Literature Review

Healthcare leaders break down hospice reform, Medicare & quality care | part one Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast hosted by Chris Comeaux with Tom Koutsoumpas and Carole Fisher; 5/6/26 In Part One of Healthcare Leaders Break Down Hospice Reform, Medicare & Quality Care, Chris Comeaux sits down with nationally respected healthcare leaders Tom Koutsoumpas, Founder & CEO of NPHI and Carole Fisher, President of NPHI to explore the evolving future of hospice, palliative care, Medicare oversight, and the growing demand for quality-driven, compassionate healthcare leadership. Together, they unpack the growing challenges facing end-of-life care — from fraud and benefit manipulation to the urgent need for quality transparency and authentic patient-centered care.

Cambia Health Foundation releases comprehensive evaluation of Sojourns Scholar Leadership ProgramBusiness Wire, Portland, OR; Press Release; 4/30/26 Cambia Health Foundation today released the results of a comprehensive evaluation of its Sojourns Scholar Leadership Program, demonstrating the significant impact of a 10-year, $25 million investment in developing the next generation of palliative care leaders. The evaluation, conducted by Future Work Design, confirms that the program successfully achieved its goals of identifying, cultivating and advancing emerging leaders who are transforming care for people with serious illness, while generating insights and capturing key learnings.

Opinion: Restoring trust in hospice begins with ending Medicare fraud The Hill, Washington, DC; Opinion Contributor, Jennifer Sheets, CEO of the National Alliance for Care at Home; 4/28/26 ... While losing someone you love is excruciating, many families — including my own — feel a sense of relief by the comfort and improved quality of life that hospice offers. As a mother, nurse, and full-time caregiver for my own mom during her end-of-life journey, I am forever grateful for the providers who supported our family during our most difficult moments. So, when I hear instances of malicious hospice fraud, I am outraged — not just for the taxpayer who becomes the victim of waste, but ultimately for the individuals who could be deprived of this important care option because of the harmful actions of others. ... A recent study revealed that, understandably, older adults consider trustworthiness as extremely or very important when choosing a provider. It’s not lost on hospice professionals that trust is essential to our relationships with patients. We must give them every reason to believe in us — and most providers do by delivering compliant, patient-centered, and clinically appropriate care to patients with complex needs. 

Health systems add IT leadership roles Becker's Hospital Review; by Naomi Diaz; 4/24/26 Hospitals and health systems are adding new executive positions to address the growing demands of artificial intelligence governance, cybersecurity and data management. Many of the roles being created are inaugural appointments, reflecting a shift in how organizations are structuring technology leadership. From chief digital officers to AI strategy leads, hospitals are redefining their IT structures to enhance cybersecurity, data management and innovation. Here are new IT roles hospitals and health systems have added to their C-suites since March 17: ...

AI Innovation Series 2026: Executive views on the future of AI in hospice care Hospice News; by eecker2025; 4/27/26 This series of articles is sponsored by MatrixCare. Featured leaders include the following:

What Gallup's recent data says about the emotional price of leadership Forbes; by Julian Hayes II; 4/25/26 Leadership offers deep fulfillment, but it's not without its challenges. Gallup's 2026 State of the Global Workplace report confirms this: leaders outperform all others in engagement and life satisfaction. ... Compared to individual contributors, leaders are more likely to report high levels of stress, anger, sadness, and loneliness by margins of 7, 12, 11, and 10 percentage points, respectively. ... Leadership, more often than not, entails a paradox: the people with the most authority, the highest compensation, and the greatest organizational influence are less likely to experience simple daily joys and other basic emotional pleasures than those several levels below them.

Tom Koutsoumpas: California’s hospice fraud crisis demands action Redlands Daily Facts | Commentary; by Tom Koutsoumpas; 4/23/26 Throughout the 1980s, in the early days of building hospice care into the American healthcare system, those of us on the frontlines helped shape what would become the Medicare hospice benefit. It was a turning point in how this country cares for people at the end of life. At its core, the hospice benefit is simple. ... For millions of families, it has meant more dignity, more support, and more time focused on what matters most. That’s why the scale of fraudulent hospice activity in California is so deeply concerning. This is not a gray area. It is widespread fraud, targeting vulnerable patients and exploiting gaps in oversight.

