Literature Review
All posts tagged with “Hospice Provider News | Utilization.”
Ok, please help calm my anxiety. My mother has drastically improved in the last couple of days since going on hospice.
07/22/25 at 03:00 AMOk, please help calm my anxiety. My mother has drastically improved in the last couple of days since goin on hospice. Aging Care; by Oedgar23; 7/17/25 So in the hospital, my mother was in kidney failure. The last couple days after stopping vancomycin for about five days, her GFR had come up to 19. That’s the most recent Number and then they stopped drawing labs because we placed her on Hospice. We consulted with palliative care team. They wanted to do a feeding tube and we said no. They said she had advanced dementia. [Describes improvements since hospice.] ... What if she gets taken off hospice? ... What if she no longer qualifies for hospice, passes as normal cognitively, starts demanding to go home, does not qualify for long-term care, Medicaid, etc. ... But I am super unnerved because she looks a whole lot better than she has been looking. ...Editor's Note: Yes, we all know that the person can get better with hospice care, because of holistic person-centered care, caregiver education and support, and many more factors. This can be confusing. The dying trajectory may have been interrupted or simply calmed with better symptom management and quality of life. This daughter is asking normal, crucial questions which the hospice team needs to be addressing with her. Examine your live discharge data, Policies and Procedures, communication practices with the patient and family about recertifications, Incident Reports from upset caregivers/families, and CAHPS Hospice scores.
[England] £75 Million boost for hospices to transform end-of-life care
07/22/25 at 03:00 AM[England] £75 Million boost for hospices to transform end-of-life care Gov*UK, Department of Health and Social Care; Press Release, Stephen Kinnock, MP; 7/20/25 Families will see further improvements in end-of-life care as the government releases £75 million for hospices to deliver major upgrades and enhancements to facilities including separate family rooms, solar panels to reduce energy costs and communal lounges. More than 170 hospices across England will receive a share of the funding – the largest cash injection ever – to ensure patients receive the highest quality end-of-life care in comfortable, dignified surroundings. It follows a £25 million boost in February, delivering the government’s £100 million investment confirmed in December. This is already supporting urgent building repairs and creating warmer, homely spaces. This cash marks a further step in the delivery of the government’s Plan for Change, improving care in the community where people need it most.
Hospice of the Piedmont CEO: Doubling down on community-based support
07/21/25 at 03:00 AMHospice of the Piedmont CEO: Doubling down on community-based support Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 7/16/25 Virginia-based Hospice of the Piedmont is sharpening its focus on home-based care services and unfurling several initiatives in this realm. The future of end-of-life care delivery has increasingly shifted into the home, according to Nancy Littlefield, president and CEO at Hospice of the Piedmont. While demand for facility-based hospice care is also rising, sustaining these services has become increasingly difficult, she indicated. Several hospices have shuttered their facility-based programs in recent years, with many citing financial headwinds as a leading reason fueling inpatient center closures. Financial strains were among the challenges that led to the difficult decision to close Hospice of the Piedmont’s Center for Acute Hospice Care, Littlefield said. ... Hospice News recently sat down with Littlefield to learn more about how hospices are sustaining and growing their services in today’s economic and financial climate.
[Norway] iLIVE volunteer study: Volunteer and healthcare professional perceptions of newly developed hospital end-of-life-care volunteer services, in five countries
07/19/25 at 03:00 AM[Norway] iLIVE volunteer study: Volunteer and healthcare professional perceptions of newly developed hospital end-of-life-care volunteer services, in five countriesPalliative Medicine; Tamsin McGlinchey, Stephen Mason, Grethe Skorpen Iversen, Dagny Faksvåg Haugen, Inmaculada Ruiz Torreras, Pilar Barnestein Fonseca, Miša Bakan, Berivan Yildiz, Ruthmarijke Smeding, Anne Goossensen, Agnes van der Heide, John Ellershaw; 5/25Volunteer services that provide direct support to patients receiving palliative and end-of-life care in hospitals are new and developing, but little is known about the use and experience of such services from key stakeholders. 20 Volunteers and 20 healthcare professionals were recruited. Three overall themes were generated: (1) Volunteers provided 'unique, distinct, 'community' support' bringing familiarity to an unfamiliar, medically focussed environment. (2) Volunteers were able to 'establish a connection centred on 'being there' within the acute hospital environment' despite the fast paced and highly changeable environment. (3) Through 'relational interactions adapted to the individual person' volunteers attended to patients' existential and emotional needs. These services confer benefits that are transferrable across cultures and countries, 'fusing' formal care with the informal visiting of family or friends, attending to patients' existential needs.
