Hospice Leaders: Rising Demand, Staffing Critical to 2022 Outlook

Hospice News spoke with a group of industry leaders about the most pressing market forces and trends that will shape the space during 2022. Their comments carried some common threads, including rising demand for care in the home, continued labor pressures and industry consolidation, the involvement of hospice in Medicare Advantage and intensifying regulatory scrutiny. […]

The Top 10 Hospice News Stories of 2021

This year was transformational for the hospice space. The industry took its first steps towards value-based payment through the hospice component of the value-based insurance design model, or Medicare Advantage hospice carve-in. Providers also saw an overhaul of the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) survey process, all while contending with COVID-19 headwinds […]

VITAS Makes Hospice Opioid Conversion App Available to All Providers

VITAS Healthcare, a subsidiary of Chemed Corp. (NYSE: CHEM), has released a comprehensive opioid conversion tool for hospice providers, which the company says is the first of its kind. The tool is available to all health care prescribers at no cost via the VITAS mobile app.  VITAS released the feature in conjunction with National Hospice […]

Time, Technology of the Essence in Shifting Hospice Referral Mix

Hospices have seen a shift in their referral mix in the last year and half during the pandemic, with patient streams moving away from institutions and towards physician offices. Adapting to the ways they market, educating and coordinating care with referring partners, as well as building and growing these relationships, has hospices honing focus on […]

Staffing Pressures Top of Mind for VITAS Healthcare

COVID-19 headwinds continue to pose obstacles for hospice providers nationwide, including VITAS Healthcare, a subsidiary of Chemed Corp. (NYSE: CHEM). The company has recently seen drops in its patient census due to pandemic-related disruption, and maintaining staffing levels remains a top priority amid industry-wide shortages.  During the third quarter admissions exceeded discharges for the first […]

Careful Medication Management Can Help Reduce Hospice GIP Costs

The cost of providing general inpatient care can be steep for hospices. Expenses run the gamut from staff wages and salaries to medications, as well as costs related to establishing and maintaining a physical facility. Medication management is a vital piece of both the clinical and financial puzzle when it comes to general inpatient care.  […]

VITAS Feeling the Impact of Senior Housing Disruption

Disruption in the senior living market stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic continues to adversely affect VITAS Healthcare, a subsidiary of Chemed Corp. (NYSE: CHEM). Senior living occupancy remains lower than historical levels, though widespread vaccination is inching the sector towards recovery. Senior housing, assisted living and similar facilities have long been a significant source of […]

VITAS Unveils Fourth New Inpatient Unit in 2021

VITAS Healthcare, a subsidiary of Chemed Corp. (NYSE: CHEM), has opened a new inpatient facility on the AdventHealth Lake Wales hospital campus in Florida. The company expects the new unit to care for more than 400 patients annually. The facility includes eight private rooms with recliners, televisions and private bathrooms designed to create a home-like […]

Hospice Financial Outlook Brightens as Facilities Loosen Restrictions

Hospice providers have struggled to access facility-based patients during the coronavirus pandemic. Restricted access to facilities has hit providers hard financially and diminished the availability of care for patients. Thanks to widespread vaccination, facilities in some regions are re-opening to visitors, including interdisciplinary hospice teams. This trend is improving the outlook for providers’ business during […]