VITAS Opens New, Permanent Inpatient Unit at Florida Hospital

VITAS Healthcare, a subsidiary of Chemed Corp. (NYSE: CHEM), has expanded one of its inpatient hospice units in Florida. VITAS’ new hospice facility at Broward Health Coral Springs features 12 patient beds, a kitchen and a family room. The facility replaces a temporary unit with eight inpatient beds that VITAS began operating at the hospital […]

Florida Awards Chapters Health CON for Pinellas County Expansion

Florida-headquartered Chapters Health System recently received a green light to advance on expansion plans across the state’s west central coast. In August, post-acute care provider Chapters set its sights on expanding its hospice business into Florida’s Pinellas County. The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) recently awarded the company a certificate of need (CON) […]

Through Education, Collaboration Hospices Can Help Shape Value-Based Palliative Care

Palliative care packs a small but meaningful punch in the value-based payment arena. But to successfully negotiate value-based contracts, hospices will need to educate payers about the value of palliative care, according to J. Cameron Muir, M.D., chief innovation officer of the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI). Specifically, providers can help orient […]

Rising Demand Driving Private Equity Interest in Palliative Care

Palliative care has seen an influx of private equity and venture capital investment in recent years, with growing demand for serious illness care a driving factor. Along with a fragmented marketplace, these factors signify a strong business case to support continued palliative care, according to Fred Bentley, managing director of health care consulting company Avalere […]

United States Ranks Low in Palliative Care Duration

The average length that patients receive palliative care in the United States is lower than in other countries, a recent study reported. Much of the nation remains underserved despite rising demand, with limited payment opportunities restricting growth. A review of palliative services delivered worldwide indicated a wide variation in length of care received by people […]

Palliative Care Expanding in the Hospice Space

Hospices are increasingly diversifying services to include palliative care, which many see as essential for the growth of their businesses and for success within value-based programs. Providers that are currently or planning to develop a new palliative care business line need to focus on growing and training their workforce, building relationships with payers and other […]

Geography a Factor in Palliative Care Awareness

A rising number of hospice providers nationwide have diversified services to include palliative care in an effort to engage patients further upstream and open up new lines of revenue. Despite these efforts, palliative care remains widely untapped in many areas throughout the United States, with knowledge gaps about the nature of these services acting as […]

The Time is Right for a Community-Based Palliative Care Benefit

Stakeholders in the hospice space and beyond have recognized the need for community-based palliative care, delivered in the home, and the time has come for the federal government to do the same. Efforts have been underway among health care providers, state governments, advocacy groups and payers, among others, to make community based palliative care more […]

Lack of Palliative Care Definition Impacts Patients, Hospice Business

Community-based palliative care is expanding exponentially nationwide with hospice providers at the forefront, but efforts to build care and payment models are hitting a wall due to the lack of a standardized definition for those services. Patients and families who are facing serious illness need palliative care, and providers need sustainable payment and clinical models. […]

Palliative Care Could Cut Health Care Costs by $103 Billion

Palliative care could reduce societal health care costs by $103 billion within the next 20 years, the nonprofit economic research group Florida TaxWatch said in a report. The group recommended that policymakers take action to expand palliative care utilization in the state. Palliative care in general can reduce health care costs by more than $4,000 […]