To sustain the Medicare Hospice Benefit, staffing needs to be a top-of-mind issue for organization leaders, according to Patty Husted, executive vice president of patient and family supportive services at VITAS Healthcare, a subsidiary of Chemed Corp. (NYSE: CHE). Husted has worked in the hospice space, and at VITAS, for 37 years, following a stint […]
An influx of referrals in the West has brought VITAS Healthcare increased revenue and patient census volumes in the third quarter. The growth in the western United States is in part due to program integrity issues in the region, which have led families to seek legitimate providers. The Chemed Corp. (NYSE: CHE) subsidiary has prioritized clinical […]
The proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) in the hospice space is changing how chief information officers and other technology-focused leaders are approaching their jobs. Hospices nationwide are investing in AI systems to transform virtually every aspect of their businesses. This includes both nonprofit and for-profit providers and organizations of all sizes, though larger, well-capitalized companies […]
A VITAS Healthcare chaplain has developed a unique bereavement care program in the San Francisco Bay area. Twice a month, VITAS Chaplain Jonah Sanderson convenes a group of 20 grieving family members for a Thai dinner at Thaibodia in Campbell, California. These “Death Over Thai Food” events are designed to foster peer-to-peer support, discussions about […]
VITAS Healthcare is shifting more of its attention towards acquisitions during a six-month national moratorium on Medicare hospice enrollment. The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented a temporary national moratorium on hospice and home health Medicare enrollment in May. Set to expire in November 2026, the move halted new hospice growth across […]
Hospice utilization among some cancer patients is leveling off and slowing growth, but healthcare providers and medical educators can adopt certain strategies to move the needle. This is according to Dr. Ileana Leyva, regional medical director for VITAS Healthcare, a subsidiary of Chemed Corp. (NYSE: CHE). Having timely goals-of-care conversations is one effective way to […]
Four hospices have seen leadership changes in recent months. VITAS Appoints New COO VITAS Healthcare has promoted Bryan Wysong as its new executive vice president and COO. Wysong previously served as an internal management consultant at the Chemed Corp. (NYSE: CHE) subsidiary. He joined VITAS in 2014 and has held leadership roles such as senior […]
Implementation of the Hospice Outcomes and Patient Evaluation (HOPE) tool has gone smoothly for some providers, but challenges persist. Some stakeholders also say that this new system doesn’t capture the full scope of hospice quality. The HOPE tool replaced the Hospice Item Set (HIS) quality reporting system and includes new standardized measures that examine hospice […]
The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) national moratorium on home health and hospice enrollment is “disappointing,” according to VITAS Healthcare CEO Joel Wherley. CMS implemented the six-month moratorium on May 13. The temporary pause is intended to prevent a wave of fraudulent operators from entering the hospice or home health sectors. While […]
Some hospices are seeing geographic expansion as they unveil new locations. VITAS Healthcare’s Growing Florida Footprint Florida-headquartered VITAS Healthcare is expanding its reach across the Sunshine State. The Chemed Corp. (NYSE: CHE) subsidiary recently launched a new inpatient hospice center in Port St. Lucie, Florida, a part of its existing service region since 2019. Meanwhile, […]
