YoloCares to Double Geographic Footprint

California-based YoloCares is doubling its geographic presence in its home state. The hospice provider recently took its first step into a new county, with plans to expand across four others. YoloCares provides hospice, palliative and supportive care in five counties across northern California, recently adding a sixth county to its service region. The hospice provider […]

California Hospice Network: State Falls Short in Curbing Potential Malfeasance

The continued licensing of new hospices in California despite a moratorium is “deeply disturbing and frustrating,” the California Hospice Network (CHN) indicated in a statement. The practice is undermining efforts to combat hospice fraud, which has been rampant in California according to media and state government investigations. In 2021, the state enacted two hospice reform […]

Hospice of the Foothills Joins California Hospice Network

Hospice of the Foothills of Nevada County has joined the California Hospice Network, a regional collaborative of nonprofit providers. Though each California Hospice Network member remains a distinct, independent organization, the partnership enables the hospices to collaborate on best practices and improve efficiency through cost sharing and shared services. Hospice of the Foothills launched in […]

Hospices Work to Recruit More Volunteers Before COVID PHE Ends

The number of hospice volunteers plunged during the first two years of the pandemic, and many are still working to rebuild their ranks. Many hospices saw volunteer volumes dip drastically as they suspended activities during the pandemic. Roughly 78% of hospice and palliative care providers around the globe indicated “less or much less” use of […]

California Providers: Hospice License Moratorium Could Boost Nonprofits

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) earlier this month signed two hospice reform laws designed to strengthen hospice oversight. While some stakeholders applauded these steps as a way of thinning the crowded California market, they could lead to frustration for providers seeking to grow their presence in the state.  The bills — Senate Bill 664 and […]

Yolo Affiliates with California Hospice Network

Davis, Calif.-based Yolo Hospice has become the newest affiliate of the California Hospice Network (CHN). The network is a coalition of nonprofit hospices designed to support the growth of community-based hospice care and leverage their collective scale and resources in value-based payment programs. Though each California Hospice Network member remains a distinct, independent organization, the […]

Hospices Refocus on Staff Mental Health During COVID-19

The coronavirus pandemic has elevated attention to the mental health needs of the hospice workforce. Hospice executives have increasingly focused on providing new avenues of support for staff as they are buffeted with waves of COVID-19 challenges while caring for high-risk patients and their families. Workforce shortages and staff burnout have been ongoing issues in […]

Getting Upstream: A Hospice Playbook for Value-Based Care

With a new arena of payment options emerging in 2021, hospice providers are honing in on strategies to deliver value-based care amid a sea of risks. A heavier focus on advance care planning could be crucial for hospices making the play to participate in the Medicare Advantage demonstration project and Primary Care First payment models. […]

California Hospice Network Restructures, Readies for Value-Based Care

California Hospice Network (CHN), a coalition of nonprofit hospices in that state, is restructuring its leadership and operations and working hard to prepare for the entry of hospice into value-based payment programs in 2021, such as Medicare Advantage. Three California-based hospices — the Elizabeth Hospice in San Diego, Mission Hospice & Home Care in San […]

CEO Cathy Conway: The Business of Hospice Is Changing

Cathy Conway, chief mission officer for the Hospice of Santa Cruz County will take over as the organization’s CEO effective June 1, following the retirement of current chief executive Michael Milward, who has led the organization since 2012. The organization’s board unanimously approved Conway’s ascension after a rigorous national search and extensive interviews with potential […]