Literature Review

207 community hospital presidents and CEOs to know | 2025 Becker's Hospital Review; by Anna Falvey; 7/11/25 Community hospitals play a vital role in closing healthcare access gaps, and the CEOs who lead them are committed to providing high-quality, cost-effective care tailored to the needs of their local communities. While many community hospitals focus on acute care, these forward-thinking CEOs are also expanding services to include primary care, specialty treatments, rehabilitation, public health programs and beyond. They are responsible for shaping a positive workplace culture, steering long-term strategy, growing service lines and ensuring financial sustainability, all with their communities at the heart.Editor's Note: While most of these hospitals provide palliative care and partner with hospice care, these presidents/CEOs are identified providing "hospice" care.

Hill Country vigil draws hundreds after deadly Texas floods MYSA, San Antonio, TX; by Nicholas Hernandez; 7/11/25 ... On Thursday, July 10, hundreds gathered downtown for a Candlelight Vigil of Hope to honor those affected [by the "catastophic flood"] and shine a light on the importance of grief and mental health support in the wake of disaster. Organized by River City Advocacy in partnership with Hope Hospice and other local nonprofits, the event brought together counselors, community leaders and families. Handheld candles were distributed at the plaza, where people stood shoulder-to-shoulder in silence, prayer and remembrance.Editor's Note: Thank you Hope Hospice for your leadership in providing this meaningful way to gather and grieve. Calling all hospice leaders to simply "check in" on employees who have family and friends in affected areas when such crises occur. Other recent examples include Hurricanes Helene & Milton, the Los Angeles wildfires, Kentucky floods, and these Texas / New Mexico floods. Your kind words can make a lasting difference.

HPCC 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.

The leadership norms CEOs are breaking Becker's Hospital Review; by Kristin Kuchno; 7/2/25 From rejecting strict hierarchies to forging unconventional partnerships, hospital and health system CEOs are challenging long-held leadership norms to build stronger, more responsive organizations. ... Here, six healthcare CEOs share the norms they have intentionally moved past — and what their teams have gained in the process.

Health care attorneys: Hospice investigations coming from all sides Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 7/8/25 Hospices are subject to a rising number of investigations and audits from Medicare contractors, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General and, in some cases, the U.S. Justice Department, among others. Hospices need to understand the various types of investigations they may encounter and how to respond to them. Key factors are completely and accurately documenting the medical necessity of the care they receive. Hospice News sat down with Guillermo Beades and Todd Brower, partners with the law firm Frier Levitt to discuss the ins-and-outs of hospice investigations and how providers should respond.

How to give physicians autonomy—and protect them from burnout American Medical Association (AMA); by Georgia Garvey; 7/1/25 Almost everyone appreciates having autonomy at work. But when physicians spend more than a decade in high-stakes and grueling medical training, only to enter practice with virtually no control over their work environment, schedule or day, it can lead to the kind of spiraling frustration that often turns into burnout or leaving the profession entirely. “It’s one of those things where the more you try to micromanage a physician’s schedule, the more a feeling of distrust you give to the physicians ...” said Jill Jin, MD, MPH, an internist and senior physician adviser for the AMA, one of the authors of the AMA STEPS Forward® “Value of Feeling Valued Playbook.” ... Though the percentages of those experiencing burnout have declined from the peak during the COVID-19 public health emergency, 43.2% of physicians still say they have at least one symptom of burnout.  ... When physicians feel valued—... as competent professionals who have devoted immense time and energy to becoming experts at their jobs—it is proven to be positively associated with lower levels of burnout.

Visiting nurse organization makes interim leader permanent Valley News, White River Junction, VT; by Lukas Dunford; 7/3/25 The board of Visiting Nurse and Hospice for Vermont and New Hampshire has appointed a new chief executive officer. Tammy L. Tarsa, who has served as interim CEO and president of VNH since March, will replace Johanna Beliveau, who served as CEO from 2018 to 2025. Tarsa began at VNH as chief clinical officer in 2022. Since then, she led a financial sustainability plan and improved VNH’s hospice rating to four stars. The rating is based on a family caregiver experience survey, which the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or CMS, uses to assess the experiences of patients and their informal primary caregivers. Tarsa also increased payouts by 310% from the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Model, a program designed by the CMS to reward quality and efficiency in home health care. 

Natural disasters, climate change, and the impact on hospice and palliative care teams and their patients American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) Quarterly; by Larry Beresford; Summer 2025 Edition, 7/3/25 Several recent natural disasters, including highly destructive wildfires in Los Angeles and Maui and flooding in the North Carolina hills caused by rains from Hurricane Helene, have provided vivid reminders that disasters can happen anywhere, anytime. Hospice and palliative care providers, responsible for the care of patients with serious illnesses who live in their homes and in long-term care facilities, could be dealing with disruptions in power or phone service, other communication barriers, staffing shortages, impassible roads, even large-scale evacuations of their patients. ... Are agencies doing what they can to plan, prepare, and practice for managing disasters, which could also include human-caused crises or events like earthquakes that are not subject to weather or climate?

Hospice News ELEVATE: C-suite perspectives on hospice in 2025 Hospice News; by Sophie Knoelke; 6/30/25... This article is based on a Hospice News discussion with Susan Ponder-Stansel, CEO of Alivia Care, Scott Levy, Chief Government Affairs Officer for the National Alliance for Care at Home and Dr. Derrel Walker, CMO of The Pennant Group. This discussion took place on April 10th, 2025 during the Hospice ELEVATE conference. 

There’s a workplace leadership crisis. Here’s how to solve itForbes; by William Arruda; 6/22/25We’re living in a very different world. Just since Covid, many of the norms of business have evolved, making the workplace almost unrecognizable. AI is taking over (or at least it feels that way). There are more different generations working side-by-side, each with their own needs, expectations, and styles. Hybrid and remote work are making life more manageable for some, while at the same time reducing the sense of connection and belonging that many of us get from work. And we haven’t even touched on the geopolitical events that are impacting virtually every industry and role. All of these changes are having a major impact on leadership. [Key points include:]

Barbara Pearce honored at CT Hospice Gala for extraordinary leadership through challenging times The LaGrange Daily News, Branford, CT; by PR Newswire; 6/18/25 Barbara L. Pearce was honored for her "extraordinary leadership" during a pivotal period in The Connecticut Hospice's history at the organization's annual Bloom Gala. Held on the scenic waterfront grounds of The Connecticut Hospice in Branford, this year's gala celebrated Pearce's exceptional guardianship through a challenging time in the non-profit's 51-year history and welcomed Sylvia Allais as the new president and CEO. In 2019, Pearce accepted a temporary leadership role at Connecticut Hospice, the nation's first provider of palliative and end-of-life care for patients and their families. What was intended as a six-month interim role became a six-year commitment, with Pearce becoming the organization's president and CEO. During her tenure, Pearce secured the financial stability of Connecticut Hospice, enabling its vital mission of providing compassionate support—both at home and at the 52-bed inpatient facility—to continue for generations to come.

Bossed around? Six ways to deal with difficult leadersBrain Circuits; by Merete Wedell-Wedellsborg; 6/11/25 Have you ever experienced behavior by a leader that defies conventional norms of engagement? Merete Wedell-Wedellsborg suggests strategies to handle bosses who dispense with widely accepted norms of civility, empathy, and ethical leadership.

The skills and habits aspiring CEOs need to build Harvard Business Review (HBR) - Leadership; by Vasundhara Sawhney; 6/12/25 It’s no secret that today’s business environment is volatile and unpredictable. ... CEOs have a fresh set of challenges that the standard management playbook is ill-equipped to address. As a result, many are heading for the exit. According to one survey of U.S. companies, nearly 2,000 CEOs announced their departures in 2024—the highest total on record. At the same time, executive recruiters report that fewer people are interested in, or ready to, replace these exiting CEOs. ... [We] reached out to three experts ... [and] specifically asked: What skills and behaviors should aspiring CEOs prioritize on building now to thrive in an increasingly complex world? And how can organizations support them in building these skills? Here are their answers, edited for clarity. ...