Understanding the influence of culture on end-of-life, palliative, and hospice care: A narrative review
07/18/25 at 03:00 AMUnderstanding the influence of culture on end-of-life, palliative, and hospice care: A narrative review Cureus; by Veena Hira, Sainamitha R. Palnati, and Saajan Bhakta; 7/15/25 ... This narrative review included 25 relevant publications related to influence of culture and patient demographics on end-of-life care, hospice, and palliative care. As each culture has its own unique views on death and dying, it is crucial to note these cultural differences when assisting with end-of-life care to best align with patients’ beliefs and values. Themes such as cultural barriers, communication preferences and family roles emerged from the publications. ... This narrative review offered a snapshot of how culture influences end-of-life decisions worldwide, specifically in East Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and North America, while highlighting themes of 1) truth disclosure and communication preferences, 2) patient autonomy and family involvement, and 3) perception of illness and death. ... Central to providing effective end-of-life care is open, culturally tailored communication that respects patients’ and families’ values, facilitated through shared decision-making discussions. ... Ultimately, integrating cultural understandings of death and dying into end-of-life care planning is not simply a matter of sensitivity, but it is a matter of quality and equity. Health systems must not only provide choices but ensure those choices are intelligible, meaningful, and respectful within the patient’s worldview.Editor's Note: Pair this today's post, My health and my politics walk into a doctor’s office …
Agrace opens western Wisconsin office in La Crosse
07/18/25 at 03:00 AMAgrace opens western Wisconsin office in La Crosse WisBusiness, La Crosse, WI; Press Release; 7/16/25 Agrace continues its rapid growth across the state of Wisconsin with the opening of a new office in La Crosse, a western-Wisconsin city of 52,000 located along the Mississippi River. Since its founding in Madison, Wis., in 1978, Agrace has provided exceptional care for the state’s residents who are in the final months of life. The new Agrace location gives residents of La Crosse County greater choice for high-quality, in-home hospice care. County residents can enroll with Wisconsin’s largest nonprofit hospice to receive hospice care that comes to them where they live—in private homes, long-term care facilities or any other place they call home.
Hosparus Health plans to create end-of-life care center
07/17/25 at 03:00 AMHosparus Health plans to create end-of-life care center Spectrum News 1, Louisville/Lexington, KY; by Destinee Flowers; 7/16/25 Plans for Louisville’s first inpatient, standalone hospice care center are underway, as a part of Hosparus Health’s ongoing efforts to provide comfortable end-of-life care for seniors and their loved ones. ... Tawanda Owsley, Hosparus Health chief development and marketing officer [described], "We will have a 21-bed, 10,000-square-foot unit ... [and that] the new facility will replace a traditional hospital setting with a warmer one while still providing high-level clinical care. It will have private rooms to accommodate family members, bathrooms in each care room, a chapel, kitchen, children’s room and an outdoor garden area. “[Our] healing garden will be a pathway from our inpatient care center to our grief counseling center," she said. ... This end-of-life care center is the third project in Hosparus Health’s “Places of Compassion” initiative, an action to modernize hospice care in anticipation of the aging Baby Boomer population.
The Alliance’s CaringInfo Program launches new “Planning for In-Home Care” section
07/17/25 at 03:00 AMThe Alliance’s CaringInfo Program launches new “Planning for In-Home Care” section National Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC; Press Release; 7/16/25 CaringInfo.org, a program of the National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance), is expanding its resources with a new website section – “Planning for In-Home Care” – as well as a brand refresh to align with its growing audience. CaringInfo provides free resources to educate and empower patients and caregivers to make informed decisions about home, serious illness, and end-of-life care and services. While CaringInfo began with a focus on serious illness and end-of-life care and support, the program’s content is expanding to provide information and resources on the full spectrum of home-based care services. As a first step in this expansion, CaringInfo has launched “Planning for In-Home Care,” a new section on the website focused on the various types of care available at home.
Video palliative care improves symptoms but not outcomes in rural hospitals, study reveals
07/17/25 at 03:00 AMVideo palliative care improves symptoms but not outcomes in rural hospitals, study reveals McKnights Long-Term Care News; by Donna Shryer; 7/15/25 Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham recently studied whether video consultations could improve palliative care for patients age 55 and older in small hospitals lacking specialized end-of-life services. Participants had an average age of 73. The study, published in JAMA Network Open, found that culturally tailored video consultations — designed with community input to reflect patients’ cultural values and communication preferences — led to a clinically meaningful but not statistically significant reduction in symptom distress. ... [The] video consultations had little effect on hospital readmissions or emergency department visits. The research addressed a critical healthcare gap, as the study notes that only 70% of the Deep South has access to palliative care services, compared to 85-94% in other US regions. This disparity particularly affects rural communities where specialized end-of-life care is often unavailable.
