A main barrier to palliative care growth in the Medicare Advantage hospice carve-in is a lack of understanding of these services among beneficiaries, as well as inconsistent service delivery. The value-based insurance design (VBID) model is among the payment avenues that allows Medicare Advantage plans to cover palliative care as a supplemental benefit. When the […]

Integrative palliative care is growing popular among patients as well as providers seeking non-pharmacological methods of controlling symptoms and improving quality of life. These types of programs involve a range of complementary therapies, including aromatherapy, massage, acupuncture, dietary changes and mindfulness-based treatments, among others. The evidence base for these therapies has been growing in recent […]

A recent study has found that offering telehealth services to patients with Parkinson’s disease can help increase awareness around their palliative care options and improve their quality of life. A study of 359 patients with Parkinson disease and related disorders found that those receiving interdisciplinary team-based palliative care support via telehealth reported higher quality of […]

Seriously ill patients are more likely to receive palliative care if they have more providers in their vicinity. Adults in the United States with stage IV cancer were more likely to receive care in both metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, researchers from the American Cancer Society (ACS). Those who dwell in socioeconomically deprived areas, the South, […]

Palliative care organizations that integrate employee feedback into their staff development policies have a fighting chance in battling ongoing burnout and turnover in the field. The palliative care workforce is facing a wide range of challenges that impact their ability to thrive in the field. Providing serious illness care can be emotionally and mentally taxing […]

Pallitus Health Partners is forging its own identity apart from its parent organization, Hosparus Health. Based in Louisville, Ky., Pallitus provides palliative care to anyone facing serious illnesses such as cancer, heart failure, COPD and more. It also offers a support system for patients’ families, caregivers and other loved ones. Although Pallitus is part of […]

Establishing consistent relationships with referral sources will not only fill palliative care programs’ business pipelines, but it will also allow providers to develop better delivery models to meet the needs of their partners and patients. As value-based models expand and hold health systems accountable for the entire care continuum, palliative care partnerships and joint ventures […]

A moving target in palliative care delivery is whether or not these services should have a dedicated benefit in the Medicare system. Discussions have heated up as to what such a program would mean for the industry. Palliative care models vary widely, with some focusing on interdisciplinary pain and symptom management, and others on consults […]

The state of the palliative care workforce is at an inflection point, as employers see both challenges and opportunities in their strategies to boost recruitment and retention. Palliative care providers have weathered many challenges in recent years, including evolving regulations and reimbursement structures, a global pandemic and widespread staffing shortages. Workforce shortages have long plagued […]

The earlier a patient receives palliative care, the larger the return on investment, an analysis by the Pennsylvania-based health system WellSpan Health has found. Palliative care is often viewed as a cost center in health care, rather than a revenue generator. Beginning in 2018, WellSpan began to test that theory by examining financial metrics associated […]