Literature Review

Health systems shun black-box AI, choose human-validated models for safety and accuracy, survey finds Complete AI Training; 12/17/25 Hospitals and health systems are clear: AI should work with clinicians, not replace them. A new November 2025 market survey from Reaction Data, commissioned by Carta Healthcare, shows strong preference for "hybrid intelligence" - AI paired with clinical oversight - for safer, more reliable outcomes. The message is consistent across findings. Fully autonomous, black-box AI is viewed as risky and insufficient for high-stakes clinical use. Human validation and clinician involvement are seen as essential for accuracy, safety, and adoption.

Southern Care Collaborative a model for regional hospice collectives Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 12/12/25 As nonprofits seek to build scale in order to compete with larger competitors, some are banding together in regional collaboratives. In these efforts, the Southern Care Collaborative, founded in 2022, could serve as a model. The organization includes 11 hospice members operating in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. The hospices are pooling resources and joining forces to build economies of scale and payer relationships without any change in ownership. 

Hospice of Wichita Falls expands outreach with renovated facility CBS News-6, Wichita Falls, TX; by Rachel Gomez Ramirez; 12/12/25 Today [12/12/25], Hospice of Wichita Falls held an open house showcasing their newly renovated facility, built by and for the community. Isha Howerton, Director of Development for Hospice of Wichita Falls, explained that the Building on a Legacy of Care fundraiser campaign initially began in 2017 and is nearing completion. Through this campaign, the community raised $15 million to build a new inpatient care center and renovate the existing one. Today’s event marked the new facility’s final renovation phase. ... [Additionally, by] meeting their campaign goal of $340,000, the non-profit hospice can continue to support charity care for those who need end-of-life care.

Navigating the AI frontier: Legal guardrails for home health and hospice providers in 2025 and beyond JD Supra; by Jason Bring, Bill Dombi, Arnall Golden Gregory LLP; 12/12/25 Key Takeaways

Poured out and given: The lived experience of self-care among hospice nurses in rural Appalachia Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing; by Amanda Camden, Sandra P Thomas, Lisa C Lindley, Lisa Davenport, Ali Winters; 12/5/25, Online ahead of print Hospice nurses encounter profound challenges that make self-care both essential and deeply complex. ... The findings suggest that practicing self-care must be augmented by other actions such as systemic changes, caseload limits, leadership training, and structured emotional support systems. This study highlights the urgent need for health care systems to prioritize hospice nurses' well-being and help sustain compassionate nursing care.

Hospice margins dropping despite utilization gains Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 12/9/25 Hospice margins are falling despite record-high utilization, according to data from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC). The commission has released its draft recommendations to Congress, repeating its annual call to eliminate hospice payment rate increases in future years. “For fiscal year, 2027, Congress should eliminate the update to the 2026 Medicare base payment rate for hospice,” MedPAC indicated in its draft recommendations. ... The average Medicare fee-for-service margin for hospices fell to 8% in 2023, down from 9.8% in 2022 and 14.2% in 2020, according to MedPAC. Among for-profit providers, the average 2023 margin was 13.7%, whereas nonprofits in aggregate showed a loss at -1.3%. These numbers exclude cap overpayments and non-reimbursible costs.

CHAP celebrates 60 years in home-based care Community Health Accreditation Partner (CHAP); email and website; 12/5/25 This year, CHAP marked a milestone that speaks volumes about our legacy and our future: our Diamond Jubilee. Sixty years of progress, partnership, and innovation came to life as our incredible team gathered to celebrate not just an anniversary, but the people who make our mission possible every day. It was a moment to honor the tradition that began in 1965 and continues to shape home-based care across the nation; a tradition built on excellence, compassion, and a shared commitment to the providers we serve. As we reflected on six decades of impact, the celebration reminded us of something even more powerful: the strength of our present and the promise of what’s next.Editor's Note: Hospice & Palliative Care Today celebrates CHAP immeasureable contributions to improving patient / caregiver / family care, staff education and standards, organizational systems, and more!

Hospice SLO County announces move to new location Paso Robles Daily News, Paso Robles, CA; by News Staff; 12/3/25 Hospice of San Luis Obispo County says its new location improves visibility and long-term stability. The new, smaller facility will continue to be known as the Dorothy D. Rupe Center. The name honors the Arthur N. Rupe Foundation and the legacy that helped establish the organization’s first permanent home in 2001. Hospice of San Luis Obispo County said the move reflects a step toward sustainability by providing a more visible and efficient space while maintaining its existing environment.

Hope Hospice Center completes, exceeds $15M capital campaign Times-Leader, Fairfield, MT; by Keila Szpaller; 12/1/25 Before the Hope Hospice Center opened in Missoula in July, people working on the project toured different facilities in the country looking for ideas. ... They learned that families are as integral to the mission as their loved ones, even that it’s advisable to have multiple USB ports in a room and couches that convert into beds. ... Now, four months after opening its doors to families across Montana, the Hope Hospice Center has served more than 100 patients and their families, exceeded a $15 million capital campaign by $200,000 ... 

Agentic AI in digital transformation: Why autonomy won’t fix the people and process problems Forbes; by Nono Bokete; 11/25/25 Agentic AI, the buzzy term for autonomous systems that can plan, act and adapt with minimal human input, is being marketed as the holy grail of digital transformation. And don't get me wrong: It's powerful. ... The potential is incredible. But potential means nothing without the people and process infrastructure to sustain it. ... The Common Pitfalls (Why 40% Will Fail): ...

Mercy Hospice House temporarily closes; parent company to assume outpatient care The Durango Herald, Durango, CO; by Elizabeth Pond; 11/17/25 The Mercy Hospice House, an end of life care wing of Mercy Hospital, has temporarily closed because of a change in outpatient service ownership and a required licensing review. A reopening date has not been determined. The facility, owned and operated by CommonSpirit Health, will transfer leadership of outpatient services to its national entity, CommonSpirit Health at Home, said Kevin Massey, a spokesman. Inpatient hospice care will continue under CommonSpirit Health and Mercy Hospital, he said.

How CFOs can harness the power of their shifting role HealthLeaders - Analysis; by Marie Defreitas; 11/17/25 As turnover rises and expectations expand, CFOs are redefining their influence; from financial stewards to enterprise strategists and even future CEOs. The role's evolution demands new skills, deeper relationships, and a broader vision of what value means. ...

Inside Compassus’ 2-pronged plan to expand Providence joint venture Home Health Care News; by Morgan Gonzales; 11/11/25 The joint venture between Compassus and not-for-profit health system Providence is set to expand through two key growth tactics. ... For the first pillar, the joint venture aims to expand through multiple sources within Providence, including case management, discharge planning, hospital-based clinicians and Providence’s ambulatory environment. ... Its second growth strategy looks outside of the Providence ecosystem for referrals, whether from long-term care facilities, skilled nursing facilities or physicians working directly with patients.