Leveraging speedy admissions to support hospice growth
07/17/25 at 03:00 AMLeveraging speedy admissions to support hospice growth Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 7/16/25 Seamless and fast admissions processes are crucial to hospice growth. Speedy hospice patient admissions can lead to improved referral numbers, profitability and length of stay. Yet, hospices need to carefully navigate their patient admission processes to maximize both quality and their revenue. The hospices that do this effectively have a core set of key performance indicators that they look at consistently, according to Tony Kudner, chief strategy officer of the consulting firm Transcend Strategy Group. “The ones that look at data and are constantly asking themselves, ‘How can we paint the fullest picture of eligibility and get to that patient as quickly as possible?’ are the ones that we would say are the ones that are successful,” Kudner told Hospice News. “The people who have that information at their fingertips and use it to drive decision making are usually the ones who are sustaining their organizations and growing.”
St. Croix Hospice opens four new locations in second quarter 2025
07/16/25 at 03:00 AMSt. Croix Hospice opens four new locations in second quarter 2025 PR Newswire, Mendota Heights, MN; by St. Croix Hospice; 7/15/25 St. Croix Hospice expanded in the second quarter of 2025 with the opening of four additional branches across three states. The new locations include:
Time and location of specialty palliative care for women dying with metastatic breast cancer
07/16/25 at 03:00 AMTime and location of specialty palliative care for women dying with metastatic breast cancer Breast Cancer Research and Treatment; by Andrea King, Cynthia Ortiz, Rachna Goswami, Tara L Kaufmann, MinJae Lee, Lynn Ibekwe-Agunanna, Navid Sadeghi, Donghan M Yang, Lindsay G Cowell, Timothy P Hogan, Lauren P Wallner, Megan A Mullins; 7/15/25 online ahead of print Background: Despite guideline recommendations, evidence suggests many women with metastatic breast cancer (mBC) do not receive specialty palliative care services despite high morbidity burden. ... Results: ... Most palliative care encounters were inpatient and occurred within ~ 1 month of death. ...Conclusion: Palliative care for women with mBC is infrequent and often late, with referrals seemingly driven by the imminence of death rather than metastatic diagnosis. Strategies to better identify and triage specialty palliative care needs and make timely referrals are needed.
World Hospice & Palliative Care Day 2025 Achieving the Promise: Universal access to palliative care
07/15/25 at 02:30 AMWorld Hospice & Palliative Care Day 2025 Achieving the Promise: Universal access to palliative care ehospice; by Stephen Connor; 7/7/25 This year we celebrate the 20th anniversary of World Hospice & Palliative Care Day (World Day). ... World Day is organised by the Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance each second Saturday in October, this year on 11 October 2025, on behalf of the global palliative care community, including international, national, and regional palliative care organisations such as the IAHPC, ICPCN, PallCHASE, APCA, EAPC, ALCP, APHN, and including national organisations such as the IAPC. ... This year’s theme, Achieving the Promise: Universal Access to Palliative Care, builds on last year’s to explore what is needed in the coming 5-10 years to build toward universal access to palliative care, especially as part of universal health coverage. The subthemes this year are:
The grave outlook for hospice family caregivers
07/14/25 at 03:00 AMThe grave outlook for hospice family caregivers Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 7/10/25 The state of family caregiving in the United States has reached a critical tipping point amid rising demand for end-of-life care and insufficient resources. Many family caregivers are ill-equipped to navigate the complexities of supporting a loved one with a terminal illness, according to Dr. Arul Thangavel, CEO of the advance care planning company WiserCare. Thangavel is also an attending physician at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Among the issues is that conversations about the end of life and goals of care are often brought up far too late in a disease trajectory, Thangavel said. This trend leaves families grappling with uncertainty, moral distress, guilt and compounded grief in the decision-making process, he stated.
VA announces expanded burial benefits for those under VA-provided hospice care
07/14/25 at 03:00 AMVA announces expanded burial benefits for those under VA-provided hospice care Tri-State Alert; by Staff Report; 7/11/25 The Department of Veterans Affairs announced today it has temporarily expanded burial benefits for certain Veterans, per the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act. The new law specifies eligible Veterans are those who are discharged from VA-provided medical or nursing care to receive VA-provided hospice care at their home and who pass away between July 1, 2025, and Oct. 1, 2026. Previously, Veterans who died at home under VA hospice care after discharge from VA-provided medical or nursing care were not always eligible for a full VA burial allowance. The Dole Act addresses that gap.
