Recent research has found that career growth, organizational culture and impactful work are significant priorities among the next generation of palliative care clinicians, particularly those from underserved populations. Medical students indicated that these three key areas are “crucial” to their well-being and mental health in a recent study published in the Journal of the American […]

Palliative care is grossly underutilized in nursing home settings, but providers can develop new tools that could bring those services to more residents, a recent study has found. A range of barriers contribute to the under-utilization of palliative care in nursing home settings, including poorly defined referral criteria and a general lack of awareness and […]

As dementia-related illnesses continue to rise among hospice patients, caregivers and providers alike are working judiciously to best find ways to support patients and their families in navigating these new diagnoses. In July 2023, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) unveiled a newly planned demonstration for those working with dementia patients and […]

Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) are key for scaling palliative care through value-based models. Hospices and palliative care providers can collaborate with ACOs by becoming members of those organizations themselves, or by contracting with them through a preferred provider network. These arrangements allow for the negotiation of mutually beneficial terms that are tailored to the needs […]

Hawaii this summer is poised to roll out palliative care coverage via Medicaid. In May, a State Plan Amendment (SPA) that allows coverage of palliative care through Med-QUEST, the state’s Medicaid program, was approved by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). While more than 15 states have established Medicaid palliative programs, Hawaii […]

Palliative care provider Tuesday Health has penned an agreement with the Medicare Advantage organization CareSource to offer services to its beneficiaries. Tuesday Health’s supportive care services operate on hybrid in-person and virtual models, according to Dr. Mihir Kamdar, head of care delivery of Tuesday Health. Nurses and advanced practice practitioners (APPs) provide clinical care to […]

The oncology-focused value-based enabler Thyme Care has completed a $95 million funding round that includes $55 million in equity funding. The company offers palliative care in addition to other services. In May, Thyme Care launched a new palliative care telehealth offering, branded as Enhanced Supportive Care. Thyme Care will use the new infusion of investment […]

Health care providers seeking to launch a palliative care program must navigate a tangled web of state licensing requirements. Without a national reimbursement model, palliative care companies are caught in a patchwork of systems that vary among the states. Each has its own standards for patient eligibility, licensing and clinical staffing. For hospices in particular […]

The California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation’s Medical Facility (CMF) has launched a new palliative spiritual care training program aimed at improving services for incarcerated individuals. The new two-week spiritual training program was recently provided to palliative care service workers and volunteers to assist CMF’s clinical and nursing staff caring for patients at the facility’s […]

Palliative approaches can help address gaps of care among patients with a diverse range of rare chronic and serious illnesses. Rare diseases include a broad spectrum of illnesses experienced by a smaller proportion of the general population. Although uncommon, the severity of symptoms and increased mortality risks associated with rare diseases is fueling greater demand […]