Literature Review

Hospice of the Chesapeake leader aims to think outside the box on hospice, palliative care McKnights Home Care; podcast by Liza Berger with Rachel Jordan; 3/27/25 As the director of legislative affairs and advocacy at Hospice of the Chesapeake, the largest independent not-for-profit hospice provider in the state of Maryland, Rachel Jordan strives to treat the patient and not the disease. This helps explain why she worries less about the line between “curative” and “noncurative” care and more about whether a particular treatment helps to make a patient feel more comfortable. Jordan spoke to McKnight’s Home Care about her views of hospice and palliative care for a Newsmakers podcast. [Continue to the podcast ...]

Home health, hospice location announces closureThe Standard, Excelsior Springs, MO; 3/27/25Excelsior Springs Hospital (ESH) announces the difficult decision to discontinue its Home Health and Hospice Services, effective April 30.This decision comes after a thorough review of operations and an assessment of ways to best allocate resources to meet the evolving healthcare needs of our community.“Our priority has always been to provide high-quality care to our patients,” said ESH Chief Executive Officer Kristen DeHart. 

CMS will not resume implementation of Hospice SFP in 2025 Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 3/25/25 A federal court has ordered a stay on litigation intended to block the hospice Special Focus Program (SFP) after the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) pledged that it would not resume implementation during 2025. The crux of a lawsuit filed by hospice organizations against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the criteria that the agency uses to select hospices for the new Special Focus Program (SFP). [Continue reading ...]

Hospice Care and Community Center, Cleveland: First look Healthcare Design; by Tracey Walker; 3/24/25 Hospice of the Western Reserve (Cleveland), a provider of end-of-life palliative care, caregiver support, and bereavement services, chose a lakefront setting for its new Hospice Care and Community Center. Scheduled to open in 2025, the center will provide critical services, create a more efficient care environment, and support the evolving healthcare needs of Northern Ohio. Designed by architecture and interior design firm E4H Environments for Health Architecture (Williston Vt.), the facility will replace the existing Hospice House on the adjacent property, which has served the community for nearly 30 years. [Continue reading for "Interior design strategies" ...]

Calvary Hospital doubles down on palliative care and hospice expansion Becker's Hospital Review; by Kelly Gooch; 3/24/25 Michael Fosina began serving as president of Calvary Hospital in New York City in January, bringing decades of healthcare experience to the role. ... Mr. Forsina told Becker’s he’s excited about Calvary’s mission as the organization celebrates its 125th anniversary. Recently, the hospital integrated services with its parent organization, ArchCare, the healthcare ministry of the Archdiocese of New York. Mr. Fosina shared his perspective on Calvary’s role in New York and its future in meeting patient needs. ... [Michael Fosina described:] "ArchCare has all of the components of post-acute care when you include our end-of-life hospital and our hospice program. The integration allows us to accept patients, move patients around, have them stay connected with the physician — the team physician. So the transitions of care are not as dramatic as if you’re going from one organization to the next organization." [Continue reading ...]

Hospice of the Panhandle gets van through grant The Journal, Martinsburg, WV; 3/19/25 As a result of a generous state Local Economic Development Assistance (LEDA) grant secured by state Sens. Jason Barrett and Patricia Rucker and former state Sen. Craig Blair, Hospice of the Panhandle was able to purchase this 2025 Toyota Sienna custom van, designed for non-emergency transportation. Since coming into service on March 1, the van has transported 15 patients to and from area hospitals to Hospice’s Inpatient Facility and from the IPF to patients’ homes. “We are so excited to provide this much-needed service,” said CEO Nikki Bigiarelli. “It assures that we can get patients into hospice care, to our facilty and to their homes safely and quickly.”  

Introducing our new President and CEO, Dan Ayres: Coastal Hospice welcomes experienced hospice leader Coastal Hospice, Salisbury, MD; Press Release; 3/21/25 The Coastal Hospice Board of Directors is pleased to announce Dan Ayres to serve as the next President and Chief Executive Officer of Coastal Hospice, effective April 2025. We are excited to welcome Dan to the Coastal Hospice family, including our dedicated staff, volunteers, leadership, and medical professionals. ...  “Ayres is a respected hospice leader, and we’re thrilled to welcome him to the Coastal Hospice team,” said Coastal Hospice Board Chair Morgan Fisher. “His strategic vision, proven record of operational excellence, and sheer passion for this work make him the perfect fit to guide Coastal Hospice effectively.” The Board also extends its deepest gratitude to Ann Lovely, RN, BSN, CHPN, for her outstanding leadership and dedication as Interim President and CEO during this critical period. Her contributions have been invaluable ...

