Literature Review

Non-profits join forces to help homeless in Texoma TexomasHomepage.com, Wichita Falls, TX; by Mariana Vela LEon; 12/4/24 This holiday season, you can give warmth as a gift to someone in need in Texoma. If you have extra winter clothing that you need to get rid of, consider donating it to two non-profits that make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate. Homeless Lives Matter and Complete TX Hospice Care are joining forces to help those who may be struggling to keep warm during the cold winter season. ... Editor's note: This simple, meaningful community outreach can make a significant difference. How might you replicate this--with fast turnaround--at your organization? Perhaps a drive among your employees and volunteers? Read this article for more of their logistics.

TCMH Hospice of Care auction breaks all-time record, raising over $38,000 Houston Herald, Houston, TX; by Helenia Wulff, TCMH; 12/3/24, updated 12/4/24 The TCMH Healthcare Foundation announced that the 2024 Hospice of Care online auction broke an all-time record, raising $38,053.21 in money and donated items. The funds will directly benefit the TCMH Hospice of Care program, which provides compassionate end-of-life care to patients and their families in the Texas County area. “We are beyond thrilled with the outcome of this year’s auction,” said Jeff Gettys, president of the TCMH Healthcare Foundation. “The incredible generosity of our donors and bidders demonstrates how much this community cares about supporting local hospice services. Every dollar raised will make a meaningful difference in providing comfort and dignity to patients and their loved ones.” Editor's note: TCMH stands for Texas County Memorial Hospice. Access to the full article might require registration.

Marin County Office of Education, Novato Unified School District & By the Bay Health partner to address healthcare talent shortage PR Newswire, San Rafael, CA and Novato, CA and Larkspur, CA; by By The Bay Health; 12/3/24The Marin County Office of Education (MCOE), the Novato Unified School District (NUSD), and By the Bay Health, Northern California's largest independent nonprofit hospice provider, are joining forces to launch a strategic workforce initiative to address the growing healthcare talent shortage in the County. Starting in Spring 2025, MCOE, NUSD, and By the Bay Health will pilot a new Career Technical Education (CTE) course at San Marin High School in Novato to introduce students to healthcare careers. The CTE course, Introduction to the World of Healthcare, will be the first high school course of its kind in the County designed to provide a comprehensive introduction to career opportunities in the healthcare field, including a focus on careers in community-based care in the home. An elective for 11th and 12th grade students, the curriculum will cover a range of topics from healthcare professions to medical ethics, communication, public health, and emerging trends in healthcare.

VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region names Jessica Boutin CEO Vermont Business Magazine (VB), South Burlington, VT; by Tim, VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region; 12/3/24 Vermont Business Magazine VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region (VNAHSR) has announced that Jessica Boutin as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1, 2025. Jessica, a long-time employee of the organization, steps into the role after years of dedicated service and proven leadership within the agency. "I am incredibly excited for Jessica to step into this role. Over the years, I have had the privilege of working closely with her, witnessing her unwavering commitment to our mission, to our vision and to the patients and families we serve. Jessica has shown time and time again that she has the leadership, compassion and dedication needed to lead our agency. I have complete confidence in her ability to continue our legacy of excellence, and continue to positively impact the communities we serve," said Sara King, outgoing CEO of VNAHSR.

Court Orders VitalCaring to place 43% of profits into trust for Encompass Health Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 12/3/24 A federal judge in Delaware has ordered home health and hospice provider VitalCaring Group and its private equity backers to share future profits with Encompass Health (NYSE: EHC). The case has a long circuitous history that dates back to 2022 when Encompass Health spinned off its home health and hospice business as a standalone company, now known as Enhabit Inc. (NYSE: EHAB) brand. At the time, VitalCaring CEO April Anthony was CEO of the Encompass home-based case segment. “Encompass is entitled to one recovery,” a court opinion indicated. “That recovery takes the form of an equitable payment stream of VitalCaring’s future profits to be administered via a constructive trust, certain mitigation damages, and attorneys’ fee.” The court ordered that 43% of VitalCaring’s future profits be placed in trust to benefit Encompass. The remaining 57% would go to VitalCaring’s private equity backers, the Vistria Group and Nautic Partners.

What are the most charitable counties in the United States? Harmony & Healing; by Davod Victor; 11/27/24 Since its inception in 2010, the Charities Aid Foundation’s World Giving Index has consistently ranked the United States among the top 10 most charitable countries in the world. It’s easy to see why: from donating money, food, clothing, and more to volunteering time to help neighbors and strangers alike, the charitable spirit has always been a deep-rooted part of American culture. Since the United States has historically been a notably philanthropic country, our team at Harmony and Healing collected and analyzed data from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to determine where the most charitable people live in the country. ... Using the most recent tax return data from the IRS, we analyzed charitable contribution and income figures to calculate the average contribution per tax return in each county, as well as percentage of each county’s income donated to charities, to identify the most charitable counties in the United States. [Click here to access their report.]

A boom in male nurses: 8 notes Becker's Clinical Leadership; by Kelly Gooch; 12/2/24 Nursing offers various career opportunities and has traditionally been dominated by women. However, more men are entering the field due to its stability and pay potential, The Wall Street Journal reported Nov. 30. Eight notes related to the boom in male nurses:

Thanksgiving tradition brings meals to hospice families in Northeastern Pennsylvania  ABC News 16 WNEP, Scranton, PA; by Jack Culkin; 11/28/24 It's become a holiday tradition for many volunteers to fill their cars at Mansour's Market in Scranton on Thanksgiving morning, delivering meals to those in hospice care. Ray Gillette, a long-time volunteer, shared, "We've been doing this for a long time, and we've taken the boys with us. Our oldest grandson is 14. This is his 14th year that he's come to deliver with us." ... [Diane Baldi, CEO of Hospice of The Sacred Heart] says the event began as an idea. Quickly growing to not just caring for their patients, but their families too.  "19 years ago, in our very first, we may have had 20 patients. Today we have 200. So it has grown exponentially," said Baldi. ... Along with classic holiday staples like turkey, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce, each meal includes a hand-made card. "I like it because it has like a turkey on the front and it has like all the stuff that you would eat," Said nine-year-old Olivia Catalano. She and her classmates made dozens of these cards, each featuring a Thanksgiving message or drawing. ... With each card placed and each meal delivered, workers successfully brought more than 600 meals to hospice families across Northeastern Pennsylvania. 

