Literature Review

Bristol Hospice launches new locations in 4 states Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 3/3/25 Bristol Hospice has unveiled de novos in Arizona, South Carolina, Texas and Washington. The move marks an important period of expansion in states with some of the largest aging populations pushing up demand for hospice. The hospice provider has plans to expand in Fort Worth, Texas in the “near future,” the organization stated in an announcement. “We are thrilled to announce that Bristol Hospice is now accepting patients in the following locations: Lubbock, Texas; Tacoma, Washington (Pierce County); Phoenix, Arizona; [and] Charleston, South Carolina,” the organization said in a social media post. 

Care America Home Care enhances access to compassionate hospice care in Irvine, CA East Coastsentinal, Irvine, CA; 2/28/25Care America Home Care, a trusted name in senior care, proudly announces its continued dedication to the Irvine community by expanding access to personalized hospice home care services. This initiative supports families navigating challenging times by providing compassionate and professional hospice support at home in Irvine, ensuring the highest standards of care and comfort. “At Care America Home Care, we understand families’ profound emotional and logistical challenges during end-of-life care. Our mission is to offer a reliable and comforting solution, enabling families to focus on cherishing their time together,” said Rina Boidon, the Founder and Co-Owner of Care America Home Care. 

The Alliance commends introduction of legislation to extend hospice telehealth flexibilities  National Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC; Press Release; 2/28/25 The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) is pleased to support the reintroduction of the Hospice Recertification Flexibility Act in the House of Representatives. This bipartisan legislation, H.R.1720, would extend telehealth flexibilities for hospice face-to-face (F2F) recertification. The F2F encounter is performed by a physician or nurse practitioner to evaluate the patient and collect clinical information used in determining continued eligibility for hospice. Introduced by Representatives Carol Miller (R-WV) and Jared Golden (D-ME), the bill would extend the F2F recertification flexibility for providers until December 31, 2027. Beginning January 1, 2026, the legislation also includes important guardrails to ensure appropriate use and requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to create a modifier to collect data on when the F2F encounter is conducted via telehealth. The Alliance, then through its legacy organizations, worked with lawmakers to ensure continued care transformation and access to care for high-quality providers. [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

The journey to elite leadership  with Mike Harbour Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast by Chris Comeaux; 2/26/25 In this episode of the Anatomy of Leadership podcast, Chris Comeaux and Mike Harbour explore the themes of leadership, personal growth, and the essence of elite leadership.  Mike shares his insights on perseverance, self-mastery, and evaluating experiences to foster growth.  They discuss the concept of elite leadership, emphasizing the need for integrity, vision, and empowerment in leadership roles. The conversation culminates in practical advice for aspiring leaders on developing traits contributing to elite leadership.  Then, it highlights Mike’s unique upcoming Elite Leadership Summit in Colorado in April, which aims to foster growth and connection among leaders in a unique and picturesque setting. Join us; many leadership pearls of wisdom are packed into this episode. 

Our Hospice to add new personal care services 1010WCSI.com, Columbus, IN; 2/26/25 Our Hospice of South Central Indiana is announcing a new service to assist those in need and to help them remain in their homes as long as possible. The personal care service is meant to help provide care that can help clients remain independent. Personal care services can include daily living needs such as bathing and grooming, dressing and toileting, meal preparation, medication reminders, light housekeeping and laundry and transportation to appointments. ... The program will be in addition to existing hospice and palliative care programs provided by the non profit group. ... Our Hospice of South Central Indiana, based in Columbus, serves clients and their families in 22 counties. There are also offices in Greensburg and North Vernon.

Baber Hospice Home to close The Messenger, Fort Dodge, IA; by Bill Shea; 2/26/25 The Paula J. Baber Hospice Home will close at the end of next month, but UnityPoint Health — Fort Dodge will continue providing hospice care to patients in their own homes and in long term care facilities. “This is not the end of hospice care,” said Leah Glasgo, the president of UnityPoint Health — Fort Dodge. She said the decision to close the home was driven by the fact that most hospice patients are now cared for in their homes or in long term care facilities. “We are committed to meeting patients where they want to be and they want to be at home,” she said. As the number of hospice patients being served at home or in care facilities grew, the number of those patients in the Baber home dropped.

