Playwright, Foundation Teaching Hospice Through Theater

“What I really want is for you to listen to me, and then make sure … make sure I’m heard.” These words were spoken by a fictional, terminally ill patient portrayed in the stage play “Lily,” written by Bryan Harnetiaux on commission from the Hospice Foundation of America (HFA). This is one of several plays […]

How the Digital Health Investment Slump May Affect Hospices

Declines in digital health investment have implications for hospice and palliative care providers. The digital health investment boom, accelerated by the pandemic, is on the decline, at least for now. The term “digital health” can be defined broadly, according to Dr. Arif Kamal, associate professor of medicine and population health at Duke University. It can […]

More Deaths Now Occur in Homes than Hospitals, Nursing Facilities

For the first time since the early 20th Century more people are ending their lives in their homes rather than the hospital or a nursing facility, according to a new report that appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine. The percentage of deaths that took place in a private residence rose to 30% in […]

More Patients with Cardiovascular Disease Dying at Home

More patients suffering from cardiovascular disease are dying in their homes rather than in the hospital, a new study has found. However, racial and socioeconomic disparities continue to have an impact on where patients end their lives. Between 2003 and 2017 nearly 31% of patients suffering from conditions such as heart failure, ischemic heart disease, […]

Florida Expected to Take Hardest Hit in Hospice Staff Shortage

Ongoing workforce shortages in the hospice space are expected to worsen, with Florida taking the biggest hit due to the size of its population older than 65.  The number of hospice and palliative care physicians and members of other disciplines will drop precipitously during the next two decades, largely due to retirements and staff leaving […]