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All posts tagged with “Palliative Care Provider News | Utilization.”
St. Croix Hospice expands care across five new locations
01/09/26 at 03:00 AMSt. Croix Hospice expands care across five new locations Investors Hangout; by Addison Perry; updated 1/6/26 St. Croix Hospice has taken a significant step forward in enhancing their hospice care services by opening five new branches. These locations are vital in expanding patient access to high-quality end-of-life care in different regions. ... The newly opened locations are:
Kobacker program moves to Ohio’s Hospice in landmark partnership preserving future of quality nonprofit end-of-life care
01/08/26 at 03:00 AMKobacker program moves to Ohio’s Hospice in landmark partnership preserving future of quality nonprofit end-of-life care US National Times, Columbus, OH; Press Release; 1/7/26 The Kobacker family today announced that Kobacker House, central Ohio’s pioneering inpatient hospice facility founded in 1989, will move and continue its mission under Ohio’s Hospice, the state’s largest nonprofit hospice provider. As part of the announcement, the family published a guiding charter, The Kobacker Way, which details fundamental principles for quality nonprofit hospice care. The full document is available at www.TheKobackerWay.org.
More services at Central Missouri hospital fall victim to economic pressures
01/08/26 at 03:00 AMMore services at Central Missouri hospital fall victim to economic pressures News Tribune, Kansas City, MO; by Meg Cunningham; 1/4/26 Fitzgibbon Hospital, a Central Missouri health care system, announced recently that it would shutter some services effective Dec. 31, citing mounting financial pressures. The nonprofit hospital said the closures will affect about 30 employees and hundreds of patients. Fitzgibbon, located in Marshall, operates several primary and specialty care clinics in Central Missouri. Services that are closing include the Grand River Medical Clinic in Brunswick, Fitzgibbon Family Health in Fayette, the hospital's inpatient behavioral health unit, a home health and hospice agency and a pain management clinic.
New hospice room at Crestview Manor helps homeless veterans
01/08/26 at 03:00 AMNew hospice room at Crestview Manor helps homeless veterans Crestview Bulletin, Crestview, FL; by Tony Judnich; 12/31/25 [On December 26,] a 60-year-old man who was a homeless military veteran became the first resident of the "Peoples Health Services Heroes Hospice Room" at the Creview Manor assisted-living facility. [The rest of the article is behind a paywall.]
Dying with dignity - personal perspective: The sacred ending we don’t talk about enough.
01/07/26 at 03:00 AMDying with dignity - personal perspective: The sacred ending we don’t talk about enough. Psychology Today; by Cynthia Chen-Joea DO, MPH, FAAFP, DABOM; 12/24/25 In the U.S., we spend enormous amounts of energy keeping people alive, curing, fixing, and prolonging life at all costs. What we rarely talk about is how people die. And more importantly, how poorly our system supports them when the end is clearly approaching. ... [Background story about her dad's Parkinson's and eventual death] ... Then came our request for hospice. After an evaluation, we were told he didn’t “qualify” because he had gained some weight and his albumin levels were “too high.” An arbitrary checklist, based on labs values, prevented him from getting into hospice. [Keep reading] So we tried for palliative care instead. I made call after call, only to be bounced between departments, many unclear on the difference between hospice and palliative care, ... Even as a physician, I was stunned by how many barriers we encountered simply trying to do the most humane thing: to advocate for dignity, comfort, and respect at the end of my father’s life.
Ready or not: Rapp at Home program is changing aging’s last chapter
01/06/26 at 03:00 AMReady or not: Rapp at Home program is changing aging’s last chapter Rappahannock News, Washington, VA; by Daphne Hutchinson; 1/4/26 Huntly resident Gwen Bates is good at getting people together. So when Rapp at Home (RaH), the county’s “senior village,” learned of a new program designed to help older adults navigate and plan for later life, Bates volunteered to organize the multi-faceted effort in Rappahannock. “She took the ball and ran with it,” RaH president Joyce Wenger says. Called Ready or Not (RON), the program was developed by Queen Anne’s at Home (QAH), a senior village located in Queen Anne’s County, Md. on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay.
'It’s comfort, dignity and time': Agrace receives CuddleCot donation from JackPack
01/06/26 at 03:00 AM'It’s comfort, dignity and time': Agrace receives CuddleCot donation from JackPack GazetteXtra, Janesville, WI; by Kylie Balk-Yaatenen; 1/4/26 For nearly a decade, a Janesville family has worked to ensure that parents facing the loss of a baby are given something they themselves never had: Time. Through The Jack Pack, a local nonprofit founded after the stillbirth of their son, Jack, in 2015, Jackie Harwick and her husband, Garrick, have donated 14 CuddleCots to hospitals and hospice providers across southern Wisconsin. Their most recent donation went to ... Agrace’s pediatric hospice program. A CuddleCot is a temperature-controlled bassinet insert that slows natural changes after death, allowing families to spend extended time with their baby; ... That time can allow parents to hold their child, invite loved ones to meet the baby, create memories and begin grieving in a more supported way.
