Creative Role Development, Organizational Culture Keys to Battling 2024’s Staffing Headwinds

The worst of the staffing challenges is far from over for embattled hospice providers seeking fruitful recruitment and retention strategies in 2024. Operators will continue to reckon with clinical capacity strains next year as hospices contend with rising demand from a swelling aging population, according to Nick Westfall, CEO of VITAS Healthcare, a subsidiary of […]

VITAS, Gentiva, Home Health & Hospice Care Expand Inpatient Services; Banner Health Shutters Hospice Programs in Phoenix

VITAS Healthcare Expands Hospital-Based Inpatient Hospice Center Chemed Corp. (NYSE: CHE) VITAS Healthcare recently expanded its inpatient hospice care unit at the Florida-based Broward Health Medical Center. The inpatient facility now has 12 patient beds, up from eight prior to the renovations. VITAS expects to serve roughly 550 patients annually at the center. “VITAS is […]

VITAS Expects a Steady 2024 for Revenue, Growth

After the tumultuous years of the pandemic, VITAS Healthcare expects a stable growth trajectory heading into 2024. Florida-based VITAS is a subsidiary of Chemed Corp. (NYSE: CHE). Though the company has not yet released financial guidance for 2024, VITAS anticipates a “predictable” year in terms of earnings and growth, executives said at Monday’s Bank of […]

Program Integrity, Health Equity, Workforce Pressures Top of Mind for Hospice Leaders in 2024

This year has brought both tumultuous challenges and evolving opportunities for hospices that will steer hospice leadership during 2024. Hospice News spoke with a group of industry leaders about the most impactful forces that will shape the space in the coming year. Some themes from last year have carried over as far as their biggest […]

How Quality, Utilization Will Shape Hospice M&A in 2024

Investment trends in the hospice industry have meandered in recent years, impacting providers’ approaches to growth in 2024. The mix of hospice buyers has become more diverse during the past five years to include more private equity investors, large health and hospital systems and home health companies, along with payers. These trends will have lasting […]

VITAS CMO Shega: Younger Patients Should Have Advance Care Plans

The benefits of advance care planning for seniors are well-documented, but younger adults should also ensure they are prepared for a life-threatening health crisis, according to Dr. Joseph Shega, executive vice president and chief medical officer for VITAS Healthcare, a subsidiary of Chemed Corp. (NYSE: CHEM). Data from some studies indicate that higher completion rates […]

VITAS Appoints 3 New Executives; Chemed CFO to Retire

VITAS Healthcare, a subsidiary of of Chemed Corp. (NYSE: CHE), has brought up from its ranks three new executive leaders. Meanwhile, its parent company Chemed has named a new CFO. As of 2020, Miami-based VITAS is the nation’s largest hospice provider by market share, operating 50 locations in 14 states. Through the third quarter of […]

Hospices Leverage Technology to Improve Patient, Employee Satisfaction, Reduce Turnover 

With burnout as a major cause of turnover, hospices are applying technology to take some of the pressure off of staff in hopes of boosting retention. A frequent goal is reducing the amount of time spent on documentation. Though complete and accurate documentation is essential to regulatory compliance, patient safety and securing payment, the sheer […]

Hiring Surge Propels Capacity, Revenue Gains for VITAS

Though its temporary bonus program has ended, VITAS Healthcare has built on the momentum it created with accelerated hiring and corresponding gains in capacity. VITAS is a subsidiary of Chemed Corp. (NYSE: CHE). The bonus program, which ended in July, included a one-time retention payment that ranges from $2,000 to $15,000 per employee for nurses, […]

2 Innovative Drivers ‘Reimagining’ Hospice Care

Technology and service diversification are two levers driving innovation in an evolving hospice landscape. Virtual care delivery processes are playing a key role in hospices’ ability to support both patients and staff as end-of-life care expands further upstream. The aging population has a variety of unmet medical and nonmedical needs in which hospices are well-suited […]