Future-proofing care: the challenges we face in hospice and palliative care | part one Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast hosted by Chris Comeaux with Cordt Kassner; 4/22/26In this special reverse-role episode, Chris Comeaux steps into the guest seat as Cordt Kassner leads a deep dive into one of the most comprehensive strategic frameworks developed for hospice and palliative care organizations which was developed by TCN and it’s members. In Part One of this forward-looking series, Chris unpacks the foundational challenges shaping the future of hospice and palliative care.  Drawing from nearly a decade of strategic research and collaboration with healthcare leaders, he introduces a powerful framework built around eight core challenges that every organization must navigate. From intensifying competition to shifting reimbursement models, this conversation equips leaders with a clearer lens to anticipate disruption and respond with intention.

Future-proofing care: the challenges we face in hospice and palliative care | part one Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast hosted by Chris Comeaux with Cordt Kassner; 4/22/26In this special reverse-role episode, Chris Comeaux steps into the guest seat as Cordt Kassner leads a deep dive into one of the most comprehensive strategic frameworks developed for hospice and palliative care organizations which was developed by TCN and it’s members. In Part One of this forward-looking series, Chris unpacks the foundational challenges shaping the future of hospice and palliative care.  Drawing from nearly a decade of strategic research and collaboration with healthcare leaders, he introduces a powerful framework built around eight core challenges that every organization must navigate. From intensifying competition to shifting reimbursement models, this conversation equips leaders with a clearer lens to anticipate disruption and respond with intention.

Hosparus Health names Becky Tooker as President Hosparus Health, Louisville, KY; Press Release; 4/20/2026 Hosparus Health, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit providers of hospice and serious illness care, has named Becky Tooker as President, effective April 6. Tooker brings more than 25 years of leadership experience in hospice, home health and post-acute care and a strong commitment to patient-centered care. Most recently Tooker served in a senior leadership role with St. Croix Hospice, where she oversees statewide operations including clinical quality, regulatory compliance and performance improvement. ... David W. Cook, CEO of Hosparus Health, said he looks forward to partnering with Tooker as the organization continues expanding services for patients and families across Kentucky and Southern Indiana.

Carve-in or carve-out? The future of hospice under Medicare Advantage | part one Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast hosted by Chris Comeaux with Robin Hefferman; 4/15/26In Part One of this thought-provoking conversation, Chris Comeaux and Robin Heffernan, PhD, Co-Founder and CEO of Empassion, explore the evolving intersection of private equity, artificial intelligence, and end-of-life care—raising critical questions about accountability, quality, and the future of hospice under Medicare Advantage. As the healthcare system shifts toward value-based models, the discussion challenges long-held assumptions about whether hospice should remain “carved out” or be fully integrated into payer responsibility.

St. Croix Hospice CCO: transparency, compliance fosters growthHospice News; by Jim Parker; 4/15/26Tami Johnson-White is the newly appointed chief compliance officer for St. Croix Hospice. Johnson-White brings 30 years of health care leadership experience to St. Croix Hospice. St. Croix Hospice operates more than 85 locations across Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Hospice News sat down with Johnson-White to talk about her priorities as she comes into her new role, the top compliance issues facing hospices today and how they can prepare for audits.

Lower Cape Fear LifeCare names new CEO after national search WWAY News, Wilmington, NC; by WWAY News; 4/15/26 Lower Cape Fear LifeCare has named Karen Brubaker Miller as its next president and chief executive officer following a national search. According to LifeCare, Brubaker Miller will become only the fourth CEO in the organization’s 46-year history, succeeding Gwen Whitley. The organization said its board of directors partnered with a national search firm and reviewed several candidates before selecting Brubaker Miller for the role. “After meeting Karen, I knew we had found the right person to lead LifeCare forward,” Whitley said. “She brings the experience, judgment, and compassion that align with who we are and the care we provide every day.”