Hospice: Care, commerce, and the cost of a separate category
01/06/26 at 03:00 AMHospice: Care, commerce, and the cost of a separate category The Pine Belt News, Hattiesburg, MS; by Cathy Eaker; 1/5/26 Hospice care is often presented as a compassionate alternative to aggressive medicine—a gentler path that prioritizes comfort, dignity, and peace at the end of life. In theory, it is a humane model. In practice, hospice exists at the intersection of care and commerce, and that intersection deserves far more scrutiny than it receives. ... That does not mean hospice nurses, aides, social workers, or chaplains are unethical. Quite the opposite. Most of the people providing hands-on hospice care have good hearts. They care deeply. They show up. They bathe patients gently, sit at bedsides, hold hands, and witness grief with humanity. The problem is not the caregivers—it is the structure they work within. ...
Is Alzheimer’s disease more common than previously thought?
01/05/26 at 03:00 AMIs Alzheimer’s disease more common than previously thought? Medscape; by Megan Brooks; 12/24/25 Alzheimer’s disease (AD) may be more common than previously thought in some demographic groups, according to the first population-based study to use a blood test to gauge AD-related neuropathological changes (ADNCs). ... A “major advance” of this study is the use of blood-based biomarkers as a way to generate more accurate, population-level estimates of AD pathology, Nicholas Ashton, PhD, senior director of the Banner Fluid Biomarker Program, Banner Sun Health Research Institute in Sun City, Arizona, told Medscape Medical News.
Fourth temporary extension of COVID-19 telemedicine flexibilities for prescription of controlled medications
01/05/26 at 03:00 AMFourth temporary extension of COVID-19 telemedicine flexibilities for prescription of controlled medications Federal Register - The Daily Journal of the United States Government; A Rule by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Health and Human Services Department on 12/31/2025 AGENCY: Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Justice; Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services. ACTION: Temporary rule. SUMMARY: The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) jointly with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is issuing a fourth extension of telemedicine flexibilities for the prescribing of controlled medications through December 31, 2026. DATES: This rule is effective January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026.
CAPC fireside chat: Leading through change and uncertainty in palliative care
01/05/26 at 03:00 AMCAPC fireside chat: Leading through change and uncertainty in palliative careAmerican Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) and Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC); to be presented by Brynn Bowan, MPA, Rikki Hopper, FNPT-C, MBA, Kristina Newport, MD, FAAHPM, and R. Sean Morrison, MD; retrieved 1/2/26, to be presented 1/14/25, 3:00-4:00 ESTPeriods of organizational or environmental change can test even the most experienced leaders. ... In this fireside chat, national leaders from CAPC, AAHPM, HPNA, and the Ichan School of Medicine at Mount Sinai will reflect on how palliative care leaders can stay grounded and effective during times of uncertainty—maintaining clarity, confidence, and compassion while advancing the field. Attendees will explore strategies to sustain team morale and well-being, foster collaboration across disciplines, and keep equity, quality, and patient-centered care at the heart of their work. The discussion will also highlight emerging opportunities for innovation, research, and shared leadership as palliative care continues to evolve within a changing health care landscape. [Registration is free.]
Abstract 4364177: Underutilization of palliative care in peripheral artery disease: A state-of-the-art review across cardiovascular conditions
01/03/26 at 03:35 AMAbstract 4364177: Underutilization of palliative care in peripheral artery disease: A state-of-the-art review across cardiovascular conditionsCirculation; by Odaly Balasquide-Odeh, Roberto Lapetina-Arroyo, Christiany Tapia, Alvaro Pinto-Rodriguez, Santiago Callegari, Mufti Rahman, Gaelle Romain, Kim Smolderen, Carlos Mena-Hurtado, Aseem Vashist, 11/25Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is associated with high morbidity and mortality, yet palliative care (PC), a supportive, team-based approach integrated remains underutilized. This review contrasted PC components, patient-level and program outcomes, and patient-reported outcomes across heart failure (HF), coronary artery disease (CAD), and peripheral artery disease (PAD). HF programs provide a transferable template for PAD, based on an early, structured and multidisciplinary PC. This could lead to a PAD-specific care model that integrates best practices from HF and that helps address underuse in a vulnerable and overlooked population.
