Literature Review

Care Synergy appoints Dr. Pradeep Rai as Chief Medical Officer Care Synergy Network; 5/13/24  Care Synergy announced the selection of Dr. Pradeep Rai, MD, as the company’s chief medical officer. Additionally, Dr. Rai will serve as The Denver Hospice’s (TDH) medical director as well. As Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Rai will lead clinical operations across all of Care Synergy’s hospice, palliative care, and home health affiliates. These affiliates include The Denver Hospice, Pikes Peak Hospice & Palliative Care in Colorado Springs, Pathways Hospice in Fort Collins, and the Colorado Visting Nurses Association (CVNA) which serves patients across the Front Range. He will also spearhead medical operations for Colorado PACE upon its anticipated Q4 2024 launch.

Hospice remains underserved by Medicare Advantage, data showsBioMedWire; 5/13/24 While the Medicare Advantage space grows bigger, it is difficult for regulators and the medical industry to decide how best to integrate hospice into MA programs. This is a major concern because hospice care is the only segment of the healthcare sector that isn’t catered for in Medicare Advantage (MA). ... Almost 50% of all individuals (1.7 million) on MA programs that succumbed to their terminal illnesses in 2022 were recipients of hospice services. ... 

Ribbon cutting: Hospice of North AlabamaJackson County Sentinel; 5/11/24Hospice of North Alabama held their ribbon cutting at their new location at 510 East Laurel Street in Scottsboro on Tuesday, April 30. ... “We’re glad to open our doors to the Scottsboro community,” said Hayley Lamberth, with Hospice of North Alabama. “We understand that end of life care is physically and emotionally difficult for patients and their families. That’s why our experienced staff is available day and night to provide the highest quality, compassionate and individualized care for your loved ones."

Vitas Healthcare names four leaders to its executive team: Melad, Escueta, Dr. Loftis, DurkinInvestorsObserver; 5/13/24Vitas Healthcare proudly announces the addition of four new leaders to its executive management team, including the promotions of Jennifer Melad, Martin Escueta and Lauren Loftis, MD. The hospice company also welcomes Vicky Durkin as its latest newly hired executive. Healthcare proudly announces the addition of four new leaders to its executive management team, including the promotions of Jennifer Melad, Martin Escueta and Lauren Loftis, MD. The hospice company also welcomes Vicky Durkin as its latest newly hired executive. 

Sharp Hospicecare breaks ground on Moore Mountainview Hospice in Poway East County Magazine (CA); 5/9/24 Sharp HospiceCare broke ground on the Moore MountainView Hospice Home in Poway Tuesday, marking the introduction of its fourth hospice residence within San Diego County. Slated to open in early 2025, this homelike facility is designed to provide comfort and specialized care to patients and their families. ... The Moore MountainView Hospice Home is named in recognition of a significant donation from Lori Moore, registered nurse, and her family, founders of the Cushman Foundation. Five generations of the Cushman family have been instrumental in volunteer leadership and philanthropy since the founding of Sharp HealthCare. This enduring legacy continues to impact numerous lives and now extends to Sharp HospiceCare. 

WSNA files unfair labor practice charge against PeaceHealth Southwest after 14 bargaining sessions WSNA - Washington State Nurses Association; 5/9/24 After 14 negotiation sessions for a new contract, WSNA filed unfair labor practice charges against PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center on behalf of the 1,465 nurses the association represents at the facility. Nearly four months after bargaining began, the parties remain far apart on core contract issues like wages, sick leave benefits, and workplace violence prevention. Their previous contract expired on Feb. 28, 2024. ... One of the key issues over which PeaceHealth Southwest has refused to compromise is pay equity for home health and hospice nurses in the bargaining unit. ... PeaceHealth’s proposal would put home health and hospice nurses up to 5% behind their coworkers working at the hospital.