Addressing the underutilization of hospice care in Asian American communities: A scoping review
07/12/25 at 03:15 AMAddressing the underutilization of hospice care in Asian American communities: A scoping reviewAmerican Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine; Tuzhen Xu, PhD, APRN, FNP-C; Dan Song, PhD, RN; Gloria M. Rose, PhD, NP-C; 6/25Despite national improvements in hospice care, utilization remains low among Asian American (AA) communities. Identified barriers to hospice utilization included language and communication challenges; cultural values and beliefs surrounding death; family-centered decision-making and filial piety; religious influences such as beliefs in karma and suffering; and broader issues like low acculturation and mistrust of the healthcare system. Comprehensive cultural competence training is needed for healthcare providers, especially physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, and social workers involved in hospice and palliative care.
HPCC strengthens commitment to DEIB across credentialing programs
07/11/25 at 03:00 AMHPCC strengthens commitment to DEIB across credentialing programs Hospice & Palliative Nurses Association / Foundation / Credentialing Center (HPNA/HPNF/HPCC); Press Release; 7/10/25 In 2025, the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC) has continued its implementation of strategic initiatives that advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) across its credentialing programs. From in-depth exam item reviews to national outreach and inclusive resource development, HPCC remains committed to ensuring fairness and inclusivity in all certification processes. The following strategic initiatives reflect the progress HPCC has made and showcase the future direction of its DEIB efforts. ... This work is part of HPCC’s broader goal to strengthen the inclusivity of its credentialing programs. As HPCC explores the expansion of DIF analyses across additional certification exams, the organization remains rooted in its mission.
Pallitus Health Partners receives CHAP Accreditation for Adult Palliative Care and Pediatric Care Certification for Kourageous Kids
07/10/25 at 03:00 AMPallitus Health Partners receives CHAP Accreditation for Adult Palliative Care and Pediatric Care Certification for Kourageous Kids Pallitus Health Partners, Louisville, KY; Press Release; 7/8/25 Community Health Accreditation Partner, Inc. (CHAP) has awarded Care Guide Partners, Inc. (dba Pallitus Health Partners) CHAP Accreditation under the CHAP Palliative Care Standards of Excellence. The nonprofit also received certification for its Kourageous Kids (KKids) palliative care program. CHAP Accreditation demonstrates that Pallitus Health Partners meets the industry’s highest nationally recognized standards. The rigorous evaluation by CHAP focuses on structure and function, quality of services and products, human and financial resources, and long-term viability. Simply stated, adherence to CHAP’s standards leads to better quality care. ... Pallitus Health Partners, an affiliate of Hosparus Health, offers comprehensive palliative care for serious illnesses in Kentucky and Indiana. Editor's Note: Congratulations to Pallitus Health Partners and Hosparus Health! This accreditation marks yet another milestone of excellence this organization—originally founded as Hospice of Louisville—which pioneered one of the nation’s first pediatric hospice teams in 1980. I had the privilege of serving on the Pediatric Team of Hospice & Palliative Care of Louisville from 1997 to 2001. Profound experiences with these children, their parents, siblings, grandparents, our dedicated team members, and community partners are forever embedded in me. They continue to shape my perspective and purpose in my role as editor in chief of this newsletter.
Monroe Community Hospital awarded $50,000 grant for new Hospice and Palliative Care Center
07/10/25 at 03:00 AMMonroe Community Hospital awarded $50,000 grant for new Hospice and Palliative Care Center NBC News, Rochester, NY; by Kiley Wren; 7/3/25 The Max and Marian Farash Charitable Foundation has awarded Monroe Community Hospital a $50,000 grant, which will help them build a Hospice and Palliative Care Center. The grant will help with building a 25-bed space, providing end-of-life care that MCH says will offer a “home-like environment” that provides emotional support, comfort, and privacy for people in their final days. Construction of the new unit is currently underway and hopes to be open this summer.
[England] Marie Curie hospice unit to close permanently
07/10/25 at 03:00 AM[England] Marie Curie hospice unit to close permanently BBC News; Liverpool, England; by Angela Ferguson and Marc Gaier; 7/5/25 Liverpool's Marie Curie hospice inpatient unit is to shut permanently after it was temporarily closed last year, the charity has said. The hospice's 26-bed unit in Woolton was closed in July 2024 due to a shortage of specialist nursing staff. Chief executive Matthew Reed said it was "an incredibly tough decision" in the face of "significant financial deficits" but they remained committed to providing care in other ways. Campaigners from the Liverpool Hospice Action Group described the news as "devastating" and called on Marie Curie to allow another provider to step in and run the unit.Editor's Note: Closing Marie Curie's hospice inpatient unit is significant and reflects trends throughout the UK. Though the international articles we post are limited, Hospice & Palliative Care Today has published 16 articles from or about Marie Curie's hospice services in the shart 16 months of our newsletter.