ACCESS (Advancing Chronic Care with Effective, Scalable Solutions) Model
01/02/26 at 03:00 AMACCESS (Advancing Chronic Care with Effective, Scalable Solutions) Model U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) The ACCESS (Advancing Chronic Care with Effective, Scalable Solutions) Model tests an outcome-aligned payment approach in Original Medicare to expand access to new technology-supported care options that help people improve their health and prevent and manage chronic disease. The voluntary model focuses on conditions affecting more than two-thirds of people with Medicare, including high blood pressure, diabetes, chronic musculoskeletal pain, and depression. It will run for 10 years beginning July 5, 2026.
[Global] Summary digest for palliative care professionals: December 2025
12/30/25 at 03:00 AMSummary digest for palliative care professionals: December 2025 ehospice; 12/28/25 December is a time to pause and reflect on the journey we have shared in 2025. You might have saved some of our digests or articles for later, simply because there wasn’t enough time or energy during the year. That’s why we’ve put together a year-end digest for you. It compiles all the recommended materials from 2025, neatly organised by topic for your convenience. Happy holidays, dear friends! ... May the coming year bring you more strength, warmth, and professional inspiration.
Patients with hematologic cancers value blood transfusions most in hospice services
12/30/25 at 03:00 AMPatients with hematologic cancers value blood transfusions most in hospice services Healio; by Josh Friedman; 12/29/25 Key takeaways:
Alzheimer's: When is it time to consider hospice care?
12/30/25 at 03:00 AMAlzheimer's: When is it time to consider hospice care? The Advocate, Baton Rouge, LA; by Dana Territo; 12/29/25 ... Since the span of Alzheimer's disease can run from seven to 20 years, it is often difficult to know when the person warrants hospice care. Generally, an individual with Alzheimer's is ready for a hospice referral when they become severely impaired in function, (no longer can walk or feed themselves); when the person has become incontinent; when they experience frequent choking episodes or have difficulty in breathing, are unable to speak or communicate meaningfully (limited to about a half dozen or fewer intelligible words), or have significant weight loss. ...Editor's Note: This local advocacy article provides important information for all hospices, with references to their state organization--Louisiana-Missisippi Hospice & Palliative Care Organization--for ongoing resources.
What makes a ‘good’ death? Former Durango hospice director reflects
12/30/25 at 03:00 AMWhat makes a ‘good’ death? Former Durango hospice director reflects The Durango Herald, Durango, CO; by Jessica Bowman; 12/28/25 What is a “good” death? That’s up to each of us to decide for ourselves, said Anne Rossignol, former director of Mercy Hospice House. Rossignol said it’s a question more people should be asking themselves – and sooner. ... She earned her medical degree in 1999 and completed an internal medicine residency through the U.S. Army, where she served as a flight surgeon and completed two tours in Iraq. It was during her time at an Army hospital – where she guided patients and families through life-or-death decisions – that she felt drawn to palliative care. “These big soldiers in their uniforms would sit down with these families to talk about the end of life, and they’d be crying, and the families would be crying. It was so beautiful,” Rossignol said. ...
Early palliative care interventions linked with reduced mortality in patients with advanced NSCLC undergoing ICI treatment
12/30/25 at 03:00 AMEarly palliative care interventions linked with reduced mortality in patients with advanced NSCLC undergoing ICI treatment Lung Cancers Today; by Cecilia Brown; 12/24/25 Early palliative care interventions were associated with reduced mortality and longer survival among patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer who received immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), according to a recent study. Researchers from the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center presented the study findings at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) and American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2025 North America Conference on Lung Cancer.
Holistic hospice provider expands to Pinellas County
12/29/25 at 03:05 AMHolistic hospice provider expands to Pinellas County Catalyst; by Mark Parker; 12/24/25 A national end-of-life care company with unique offerings, including pet visits, personal pampering and Memory Bears made from a patient’s clothing, has expanded to Pinellas County. VITAS Healthcare is a nearly 50-year-old mobile hospice provider that takes a holistic approach to providing support during a sensitive time in someone’s life. A new administrative office at 12425 28th St. N. in St. Petersburg serves as a home base for interdisciplinary care teams. Kathleen Coronado, vice president of operations, said VITAS plans to eventually open a local inpatient center “for patients who need a higher level of care.” However, the company’s primary goal is to provide comfort wherever patients call home.
Heart failure deaths shift to home, hospice, but racial disparities persist
12/29/25 at 02:15 AMHeart failure deaths shift to home, hospice, but racial disparities persistAJMC, Cranbury, NJ; by Sabrina McCrear; 12/23/25 Key Takeaways: