Literature Review

Hospice of Redmond rebrands, to launch in-home care in March Redmond Spokesman, Redmond, OR; by Ian Haupt; 12/9/25 Hospice of Redmond is changing its name and will offer in-home primary care come spring. The hospice care provider that has been serving Central Oregon since 1979 announced Dec. 9 that it has officially rebranded to ClearPath Healthcare to reflect its new identity as it plans to launch in-home primary care services in March 2026.

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.

Hospice of South Texas announces full funding for new support services building PROLG Press Release Distribution, Victoria, TX; by Hospice of South Texas; 12/8/25 Hospice of South Texas (HOST) is grateful to announce that the Support Services Building is now fully funded. This milestone was reached through a remarkable $700,000 gift from the M. G. and Lillie A. Johnson Foundation and the generous support of many additional donors. Their partnership ensures continued access to nonprofit, compassionate hospice care for families across twelve South Texas counties. 

The complex quandary over hospice relatedness Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 12/5/25 Questions over which services are deemed related to patients’ terminal diagnosis in hospice care are crucial, and physicians’ determinations of those factors may be growing more complex. ... CMS has taken a stance that essentially all the care needed by a terminally ill patient should be covered through the benefit. However, that is not always what happens in practice. ...  When considering relatedness, physicians must take a holistic approach, according to Dr. Lauren Templeton, hospice physician consultant at Weatherbee Resources and Physician Council member at The Pennant Group. ... In most cases, hospices should err on the side of considering conditions related, when possible, for the sake of their patients, Templeton indicated. “If it’s impacting the plan of care for our patients, that would make it related for us,” Templeton said.

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 ... 

The tech-enabled evolution of home-based care: How technology is shifting care from hospital to home THL - Thomas H. Lee Partners, Boston, MA; posted on "Insight & Analysis | Healthcare"; 12/1/25 Key Takeaways:

Hospice gets free solar power as firms chip in BBC News, Luton, England; by Louise Parry; 11/22/25 A solar company said it had seen "amazing generosity" from local and international firms who pulled together to provide a hospice with free renewable power. Keech Hospice in Luton has received an array of 504 photovoltaic panels, which would usually cost about £200,000 to install. "We're calling it a solar legacy project, not just a one-off donation, as it will save the hospice £50,000 a year," said project manager Eddie Doherty. Liz Searle, chief executive of Keech said: "This gift doesn't just power our building — it powers hope, care, and community for years to come."

How one Lafayette man's offer to cook for families in need turned into a mission The Acadiana Advocate; by Adam Daigle; 11/17/25 Kent Zerangue planned to open a catering business when he retired in 2017, but one experience overshadowed any need to make money. ... He began cooking for families in need and launched Food With Love, “a heart centered ministry of Hospice of Acadiana.” ... He had 10 families in six months.  ... Today, Food With Love serves about 135 families and prepares about 800 meals a week.

Applied transformation in healthcare: From digital dreams to operational reality | Viewpoint Chief Healthcare Executive - Opinion; by Clay Holderman; 11/17/25 Healthcare’s digital transformation journey has entered a new, more demanding phase. No longer is it enough to simply adopt technology. Health systems are now expected to show tangible results: stronger margins, better patient access, and improved outcomes are under greater pressure than ever before. ... Here are three key insights from our analysis, and what healthcare leaders can do to make progress real.

What is the best way for CNOs to tackle change management? healthleaders; by G Hatfield; 11/10/25 CNOs need to be equipped to support their nurses throughout times of change. With many constant changes happening in healthcare, from mergers and acquisitions, to leadership changes, to new technology implementation. All of these shifting variables have major impacts on the nursing workforce in any health system and can cause major disruptions in workflow and nurse wellbeing. CNOs must also keep in mind that big changes affect patients as well. The challenge for nurse leaders lies in handling that change with patience, confidence, and clear intentions. CNOs must design change management strategies that are inclusive, transparent, and responsive, while being as communicative as possible throughout the entire process.

Telehealth flexibilities expired. Here's how providers are coping. TechTarget - xtelligent Virtual Healthcare; by Anuja Vaidya; 11/10/25 Telehealth flexibilities ended on Sept. 30, forcing providers to halt new virtual visits, risk financial losses or drive hundreds of miles for rural patient care. ... This has not only had a significant impact on the operations and finances of these providers but also led to concerns about the future of telehealth access. ...

A legacy of compassion: estate gift supports hospice care The County, Presque Ilse, ME; 11/5/25The Aroostook Hospice Foundation is deeply honored to announce a $20,000 estate gift from the late Ricky Kenney, who passed at the Aroostook House of Comfort on May 14. Kenney experienced the compassionate care of the Aroostook House of Comfort firsthand, both through his loved ones and during his own hospice journey. ... In recognition of the devoted care Kenney received by Northern Light Home Care & Hospice, both at home and within the hospice home, a portion of his generous gift was used to dedicate the staff break room. This space offers hospice staff and volunteers a quiet place to rest, recharge and regroup between moments of profound service. 

UW Health: Initiative enhances hospice and palliative care programs WisBusiness, Madison, WI; Press Release; 11/4/25 A new UW Health initiative improves the hospital’s hospice care process to ensure patients receive the best, most coordinated care possible throughout their end-of-life journeys. The initiative provides inpatient and emergency department hospice enrollment at University Hospital, ensuring that patients nearing the end of life receive timely, compassionate support and more coordinated care between the health system and the hospice agency. This program, created in partnership with regional hospice organizations and hospital staff, aims to improve continuity of care for patients already getting care in the UW Health system, according to Dr. Jeff Pothof, chief quality officer and emergency medicine physician, UW Health.