will sustain and grow operations this year, particularly on the hospice side. That’s according to CEO Barbara Jacobsmeyer, speaking Wednesday during the Citi Healthcare Services, Medtech, Tools & HCIT Conference. “With labor, [it’s] the need to continue to increase our clinical capacity in […]

Voices: Drew Bringhurst, Chief Commercial Officer, Hospice Dynamix

This article is sponsored by Hospice Dynamix. In this Voices interview, Hospice News sits down with Drew Bringhurst, Chief Commercial Officer, Hospice Dynamix, to learn how hospice leaders can better serve their patients and organizations by leveraging AI technology. He explains how machine learning technology can assist leaders with easing financial and operational pressures while […]

MA Beneficiaries More Likely than Fee-for-Service Patients to Enter Hospice from Community Setting

Medicare Advantage (MA) beneficiaries are more likely to enroll in hospice from a community setting than patients in traditional fee-for-service programs. More than 46% of MA beneficiaries who enrolled in hospice in 2018 did so while in their homes (rather than a hospital or nursing facility), compared to 38% who were covered by traditional Medicare, […]

OpusCare Launches New Inpatient Hospice Center

OpusCare of Florida recently opened a new inpatient hospice facility near the state’s southern tip. OpusCare received a greenlight to launch the center from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), which awarded the organization a certificate of need for Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. This made the facility the first freestanding hospice center in […]

Why Hospice Providers Are Ready to Spend Big on Technology

Hospice providers have increasingly turned to technology to connect with hard-to-reach patients, streamline back-office functions and stay ahead of the curve on worsening health conditions. Many operators have likewise leveraged tech to better engage employees in hopes of stronger recruitment and retention. The year ahead is likely to bring significantly more technology investment as well, […]