Literature Review

Suncoast Hospice co-founder Mary Jean Etten passes away Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 4/20/26 Mary Jean Etten, co-founder of Suncoast Hospice, reached the end of her life on April 17. Suncoast is an affiliate of Florida-based Empath Health, which announced her death on Monday. Suncoast in 2015 reorganized to create Empath as a new parent company. The hospice was established in 1976. “Mary Jean helped build the foundation of hospice care in our region,” said Jan Miller, board chair of Empath Health, said in a statement. “She was a founder, a teacher, and a trusted guide who believed deeply in the mission — and in the importance of doing this work with excellence, dignity, and heart.” 

Hosparus Health names Becky Tooker as President Hosparus Health, Louisville, KY; Press Release; 4/20/2026 Hosparus Health, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit providers of hospice and serious illness care, has named Becky Tooker as President, effective April 6. Tooker brings more than 25 years of leadership experience in hospice, home health and post-acute care and a strong commitment to patient-centered care. Most recently Tooker served in a senior leadership role with St. Croix Hospice, where she oversees statewide operations including clinical quality, regulatory compliance and performance improvement. ... David W. Cook, CEO of Hosparus Health, said he looks forward to partnering with Tooker as the organization continues expanding services for patients and families across Kentucky and Southern Indiana.

Petaluma’s Sacks Hospice Thrift Shoppe to close in May The Ramsey Show, Petaluma, CA; by Jeff Woodworth; 4/17/26 The beloved Sacks Hospice Thrift Shoppe in Petaluma will permanently close its doors by May 15 after nearly 40 years of service. The Petaluma Argus-Courier reports store operator Providence Hospice Foundation cited the need for “significant capital improvements” and safety upgrades to the leased Liberty Street building as the reason for the shutdown. While liquidation proceeds will continue to fund local grief support, the news has sparked community heartbreak and an online petition with over 1,300 signatures. Volunteers call the shop a “critical resource” for both hospice families and eco-conscious shoppers. 

St. Croix Hospice CCO: transparency, compliance fosters growthHospice News; by Jim Parker; 4/15/26Tami Johnson-White is the newly appointed chief compliance officer for St. Croix Hospice. Johnson-White brings 30 years of health care leadership experience to St. Croix Hospice. St. Croix Hospice operates more than 85 locations across Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Hospice News sat down with Johnson-White to talk about her priorities as she comes into her new role, the top compliance issues facing hospices today and how they can prepare for audits.

Build a real workplace violence committee. Not just a checkbox. Download 9 ready-to-use templates to launch your program.pomsafe - Compliance Resource; by pomsafe; 4/15/26 Built for the filed, not the facility. Most WPV resources are designed for hospitals, buildings, and fixed locations. This kit was built from the ground up for organizations whose staff work in homes, communities, and the field, where the risk environment looks completely different. Built for teams in home health and hospice; ... any organization sending caregivers into patient homes or the community.

Nonprofit granted property tax exemption SWVA Today / Richlands News-Press, Richlands, VA; by Jim Talbert; 4/13/26 Legacy Hospice and Palliative Care will not pay property taxes, the Board of Supervisors unanimously decided following a public hearing at its Apr. 7 meeting. Several citizens spoke in support of the move, which will save the organization about $7,094 annually. ... A nonprofit serving the counties of Tazewell, Bland, Dickenson, Buchanan, and Russell, Legacy [Viriginia] was granted a tax exemption for its recently acquired property in Cedar Bluff on the basis of providing a "benevolent service" to Tazewell County. Previously, Legacy had rented a building. At the meeting, citizens provided personal testimonies of their experiences with Legacy. 

Caring for the community wins at Hospice of the Chesapeake’s Bubbles & Bingo Hospice of the Chesapeake, Pasadena, MD; Press Release; 4/15/26 An evening filled with celebration, generosity and heartfelt stories resulted in nearly $300,000 raised for Hospice of the Chesapeake during its second Bubbles & Bingo fundraiser. Held Friday night at the Fluegel Alumni Center in Annapolis, the black-tie event brought together supporters from across the four counties served by the organization. ... A moving highlight of the evening was a video tribute to patient Brian Adam, shared by his wife, daughter and nephew. ... The evening shifted to a lively series of bingo games, where seven guests won prize packages valued between $1,600 and $6,500.

Avow expands hospice services into Glades, Hendry and Lee countiesLake Okeechobee News, Naples, FL; 4/13/26On Monday, April 13 , Avow, a leading nonprofit health care provider based in Southwest Florida, announced its expansion into Glades, Hendry and Lee counties. This expansion extends Avow’s high-quality hospice and comprehensive bereavement support, increasing access and impact for families across the region. ... Over the past year, Avow has expanded its reach and deepened its impact, caring for more than 2,900 hospice patients annually and providing more than 4,000 palliative care visits through its Naples clinic and satellite locations. 

Stakeholders fear ‘chilling effect’ of heightened hospice scrutiny McKnights Home Care; by Liza Berger; 4/9/26 Advocates and experts, by and large, are supportive of the federal government’s intense efforts to root out fraudulent hospice providers. But they are also concerned that the laserlike focus on fraud could have unintended consequences for high-quality providers. “We’re certainly hearing from members that they want to know whether policymakers and lawmakers truly see the value of hospice and that, yes, there are bad things going on in California and it’s getting a lot of publicity, but people are concerned that this could have a chilling effect,” Scott Levy, chief government affairs officer for the National Alliance for Care at Home, told McKnight’s Home Care Daily Pulse. “Hospices around the country at large are good people doing incredible work for meaningful periods of time for meaningful periods in their beneficiaries’ lives. And we want to make sure that that doesn’t go backwards.”

Puzzle competition raises money to build hospice house KBTX-3, Bryan, TX; by Tyler Hoskins; 4/12/26  The Acara Hospice Foundation announced the winners of its inaugural Puzzling with a Purpose speed puzzling competition, a community fundraiser supporting the Foundation’s mission to build a community hospice house in the Brazos Valley. The event challenged teams of four to complete a 500-piece puzzle as quickly as possible. All proceeds from Puzzling with a Purpose go towards Acara Hospice Foundation’s vision of establishing a dedicated hospice house in the Brazos Valley that they said would provide dignified, compassionate care for patients and families. 

A Phoenix-area hospice provider seeks Chapter 11 protection WhatNow; by Twinkle Jha; 4/10/26 Supportive Hands Hospice Inc., based in Phoenix, AZ has filed for bankruptcy as it works to restructure its finances. Proceedings officially began on April 9, 2026, with a voluntary petition filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Arizona. The healthcare business’ case is now expected to move through standard bankruptcy procedures, which include required filings and creditor actions.

How a $64 million NIH grant will transform palliative care across lifespan | part one Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast hosted by Chris Comeaux with Dr. Jean Kutner; 4/8/26 In this episode of TCNtalks / Anatomy of Leadership, host Chris Comeaux sits down with Dr. Jean Kutner—one of the nation’s leading voices in Hospice and Palliative Care research—to unpack a historic moment for the field: a $64 million NIH investment designed to transform care for people with serious illness across the lifespan.  More than just a funding milestone, this initiative represents a long-awaited convergence of advocacy, interdisciplinary collaboration, and national prioritization of Palliative Care research.

Regional Home Health and Hospice facility to lay off 161 employees at Greenville site WhatNow; by Deepali Singla; 4/9/26 ECU Health Home Health and Hospice will lay off 161 employees at its facility in Greenville. The company filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notice with the state. The layoffs follow the shutdown of the Greenville facility. ECU Health Home Health and Hospice filed a WARN notice indicating the closure of its facility at 1005 WH Smith Blvd, Greenville, NC 27834. As a result of the closure, the layoffs are scheduled to take effect on May 1, 2026.