Create an everlasting memory of your loved one with an engraved brick at the Hospice Alliance Memorial Brick WalkKenosha.com, Kenosha, WI; by Hospice Alliance; 3/28/25When you purchase an engraved brick, your tribute helps support Hospice Alliance's not-for-profit mission. Each summer, in June, Hospice Alliance hosts a gathering of staff, families, and friends to honor the loved ones who have passed in our care.  ... Special attention is given to those who have lost a loved one during the previous year, and to those who purchased a Memorial Brick laid at our Founders Hall brick walk during the past year. [Click on the title's link for a photo.]Editor's note: We post this as a meaningful example of legacy-based donor engagement. Other hospice organizations have this or similar, long-lasting, visible memorials, such as Bluegrass Navigators (formerly Hospice of the Bluegrass) in Lexington, KY. 

Nearly $20K awarded at 100+ Harbor Women Who Care event The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA; by Jerry Knaak; 3/13/25 After listening to three impassioned speeches at the packed house at the Hoquiam Elks Lodge No. 1082 Tuesday evening, nearly 170 donors at the seventh 100+ Harbor Women Who Care giving event ... [awarded] a grand total of $19,020 in donations to Harbors Home Health & Hospice.

Lutz Foundation grant funds additional hospital beds at the Wayne T. Patrick Hospice House The News & Reporter; 3/12/25 Hospice & Community Care is honored to announce a generous $24,000 grant from The Herbert and Anna Lutz Foundation to support the ongoing replacement of hospital beds at the Wayne T. Patrick Hospice House. This funding will allow Hospice & Community Care to upgrade five additional high-quality, medical-grade beds, enhancing comfort and care for patients and their families. Last year, thanks to the support of the Lutz Foundation and Chester Healthcare Foundation, 8 beds were replaced. With this latest contribution, a total of 13 beds have now been upgraded, ensuring that more patients receive the highest level of comfort and support during their hospice journey. 

HomeCare & Hospice celebrates successful bouquet sale fundraiser Olena Times Herald, Allegany, NY; by Olean Times Herald staff; 3/11/25The HomeCare & Hospice Foundation is thrilled to announce the overwhelming success of its annual bouquet sale fundraiser, with community members across the region showing their generosity and support. This year’s event saw an impressive 1,150 18-stem bouquets and 276 nine-stem bouquets sold, helping to raise vital funds for hospice services. Sales were strong in both Genesee and Wyoming counties in the northern region and Allegany and Cattaraugus counties to the south. The north accounted for 670 18-stem and 60 nine-stem bouquets, while the south region contributed 480 18-stem and 216 nine-stem bouquets. ... Although this fundraiser supports the foundation, the exposure gained through the hospice bouquet sales far exceeds the funds raised. Editor's note: This bouquet fundraiser paired with Valentine's Day, providing meaningful, affordable, timely gifts for anyone (i.e., not just red roses).

Hospice of the Western Reserve within $5 million of Collinwood facility fundraising goal Ideastream Public Media; by Stephen Langel; 3/11/25 The Hospice of the Western Reserve is on track to open a new 32-bed facility in Cleveland's Collinwood neighborhood in 2026. A recent gift brought the organization within nearly $5 million of its $25 million fundraising goal for the facility. The Elisabeth Severance Prentiss Foundation awarded the Hospice of the Western Reserve $3.6 million toward the new facility in early March. The gift brought fundraising totals to more than $20 million of its $25 million goal, with the campaign now transitioning into its public phase. 

Mahogany CEO: Hospice on cusp of ‘tremendous revolution’Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 3/7/25 Mahogany Home Health and Hospice recently launched services in southwestern Ohio. The new hospice startup is the first Black-owned hospice and home health organization statewide with a drive to improve utilization among underserved populations. This is according to Victor Couzens, owner, founder and CEO of Mahogany Home Health and Hospice. The organization recently received a green light from state licensing agencies to begin serving Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio and surrounding communities. ... Couzens recently told Hospice News, ... "As a hospice chaplain, I was often confronted with the pressure of trying to fit a square peg into a round hole when it comes to how underserved communities are actually reached and cared for. It’s about offering insights, or even evidence-based approaches, to meeting the needs of Black and brown people, the needs of the LGBTQ+ community, the needs of immigrants and just any other groups who do not make up the majority of the patient population. ..."