Feds charge 15 in SoCal hospice fraud crackdown 
MyNewsLA.com, Los Angeles, CA; by Contributing Editor; 4/2/26 
A Covina married couple — a psychologist and a registered nurse — were among 15 defendants facing federal charges Thursday in Los Angeles as part of a crackdown on health care fraud schemes such as sham hospice facilities that pay people without terminal illnesses to pose as dying Medicare beneficiaries. ... Three nurses, a chiropractor, and the Covina psychologist were among eight defendants recently arrested in the investigation local law enforcement dubbed “Operation Never Say Die.”
Editor's Note: For more details about the Covina married couple's case, continue reading for "Hospice where staggering 97% of terminal patients survive is accused of defrauding Medicare for $7.45 million."

Hospice of the Prairie & Prairie Home Health announces leadership transition 
The Dodge City Daily Globe, Dodge City, KS; by Tammy Lawson; 4/3/26 
Dodge City Hospice of the Prairie & Prairie Home Health ... announces an Executive Director leadership transition. After 25 years of service, Julie Pinkerton, BS RN CHPN, will step down as Executive Director. ... Under Julie's leadership, the organization experienced growth through increased usage of home health and hospice care throughout the service area while establishing organizational sustainability, working closely with frontline clinicians and community partners.
The organization is pleased to welcome Jeremy Rabe, MBA, as the new Executive Director of Hospice of the Prairie & Prairie Home Health. Jeremy brings more than 20 years of experience in healthcare leadership. ... Jeremy will begin his role as Executive Director on June 1 with Julie leaving the organization later in the summer.

National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD) — April 16 
The Conversation Project - Institute for Healthcare Improvement; retrieved from the internet 4/3/26
National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD) exists to inspire, educate and empower the public and providers about the importance of advance care planning.

• Make your advance care plan
• Join the movement
• Spread the word: Resources for getting started
• Download free Conversation Guides

Editor's Note: NHDD has long been marked by hospice and palliative care organizations through community outreach—offering education, Q&A, and support for completing and notarizing Advance Directives. Yet, the simpler starting point is within. Start with your leadership team. How many have completed, communicated, and filed their directives? Learn from hesitations. Remove barriers (access to forms, notarization). Aim for full readiness—while absolutely respecting privacy and different choices. If you’ve reached 100%, share it. Then extend this opportunity across employees, volunteers, and the communities you serve.

Moral distress and occupational burnout in US physicians 
JAMA Network; by Michael A. Tutty, PhD, MHA, Colin P. West, MD, PhD, Liselotte N. Dyrbye, MD, MHPE, Hanhan Wang, MPS, Lindsey E. Carlasare, MBA, Christine A. Sinsky, MD, Mickey Trockel, MD, PhD, Tait D. Shanafelt, MD; 3/24/26 
Question: What is the level of moral distress and the association between burnout, intent to leave (ITL), and intent to reduce work hours (ITR) among physicians and US workers?
Conclusion and Relevance:  In this survey study, moral distress was common among physicians and experienced at higher rates than the general US working population. Understanding the differences between moral distress and burnout may allow organizations to more effectively implement interventions to address both concerns among clinicians. 

Hyder Family Hospice House to close. Strafford County leader: 'We're broke' 
Seacoastonline, Dover, NH; by Karen Dandurant; 4/2/26 
Hyder Family Hospice House will close within a few weeks, Strafford County officials announced April 2, stating the decision reflects dire county finances. "We are not happy about it, but we are out of options," said County Commission Chair George Maglaras. "... We will try to find a way, maybe by renovating a wing at Riverside (Rest Home) that was closed during COVID, to find room for the few patients we currently have. This is very personal to me. We fought hard to keep this on county land. Closing this goes against every fiber of my being."

Blending storytelling with education: Southampton author’s book sheds light on hospice and palliative care 
Daily Hampshire Gazette; by Sam Ferland; 3/3/26 
When a loved one is dying, there is no specific script to freeze the flooding of emotions and decisions a family faces. But hospice nurse Maureen Groden believes bridges can be built through the power of storytelling to help guide families over the universal challenges faced as a loved one nears the end of life. “It’s about telling stories and listening to them too,” said Groden, who has more than 30 years of experience nursing in the Valley.

