Literature Review

Governor proclaims Home Care, Hospice, Palliative Care Month 2024Governor.nc.gov - an official website of the State of North Carolina; by Governor Roy Cooper; 11/1/24A PROCLAMATIONWHEREAS, the State of North Carolina recognizes the importance and value of home care, home health, hospice, and palliative care in enhancing the well-being and quality of life for individuals and their families; andWHEREAS, home care, home health, hospice, and palliative care providers offer essential services and support to individuals of all ages, ensuring their ability to receive necessary care in the comfort and familiarity of their own homes; andWHEREAS, being able to receive care and support in the comfort of one's own home allows individuals to maintain a sense of dignity, independence, and quality of life; andWHEREAS, the dedicated professionals of the home care, home health, hospice, and palliative care industry work tirelessly to improve the lives of North Carolina residents, providing compassionate care, emotional support, and necessary medical assistance; and ...WHEREAS, North Carolina's home care, home health, hospice, and palliative care providers play a crucial role in promoting patient independence, reducing hospital readmissions, and minimizing the burden on our healthcare system; NOW, THEREFORE, I, ROY COOPER, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim November, 2024, as “HOME CARE, HOSPICE, PALLIATIVE CARE MONTH” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens. [Click here to read the full proclamation.]

Blue Ridge Care expands bereavement care with new Center for Hope & Healing Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 11/1/24 Blue Ridge Care has unveiled its new Center for Hope & Healing, a facility dedicated to offering comprehensive grief care. The Virginia-based nonprofit hospice, palliative care and PACE provider financed the center through philanthropic donations. The facility is located in the same building as Blue Ridge’s PACE program, according to CEO Jason Parsons. At the center, Blue Ridge bereavement care staff will offer specialized programs, workshops, support groups and individual counseling. “The center is a central organizing unit of our mission fulfillment in the areas of grief, family support and loss in a place people can come to that’s welcoming, inviting and centered around hope and healing,” Parsons told Hospice News. ... The center was built to create a relaxing atmosphere to help put visitors at ease, according to Parsons, with a sky blue color palette and several murals depicting natural scenes. In one display, a collection of rocks symbolizes the weight of grief. Visitors can write a message on the rocks to “leave that weight behind,” Parsons said. They can also paint their loved ones’ names on a mural of a branching tree in the lobby area. 

Anvoi Hospice welcomes Senate proclamation honoring National Hospice Month AN17 Local News, Loranger, LA; Press Release; 11/2/24 On Friday, November 1, Louisiana State Senator Bill Wheat officially recognized November as National Hospice Care Month with a Senate proclamation presented to Anvoi Hospice. 2024 marks the 42nd anniversary of the first Proclamation recognizing November as National Hospice Month. In 1982, President Ronald Reagan signed into law the Medicare Hospice benefit which ensured that millions of seriously ill Americans could die with dignity while receiving care in their own homes. That same year, the president also declared a National Hospice Care Week, which we now celebrate as National Hospice Care Month. “For more than 40 years, hospice has helped provide comfort and dignity to millions of people, ... We were so pleased to collaborate closely with Senator Wheat’s office on this proclamation, and we thank the Louisiana Senate for recognizing the importance of hospice and palliative care,” said Anvoi CEO, Angelique Richardson.Editor's note: Thank you, Anvoi Hospice for your public advocay. Additionally, we recognize the important leadership and state-wide presence of the Louisiana-Mississippi Hospice & Palliative Care Organization (LMHPCO). 

How to celebrate veterans in hospice on Veterans Day 3HC, Goldsboro, NC; by 3HC; retrieved from the internet 10/31/24 Some served our country in foreign lands while others dutifully protected us on our home shores. All of them demonstrate commitment and courage, helping secure the rights and freedoms we so often take for granted. These brave men and women should be celebrated every day—not just on Veterans Day. ... Do you have a relative or loved one in hospice care who is a veteran? Read more to discover great ways to celebrate veterans in hospice on Veterans Day. ...

Mountain Valley celebrates renovated facility The Mount Airy News, Yadkinville, NC; by Mountain Valley; 10/28/24 Mountain Valley, a local hospice and palliative care organization, recently marked the official opening of its newly renovated Yadkinville hospice office. The facility will enable Mountain Valley to expand its services and continue providing care to the residents of Yadkin County. ... Paul Hammes, Mountain Valley board chair and CEO of Hugh Chatham Health, commented on the importance of this project for the community. “This office shows Mountain Valley’s deepening commitment to offering support for Yadkin County residents close to home. It’s important to us to provide quality and compassionate care that doesn’t require our patients and families to leave the comfort of their community.” ... Mountain Valley is a nonprofit organization providing end-of-life care in 18 counties in North Carolina and Virginia.

Strengthening our community: NPHI welcomes four new member organizations National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI); by NPHI; 10/30/24 The National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), the national voice for nonprofit advanced illness care, is pleased to welcome four new members to our innovative, mission-driven community: Hospice of the Piedmont, Hospice of Wichita Falls (HOWF), Montgomery Hospice & Prince George’s Hospice, and Stillwater Hospice. These organizations exemplify the dedication and care that NPHI members stand for, strengthening our commitment to mission-driven, nonprofit end-of-life care services across the nation. Editor's note: NPHI is a sponsor of this newsletter.

How today’s hospice fraud could warp tomorrow’s reimbursement outlook Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 10/28/24 This is the second of a two-part Hospice News series that explores how fraud, waste and abuse in the hospice space could create headwinds for the industry at large. Fraudsters misspend millions of Medicare dollars annually, though the actual hospice-specific amounts are difficult to determine, regulators previously told Hospice News. Industry stakeholders have questioned whether the malfeasance will stymie the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) ability to justify future reimbursement rate increases, which many hospice providers already consider insufficient to support the full range of their interdisciplinary services in today’s economic climate.

Mastering leadership: 6 experience-based qualities to align with a changing business worldForbes / HEC Paris Insights; by Marc Beretta, Daniel Brown; 10/25/24In today’s fast-paced world, effective leadership requires much more than traditional managerial skills. The dynamic nature of modern organizations, combined with the increasing complexity of global challenges, calls for a new type of leader - one who can navigate uncertainty, connect deeply with others, and foster a culture of trust and collaboration. Over the course of 20 years of coaching top executives globally, encapsulated in what we call the Six Leadership Landmarks we attempt to move beyond traditional leadership models, emphasizing vulnerability, self-awareness, and connection with others. Through this framework, leaders can not only guide their teams more effectively but also inspire transformation within themselves and their organizations... The six leadership landmarks we’ve developed over the years are awareness, adaptability, trust, vulnerability, kindness, and a shared vision. [Click on the link above for additional context and detail on these leadership landmarks.]

Study: Hospice care provides major Medicare savings Medical Xpress; by Peter Dizikes, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; 10/24/24 Hospice care aims to provide a health care alternative for people nearing the end of life, by sparing them unwanted medical procedures and focusing on the patient's comfort. A new study co-authored by MIT scholars shows hospice also has a clear fiscal benefit: It generates substantial savings for the U.S. Medicare system. ... In recent decades, hospice care has grown substantially. That growth has been accompanied by concerns that for-profit hospice organizations, in particular, might be overly aggressive in pursuing patients. There have also been instances of fraud by organizations in the field. Yet, the study shows that the overall dynamics of hospice are the intended ones: People are indeed receiving palliative-type care, based around comfort rather than elaborate medical procedures, at less cost.Editor's note: This study limited its data to for profit hospice agencies. That said, its results cannot be miscontrued to provide any type of comparison between for profits and non profits, in that data from non profits was (apparently) not examined.

Large systems outsource home care to focus on 'core business' Becker's Hospital CFO Report; by Alan Condon; 10/25/24 A growing number of health systems are outsourcing home health and hospice operations to third-party specialists with broader geographic reach to reduce cost and administrative burdens and focus on core services. The regulatory environment for home health and hospice is complex, with stringent requirements for reimbursement, reporting and patient care standards. Partnering with an outsourced provider also helps systems mitigate the risks associated with non-compliance and operational issues. Here are four health systems that have outsourced or plan to outsource home health and hospicare care:

Hospice executives laser-focused on regulation, see change on horizon Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 10/24/24 ... Hospice News spoke with c-suite executives who have recently stepped into their roles to learn more about what led them to the space and their top priorities. Regulatory challenges are among hospice leaders’ most significant concerns. They also envision opportunities to reform the Medicare Hospice Benefit and diversify their scope of services.

Serenity House Garden receives colorful makeover in honor of patients and families The Oskaloosa Herald, Oskaloosa, IA; 10/23/24 Mahaska Health announced recent enhancements to the Serenity House Garden, made possible by the generosity of Bob and Roxanne Denner. The updated garden now features a vibrant array of new plants and a beautifully revitalized rock landscape, offering a serene and uplifting environment for patients and their families. Roxanne Denner, a member of the Serenity Hospice Auxiliary Board, has been involved in supporting the Serenity House mission for several years. As an avid gardener, she saw this opportunity to enhance the garden as a way to contribute to the well-being of guests and their families. Editor's note: We celebrate the countless hospice and palliative care volunteers who give their time and talents to create more meaningful, compassionate environments and experiences for patients and families. Whom might you thank and recognize?

Patient, staff satisfaction biggest ROIs of trauma-informed hospice care Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 10/23/24 Improved patient and staff satisfaction are among the most significant returns on investment for hospices that are pouring greater resources into trauma-informed training. The ability to build a trusting relationship with patients and their families is a key skill set for any hospice professional to possess, but one that takes on a profoundly different meaning when caring for survivors of abuse, violence and trauma. This is according to Amber Ash, pediatric hospice and palliative care social worker at Ohio-based Hospice of the Western Reserve. Trauma-informed education should be a normalized part of hospice’s interdisciplinary training to help staff recognize and respond to a range of experiences, Ash indicated. This type of training can help provide opportunities for improved goal-concordant care while also aligning with staff’s professional goals and personal values, she stated.