Why being trustworthy is a leadership hack that drives success Inc.; by Yufie Ren; 2/20/25 Leaders who cultivate trust can significantly reduce employee churn and improve organizational performance. ... In an era of rapid change, when teams look to leaders for stability and direction, trust is the invisible currency that fuels organizational success. ... Fortunately for managers – and workers – there’s a lot of research into how to be a more trustworthy leader. Here are a few insights:

Empowering employees to drive CX [Customer eXperience] innovation: A comprehensive path to successCustomerland; by Ricardo Saltz Gulko; 2/24/25 ... While it is widely recognized that employees play a crucial role in shaping customer experience (CX), their impact on innovation is often less clear. However, employees are the bedrock of innovation within any organization. They bring diverse perspectives, skills, and creativity that fuel the development of new products, services, and processes. This article delves into the significant ways employees influence innovation, providing a comprehensive analysis supported by ten key points. ...

Hospice caregiver spends days with family during Arkansas winter storm NBC News KARK - Maumelle, AR; by Neal Zeringue; 2/20/25 In icy conditions, many would not risk going up and down the steepest hills, but in-home care workers have. One in Maumelle even stayed away from home for days to be with a family on top of a dangerous hill. ... [Nelda] Michael’s husband has dementia and has had in-home care for 15 months. He needs constant attention. Because of the ice, nurses with Arkansas Hospice could not see him Wednesday, but on Thursday they were determined to give him care. However, Morgan Bartley and Michelle Kelley’s cars slid down the hill on one side of the road the Michaels live on top of. KARK 4 News found them stuck and helped them up from the other end of the road. “We were prepared to park our vehicles at the bottom and hike a mile up. Anything to get to him and to her,” Bartley said. [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

What is death positivity? Phaneuf Funeral Homes & Crematorium, New Hampshire & Vermont; by Phaneuf; 2/19/25 Death positivity is a growing movement that challenges the long-held taboos surrounding death. Rather than shying away from the subject, death positivity encourages individuals and communities to discuss mortality openly. It’s about accepting death as a natural part of life, reducing the fear and stigma often associated with it, and using that acceptance as a foundation for better end-of-life planning and living more fully. Historically, many cultures—including those in the New England region—often treated death as a private, somber affair. Today, however, a new narrative is emerging: one that celebrates the life lived, honors the memories left behind, and helps families make informed, compassionate decisions about the future.

3 bold and disruptive strategies to retain top-performing leaders Forbes; by Dr. Cheryl Robinson; 2/19/25 ... The Global Leadership Forecast 2025 by DDI reveals a concerning trend: leaders are burning out at unprecedented rates. With 40% of leaders contemplating resignation due to burnout, top talent is either stepping down or disengaging, leaving organizations vulnerable to performance decline and talent gaps. The stakes are high. ...

Hospice workers in Tampa experience what it feels like to live with dementiaFox 13 Tampa Bay, FL; by Kailey Tracy; 2/19/25 Keosha Simmons says her father, who died in 2018, was a hard worker and an amazing man. ... "He did live with dementia. It was an early onset of dementia. He ended up with cancer, and it was a later stage when we found out about it, and that's when he came under the care of Empath Health Suncoast Hospice," Simmons said. Simmons is now the Director of Empath’s Community Engagement team. On Wednesday, Simmons and her team did a different kind of training. It was a hands-on simulation to experience what someone with dementia feels. [From this article's "The Brief" Summary.]

Partnership grows to help more clinicians of color find community in Vermont Vermont Business Magazine - Vermont Biz (VB), South Burlington, VT; by Tim, The University of Vermont Medical Center; 2/18/25 A growing partnership between University of Vermont Medical Center and the Vermont Professionals of Color Network (VT PoC) aims to help people of color adjust to life in Vermont and build the personal and professional relationships community leaders say are crucial to both individual wellbeing and keeping residency students in the state after they complete their clinical training. “During my 20 plus years here, I have heard from so many black and brown people about how difficult it can be to adjust to life in Vermont – and this goes for medical residents too,” said Tino Rutanhira, co-founder and co-executive director of VT PoC. "... Without support, many of these professionals decide to leave Vermont at a time when our state desperately needs young, skilled and diverse people to help it grow.” Editor's note: Parteners listed include The University of Vermont Health Network - Home Health & Hospice.