Teeing it up for Hospice of the Valley: Over $53k raisedCity Sun Times; by Lin Sue Flood; 5/6/24It was a picture-perfect day out at Grayhawk Golf Club for Hospice of the Valley’s 2024 Pro-Am Golf Tournament, presented by Cigna Healthcare. The March 28 event in Scottsdale raised over $53,000 for the nonprofit’s charity care programs. “It’s a tournament that is meaningful for all players,” said sponsor Tim Louis, who competes every year with wife Amy in memory of his parents. “It’s a mission of love, it’s a mission of dignity and I love to support it.” 

Golf tournament raises more than $22,000 for local charity Avow Foundation, Naples, FL; Press Release; 5/6/24On Monday, April 8, Royal Palm Golf Club hosted a Pro-Am tournament to benefit Avow Foundation, raising more than $22,000 to support Avow’s mission to provide hospice, palliative care, and bereavement services to the community. Their collaborative efforts resulted in a successful tournament, attracting 76 professional and amateur golfers from clubs around Collier County.

Fresno State honors three with honorary doctorates this commencement season: Nancy Hinds, founder of Hinds Hospice Fresno State News; 5/7/24Fresno State will award honorary doctorates to three individuals this year — advocate for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Robert R. Davila; Hinds Hospice founder Nancy Hinds; and Fresno arts proponent Lilia Gonzales-Chavez. ... Nancy Hinds is nationally and internationally recognized for her work with the terminally ill and as the founder of Hinds Hospice, a non-profit hospice and grief organization serving Fresno, Madera and Merced Counties. A 2021 Business Journal article said Hinds’ “name is synonymous with compassion and quality care.” Editor's Note: Read more of Nancy's life-story and profound contributions to hospice and palliative care. Congratulations Dr. Nancy Hinds!

Building connections, showing compassion and bringing peace to patients and families St. Louis Post-Dispatch; by Mary McHugh; 5/3/24Three thousand colorfully painted rocks are artfully arranged in the landscaped outdoor meditation courtyard at Evelyn’s House, a part of BJC HealthCare, a ranch-style hospice home located adjacent to Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital. Each rock pays tribute to a patient who has spent their last days of life there. Decorated by the staff, the stones are visible through the garden window from the home’s central gathering space for families. It’s one of the first sights visitors see when they enter the facility. For the staff, including nurse Dawn Anderson, the stones are a unique and memorable way to honor the lives who have passed and prepare the staff to care for those who have yet to come. ...

Hospice patient airlifted to safety during East Texas floods The Gilmer Mirror; by Emily Foxhall, Carlos Nogueras Ramos and Alejandra Martinez, The Texas Tribune; 5/3/24[Scroll down on this webpage to "East Texasn try to reach their homes, save pets"] Willie Rawls woke up to water at the steps of his home Thursday in the river bottoms of Coldspring – one of the first towns hit by the several hundred thousand gallons of water released from the Lake Livingston Dam. The dam was releasing water in an effort to maintain its levels as merciless rain storms drenched East Texas this week. Rawls, 73 and in hospice care, was evacuated by the San Jacinto Sheriff’s Office, who arrived in an airboat and lifted him to safety. 

Workers at two Essentia Health facilities file for union representation Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA); by Sam Fettig and Lauren Bloomquist; 5/2/24 Registered nurses at Essentia Miller Hill Surgery Center and nurses and other healthcare workers at Essentia Solvay Hospice House announced this week that they have filed for an election with the National Labor Relations Board to form a union represented by the Minnesota Nurses Association ... because they want a voice in their workplace to improve both working conditions and how care is provided to their patients. ... At Essentia Solvay Hospice House, workers across the board, including Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, Nursing Assistants, Administrative Assistants, Environmental Services workers, and Cooks, filed for a union election.

Bon Secours Mercy Health, Compassus finalize hospice and home health partnership PR Newswire; news provided by Bon Secours Mercy Health and Compassus; 5/2/24 Bon Secours Mercy Health (BSMH), the fifth-largest Catholic health system in the U.S., and Compassus, a leading national provider of innovative home-based health care services, have finalized an agreement to form a joint venture partnership. Compassus will manage 10 home health agencies and 11 hospice operations formerly led by BSMH serving patients in Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, South Carolina and Virginia.