Hospice where staggering 97% of terminal patients survive is accused of defrauding Medicare for $7.45 million 
CBS News Bay Area; by Adam Yamaguchi, Laura Geller, Rachel Gold; 4/2/26 
The FBI arrested a married couple Thursday accused of fraudulently billing Medicare for $7.45 million while running a hospice with a survival rate reported to be more than 97% after five years. They were the first in a series of arrests planned Thursday, federal officials told CBS News. A high survival rate at a hospice provider is one of a series of red flags identified by state auditors for fraud because most people enter hospice care in the final stages of a terminal illness. In past cases of fraud, operators were found to be using false or stolen identities to collect federal reimbursements for palliative care. The targets of the early-morning operation were Gladwin and Amelou Gill, a doctor and psychologist who co-own 626 Hospice, which does business as St. Francis Palliative Care, according to the FBI. 
Editor's Note: For more arrests that occurred later on 4/2, read our post "Feds charge 15 in SoCal hospice fraud crackdown."

Joan Teno’s SOS Hospice Substack
Dr. Joan Teno is a health services researcher and practicing hospice physician. She started SOS Hospice as a space to share insights, data, and reflections about hospice care in the U.S. She seeks to connect research, policy, and real world experience to help make hospice care more transparent, understandable, and person centered.
Guest Editor Note by Dr. Ira Byock: Joan Teno has been a prolific health delivery and policy researcher. She creatively mines public health and health services data to reveal patterns and trends of hospice use – and identifies opportunities to expand access and improve quality of care. Now she is bringing her skills and insights to this new Substack. To the data wonks among us, SOS Hospice is a compelling read. I subscribed immediately!
Publisher's Note: I subscribed immediately, too!

Empath Health completes Trustbridge integration, creating Florida's largest non-profit hospice network and expanding home-based care vision 
Empath Health, Lakewood Ranch, FL; Press Release; 4/6/26 
Empath Health today announced the completion of Trustbridge's integration into its statewide network, finalizing a two-year affiliation that makes Empath Florida's largest non-profit hospice network and positions the organization to serve one in five hospice patients in Florida. ... Both will carry forward under the name Empath Trustbridge Hospice. ... Empath Trustbridge Hospice joins Empath Health's One Hospice Model alongside Empath Suncoast Hospice in the Tampa Bay region, Empath Tidewell Hospice on the Southwest Florida coast, and Empath Hospice of Marion County in Ocala, four legacy non-profit organizations with 40 to 50 years of community roots ...

The human thread: Weaving human-centered leadership in health care into culture transformation
Nurse Leader; by Stephanie Lonzo, Lindsey Colangelo, Kay Kennedy, Lucy Lecler, Susan Campis; 3/26
A large community hospital embraced implementation of Human-Centered Leadership in Health Care by including leaders from every discipline in a hybrid-style leadership development program. After completing the program, the leaders participated in the development of a hospital-wide brand statement which served as a collective WHY for the organization. This statement, which included human-centered principles, provided alignment, connection, and accountability across the organization. Leaders led differently, prioritizing care for self, and leading others in a relational approach. The culture transformation resulted in improved staff engagement, retention, patient experience, and quality outcomes. The senior nurse leaders share their culture transformation experience.

Hospice groups: 2.4% proposed pay raise threatens care delivery 
Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 4/3/26 
Two of the nation’s largest hospice trade organizations decried a proposed 2.4% hospice base rate increase as inadequate in today’s financial climate. The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on Thursday issued its proposed payment rule for hospices in 2027 containing a 2.4% payment increase. If finalized, this would result in a $785 million payment boost from Fiscal Year 2026. The amount of the proposed pay raise puts the sustainability of hospice care in jeopardy, according to Linda Couch, senior vice president for policy at LeadingAge.

If you get tired, learn to rest not quit. ~Unknown