Hospice programs shutter amid financial strains
07/08/25 at 03:00 AMHospice programs shutter amid financial strains Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 7/3/25 Financial and staffing headwinds are chipping away at hospices’ sustainability, with some providers recently pausing or closing their programs. Concerns have also mounted amid federal Medicaid cuts.
Center for Acute Hospice Care to close in August
07/07/25 at 03:00 AMCenter for Acute Hospice Care to close in August 29 News, Charlottesville, VA; by Jacob Phillips; 7/1/25 After nearly a decade of offering around-the-clock end-of-life care, Hospice of the Piedmont is closing their Center for Acute Hospice Care (CAHC) on Ivy Road in Charlottesville in August. “It gives us an opportunity to concentrate more on where patients want to be, which is home, and those services will still be provided,” Hospice of the Piedmont President and CEO Nancy Littlefield said. “[CAHC] is a 10-bed unit that we lease...and it’s for patients who might be having needs of a higher level of hospice care.” Littlefield says the main reason for closing the center is the lease is coming to an end and with uncertainty surrounding federal budget cuts of hospice care, continuing in this location is not sustainable. “Our hospice, as well as all hospices across the state, are having to be very cautious about what Medicaid and other reimbursement changes may occur under the current administration,” Littlefield said, “and I think the worst thing we can do for families and patients is to not be prepared.”
Avera Medical Minute: Family shares their experience with hospice care
07/07/25 at 03:00 AMAvera Medical Minute: Family shares their experience with hospice care Dakota News Now, Sioux Falls, SD; by Dakota News Now staff; 6/30/25 Hospice care is more than just medical support. At the Dougherty Hospice House, it can be considered a home away from home, where staff aim to offer patients and their families the assistance and comfort they need during this difficult time. In this Avera Medical Minute, one Sioux Falls family shares how, thanks to the hospice team, they were able to focus on spending time with their loved one. Craig Lloyd was known as a development leader in the Sioux Falls community, building homes and more throughout the city. “He had a big heart, so he just kept trying to improve things, his thought was always ‘God put me on this Earth to make it better,’” said Craig’s wife, Pat Lloyd. ... Craig was also in Florida at the time when he needed hospice care and Pat credits the work of Avera and the hospice team in making a smooth transition for Craig from there to home in Sioux Falls and then to Dougherty Hospice House.
Chumash Tribe gives $15,000 to Hospice of Santa Barbara
07/02/25 at 03:00 AMChumash Tribe gives $15,000 to Hospice of Santa Barbara Noozhawk, Santa Barbara, CA; 7/1/25 The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians donated $15,000 to Hospice of Santa Barbara (HSB), supporting ongoing patient care services for some 800 people annually in the Santa Barbara community. ... “Hospice of Santa Barbara fills a critical need in the community, providing vital care and services to patients and their families,” said Kenneth Kahn, tribal chairman for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. “Our tribe is proud to support their efforts.” Over the past 13 years, they have donated a total of $63,000 toward the organization’s efforts to serve people in Santa Barbara experiencing a life-threatening illness or grieving the death of a loved one. “We are incredibly grateful for the support of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians,” said David Selberg, CEO of Hospice of Santa Barbara.
Trump administration to end 988 suicide prevention specialized service for LGBTQ+ youth in July
07/02/25 at 02:00 AMTrump administration to end 988 suicide prevention specialized service for LGBTQ+ youth in JulyCNN; by Jacqueline Howard; 6/18/25The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth will no longer be in operation starting July 17, according to a statement from the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). ... According to the latest data from SAMHSA, more than 14.5 million people have called, texted or sent chats to the 988 Lifeline and have been transferred to a crisis contact center since July 2022. Nearly 1.3 million of those were routed to the LGBTQ+ specialized service.Editor's Note: This 988 LGBTQ+ specialized option was piloted in September 2020, expanded on March 6, 2025, and rolled out fully nationwide in July 2023. This data translates to approximately 1,250 LGBTQ calls per day; 52 calls per hour; 1 call per minute. Who--in your world of family and friends--might this ultimately affect? Research, data, and personal stories (sure to be in each of our circles of family and friends) tell us why this matters. A resource for you to use is The Handbook of LGBTQIA-inclusive Hospice and Palliative Care, 2nd edition by Kimberly D. Acquaviva. This handbook is the first place winner, 2024 American Journal of Nursing Book of the Year Award in Palliative Care and Hospice.