The Devil in Details of Hospice Strategic Collaboratives

Nonprofit hospices are increasingly banding together in varying types of collaboratives to create workforce, operational and cost-effective synergies. As this trend picks up steam, hospices will need to fine-tune the details of these affiliations and choose partners carefully. Collaborations allow hospices to share best practices, quality initiatives, staff education and volunteer resources, as well as […]

Ohio’s Hospice, Kettering Health Launch Hospice, Palliative Fellowship

Ohio’s Hospice and the Kettering Health hospital system are collaborating on a hospice and palliative medicine fellowship to help bolster the field’s physician workforce. The program will accept two fellows annually at Kettering’s Soin Medical Center and two Ohio’s Hospice affiliates, Pure Healthcare and Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton. Since long before the pandemic, the workforce […]

CMS Crafting COVID Vaccine Rule for All Health Care Staff

Federal health care agencies are developing new Conditions of Participation that would require all staff of Medicare- and Medicaid-certified health care providers to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Though the White House used the term “health care facilities” in its announcement, the forthcoming rule would apply to hospice and home health care workers. The U.S. Centers […]

Massachusetts Proposes COVID Vaccine Mandate for Hospice, Home Care Workers

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) has proposed a vaccine mandate for health care workers in the commonwealth that would include hospice and home health staff. The requirement would also apply to employees at rest homes, assisted living facilities. Massachusetts announced a similar rule for skilled nursing facility staff last month.  The state’s Public Health Council […]

Ohio’s Hospice to Require Staff Vaccination

Ohio’s Hospice will require all staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19 before Oct. 1. Staff members who have medical or religious objections to the vaccine can apply for an exemption. Ohio’s Hospice is a statewide alliance of nonprofit providers established in 2013 that collaborate on back office functions and expenses and leverage their collective size […]

Ohio’s Hospice of Miami County Expands with New Inpatient Facility

Ohio’s Hospice of Miami County has unveiled an inpatient hospice house located on the campus of Upper Valley Medical Center in the city of Troy in its home state. The new 31,180-square-foot facility is expected to begin accepting patients in August. The organization, a member of Ohio’s Hospice, financed the facility through a $12 million […]

Hospices Innovating with Robotic Therapies During Pandemic

Animated robotic pets are making rounds to hospice patients across the United States. Due to spread of the coronavirus pandemic, some hospices have brought robotic animals into the folds of their therapy programs to continue reaching isolated patients and their families from a distance. Animated robotic animals feature sensors and speakers in responsive technology for […]

Fostering Hospice Staff Resilience During COVID-19

The coronavirus pandemic has taken a heavy toll on hospice staff since its onset. From clinical to back-office operations, the weight of overwhelmed and understaffed teams has added strain to an already burned out and shrinking workforce. Providing care and support to staff will remain a priority as hospice leaders learn lessons from COVID-19. Putting […]

Advanced Illness Partners Hospice Collaboration Moving Care Upstream

Advanced Illness Partners (AIP), a joint enterprise established by seven hospice and palliative care providers, will enable its members to provide care further upstream for patients suffering from serious and chronic diseases. The venture was designed to facilitate participation in soon-to-be implemented direct contracting payment models from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services […]

Seven Hospice Providers Form Advanced Illness Partners Direct Contracting Venture

A group of seven hospice and senior care providers have formed Advanced Illness Partners (AIP), a joint venture partnership geared for participation in the direct contracting payment models from the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation. Several of the models are slated to launch in April, with a geographic direct contracting option coming in 2022.  […]