Breaking free from self-doubt: A guide to authentic leadership and communication Forbes - Leadership; by Lynn Smith; 11/27/24 In my years of coaching hundreds of top executives, entrepreneurs and CEOs, I've noticed a persistent challenge that holds many back from their full potential as leaders and communicators: self-doubt. This inner critic—what I call the "Brain Bully"—creates a constant stream of negative self-talk. Even the most accomplished leaders wrestle with thoughts like "What if I say the wrong thing?" or "What if I don't sound smart?" These are exact quotes from some of my clients. The larger issue is that inner dialogue was preventing those leaders from communicating clearly and concisely. The self-doubt in their head was reading all across their faces and through their body language. In a time when 93% of communication is weighed by nonverbal cues, we had to do something about this. ... [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

Carolina Caring Robin Johnson House welcomes new patient in aftermath of Hurricane Helene Hickory Daily Record, Hickory, NC and Carolina Caring; by Carolina Caring; 11/27/24 A hospice patient seeking immediate safety after the devastating impacts of Hurricane Helene received vital care thanks to the newly established partnership between CaroMont Health and Carolina Caring. ...  Among those affected was 84-year-old Grace, a hospice patient requiring critical medications and oxygen. She was airlifted from her hometown of Burnsville, NC, to temporary shelter at the Catawba Valley Community College Tarlton Complex in Hickory, NC. In dire need, Catawba County Emergency Medical Services reached out to Carolina Caring for assistance, as Grace was rapidly depleting her medication and oxygen supplies. Within 48 hours of the initial call, Grace was successfully transferred to hospice care at the Carolina Caring Robin Johnson House. Though she felt anxious upon her arrival, Grace was comforted by the attentive support of Carolina Caring staff. When asked about the quality of care that she received, Grace described her experience as “wonderful.” “I don’t like being away from home even when I’m sick,” she shared. “... I felt wanted and loved. If I could say anything to the nurses, it’s that I love and appreciate what they’ve done.” This accommodation was made possible by a recent partnership established between CaroMont Health and Carolina Caring. On October 1st, CaroMont Health and Carolina Caring launched a strategic partnership, with Gaston Hospice now operating under the name Carolina Caring. ...

Blue Ridge Hospice eyes N. Va. expansion, breaks into preventative care Washington Business Journal; by Sara Gilgor; 11/27/24 Winchester nonprofit Blue Ridge Hospice is heading into 2025 with plans to accelerate its regional expansion - by broadening its services, beefing up its headcount, teaming up with other local health systems and employers, and penetrating new pockets within Northern Virginia. The organization has provided hospice and palliative care in Virginia for patients with terminal illnesses from cancer to dementia for 43 years, only recently breaking into Greater Washington via Loudoun County. But now, increasing demand in the market and challenges within the larger health care landscape have led the business to rethink both its own structure and how it delivers care to the elderly patients it serves, often not until the ends of their lives. That's why the parent organization is rebranding as Blue Ridge Care. Its patients often regret not seeking its help earlier, President and CEO Jason Parsons told me in an interview, so it's repositioning itself to care for patients well before they would ever need hospice. ... Blue Ridge, now with nearly 400 employees, is looking to add another 50 to 60 people - including doctors and nurses - to its headcount in 2025, Parsons told me. And it plans to invest between $3 million and $5 million into next year's expansion, after putting in $10 million over the last two years, he said.

TCN Podcast: Industry Trends Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast hosted by Chris Comeaux, with Maria Warren; 11/27/24Join us for an insightful conversation with Maria Warren, Vice President of McBee, part of NetSmart, as she demystifies the challenges of hospice care audits. Maria shares her journey from entry-level consultant to a leader in compliance, highlighting how audits, designed to combat fraud, can unintentionally burden resources and detract from patient care. Her thoughtful perspective sheds light on balancing regulatory demands with compassionate care. We also dive into the transformative role of technology in hospice care with insights from Betsy Hansen. Discover how electronic medical records (EMRs) go beyond digital documentation to improve patient outcomes and streamline operations. Learn about the potential of EMRs to enhance compliance and care quality while tackling the challenges of implementing innovative, user-friendly systems. This segment emphasizes the importance of creativity and high standards in overcoming staffing hurdles and fostering a supportive care environment.

Hospice staff packs Thanksgiving meals for families Coosa Valley News, Rome, GA; by Staff; 11/27/24 It was a labor of love on Wednesday morning as teammates, volunteers and family members gathered again to provide Thanksgiving meals for families served by Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center Heyman Hospice Care. The meals, made or donated by Hospice teammates, volunteers and family members, included turkey, ham, dressing, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, green beans, sweet potatoes, potato salad and corn. A variety of pies and cakes were baked for dessert. Nearly 150 meals were packed up and delivered personally to the families. Melissa Washington, a social worker with Hospice, once again served as the onsite director as the food boxes were assembled and sent out. She and others were also there late Tuesday night getting things ready. “We can do this!” exclaimed Washington as she encouraged the workers lined up behind tables as the assembly line began its work. Casey Blankenship, program director for Heyman Hospice Care, said the annual event started in the 1990s.