Hospice Executives Retire as New Leaders Rise

A few hospice executives have recently announced their retirement as new leaders step forward at a number of organizations. Addus president, COO retires Addus HomeCare Corporation (Nasdaq: ADUS) President and COO Brad Bickham recently announced his retirement, effective March 2026. Bickman has played a pivotal role in the company’s growth during his eight-year tenure, according […]

How AccentCare Pursues Growth Via JVs, De Novos

AccentCare is primed for further hospice growth, with both health system joint ventures and de novo activity as twin cornerstones of its strategy. Dallas-headquartered AccentCare provides hospice, home health, personal and palliative care across 32 states and in the District of Columbia. The company has an average annual census of more than 200,000 patients. AccentCare […]

Patient, Staff Satisfaction Biggest ROIs of Trauma-Informed Hospice Care

Improved patient and staff satisfaction are among the most significant returns on investment for hospices that are pouring greater resources into trauma-informed training. The ability to build a trusting relationship with patients and their families is a key skill set for any hospice professional to possess, but one that takes on a profoundly different meaning […]

The AIDS Epidemic’s Lasting Impact on Hospice Care for LGBTQ+ Populations

The AIDS epidemic coincided with the birth of the hospice movement roughly four decades ago, carrying groundbreaking impacts on end-of-life care delivery for LGBTQ+ communities and beyond. Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals were among the most severely impacted by the AIDS outbreak in the 1980s. LGBTQ+ communities died at higher rates from 1980 to […]

Staff Training Key to Improving Hospice Quality Among LGBTQ+ Patients

Hospice staff training models with culturally appropriate LGBTQ+ components are key to improving quality outcomes among an increasingly diverse base of underserved seniors. Ongoing staff education and communication skill building are two significant pieces of bridging gaps of hospice care among LGBTQ+ seniors, according to Jerry Farmer, vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion at […]

How Augmented Reality Helped AccentCare Improve Patient, Staff Satisfaction

AccentCare’s augmented reality (AR) hospice program has led to improved patient satisfaction and symptom management, along with benefits for staff. Augmented reality experiences can have spiritual and emotional impacts on terminally ill patients, as well as help alleviate anxiety, isolation. It can also help manage pain and other symptoms, according to Allison Ostashen, senior clinical […]

How Health Literacy, Education Influences Patients’ Hospice Experience

In case you missed it, Hospice News has launched a new specialty publication for palliative care professionals. You can subscribe to Palliative Care News here: Subscribe today! Providing education and fostering health literacy among the seriously ill, their families and surrogate decision makers is crucial to ensuring a positive patient experience in hospice care. This according to […]

New Executives Take the Helm at AccentCare, Blue Ridge, Androscoggin, Good Samaritan

AccentCare Appoints New EVP, CMO Dr. Balu Natarajan has become AccentCare’s new executive vice president and chief medical officer. Natarajan’s role expanded after previously serving as the post-acute company’s chief medical officer for hospice since 2005. In addition to oversee AccentCare’s hospice and palliative care programs, he will also support its clinical care operations and […]

Inside AccentCare’s New, Centralized Approach to Bereavement Care  

After five years of planning, the post-acute services provider AccentCare recently re-organized its bereavement care services, which are now coordinated from a national center. This centralization was designed to ensure consistency in its grief care operations and to ensure comparable quality across the company’s national footprint, Yelena Zatulovsky, vice-president of patient experience for AccentCare, said […]