Literature Review

Asbury Hospice House breaks ground on expansion in Hattiesburg WDAM-TV 7, Hattiesburg, MS; by Delaney Dukes; 4/1/26 The Forrest Health Foundation broke ground Wednesday afternoon on an expansion at the Asbury Hospice House that will add new spaces designed for comfort and connection. ... The expansion includes larger family areas, a children’s activity space, a larger on-site pharmacy and an outdoor pavilion. ... The Forrest Health Foundation raised more than $3 million to support the expansion.

Stanley Subaru donates "Round Up for Change" proceeds to local nonprofits Fox 22 / ABC 7, Bangor, ME; by Beth Jones; 4/6/26 A local car dealership gave a boost to hospice volunteers of Hancock County on Monday so they can continue helping Mainers. ... Stanley Subaru has been running their "Round up for change program," which asks guests to round up their purchases to the nearest dollar. The hospice organization says Stanley Subarau has been a steady source of support over the years. 

Empath Health completes Trustbridge integration, creating Florida's largest non-profit hospice network and expanding home-based care vision Empath Health, Lakewood Ranch, FL; Press Release; 4/6/26 Empath Health today announced the completion of Trustbridge's integration into its statewide network, finalizing a two-year affiliation that makes Empath Florida's largest non-profit hospice network and positions the organization to serve one in five hospice patients in Florida. ... Both will carry forward under the name Empath Trustbridge Hospice. ... Empath Trustbridge Hospice joins Empath Health's One Hospice Model alongside Empath Suncoast Hospice in the Tampa Bay region, Empath Tidewell Hospice on the Southwest Florida coast, and Empath Hospice of Marion County in Ocala, four legacy non-profit organizations with 40 to 50 years of community roots ...

Hyder Family Hospice House to close. Strafford County leader: 'We're broke' Seacoastonline, Dover, NH; by Karen Dandurant; 4/2/26 Hyder Family Hospice House will close within a few weeks, Strafford County officials announced April 2, stating the decision reflects dire county finances. "We are not happy about it, but we are out of options," said County Commission Chair George Maglaras. "... We will try to find a way, maybe by renovating a wing at Riverside (Rest Home) that was closed during COVID, to find room for the few patients we currently have. This is very personal to me. We fought hard to keep this on county land. Closing this goes against every fiber of my being."

Carolina Caring, nationally-recognized serious illness care provider, expands services to Davie County Carolina Caring, Davie County, NC; Press Release; 4/1/26 Carolina Caring, the nonprofit serious illness care provider serving Western North Carolina and the Charlotte Region, announces an expansion of services into Davie County. Carolina Caring is one of the first 3 hospice organizations established in North Carolina and has remained committed to the mission of providing high-quality, compassionate care for more than 45 years. The organization continues to evolve to meet the growing needs and expectations of the populations it serves. The expansion into Davie County follows a period of significant organizational growth and distinction.

Hospice House board announces plans to sell shuttered facility Owatonna Peoples Press, Owatonna, MN; by Josh Lafollette; 4/1/26 For nearly two decades, Homestead Hospice House brought peace and comfort to community members in their final days, and brought joy to their loved ones in even the most trying times. Today, the house sits empty, despite the concerted efforts of local volunteers. After efforts to reopen the house stalled last year, the HHH board has announced plans to sell the facility and surrounding acreage, and use the proceeds to establish a fund dedicated to supporting local end-of-life care services.

Pikes Peak Hospice & Palliative Care achieves highest quality score in organization’s history Pikes Peak Hospice & Palliative Care, Colorado Springs, CO; Press Release; 3/27/26 Pikes Peak Hospice & Palliative Care has earned its highest quality ranking ever — a score of 94 out of 100 — on the National Hospice Locator, a nationwide directory that evaluates hospice providers using publicly available quality data. The National Hospice Locator compiles information from Medicare data files, public websites, and direct surveys of hospice providers. Using multiple weighted quality metrics, the platform evaluates thousands of hospice programs across the United States and allows users to compare providers based on quality rankings. With a national average score of approximately 67, a score of 94 places Pikes Peak Hospice & Palliative Care well above the national benchmark and among the highest-rated hospice organizations in Colorado.Editor's Note: What are your organization's publicly reported quality scores? Explore more at the National Hospice Locator. [Disclosure, NHL sponsors this newsletter.]

Homecare & Hospice 'thrilled' with community support of fundraiser The Batavian; Batavia, NY; Press Release; 3/31/26 The HomeCare & Hospice Foundation is thrilled to celebrate the success of its annual bouquet sale fundraiser, which once again brought the community together to support compassionate hospice care. This year, a total of 882 18-stem bouquets and 80 nine-stem bouquets were sold, raising critical funds to support patients and families in our region. ... Pop-up sales were held at nine locations, staffed by a dedicated team of 51 volunteers and staff.

Expanded palliative care program in Dubuque addresses a 'significant need' Telegraph Herald; by Grace Burwell; 3/28/26 A “meant to be” collaboration between two Dubuque providers is offering the local aging population expanded palliative support. UnityPoint Health-Finley Hospital and Hospice of Dubuque recently launched an expanded palliative care program, bringing three nurse practitioners to the Dubuque hospital. Lavonne Noel, executive director of Hospice of Dubuque, said the new resource sprung out of “more need than ever before. It’s more important than ever that we work together in the health care environment right now, so we’re excited to join forces and collaborate on this."

Hospice of Wichita Falls celebrates donors and volunteers KFDX/KJTL, Wichita Falls, TX; Press Release; 3/27/26 An evening of gratitude took stage as Hospice of Wichita Falls celebrated the people who make its mission possible. The organization hosted its annual Maverick Appreciation Dinner at the MPEC on Thursday, March 26, bringing together donors, volunteers, staff, media and community partners for a night focused on recognition and connection. 

‘No one is safe’ in CMS’ fraud fight Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 3/25/26 The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is casting a wide net in its anti-fraud efforts, and some legitimate providers are finding themselves on the hook. ... CMS has pledged to crack down hard on fraudulent hospices, but to date some of their efforts lack transparency and could represent a threat to honest providers, according to Andrew Brenton, attorney with Husch Blackwell. “With the wide net that CMS is casting, certainly, good hospices are being caught up in that,” Brenton said at the Hospice News ELEVATE conference. “I think no one is really safe, because a lot of this is a black box; the methodology by which CMS chooses which hospices to audit or otherwise target for enforcement is kind of unknown.”

VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region Vermont celebrates 80 years Bennington Banner, Bennington, VT; by Mark Rondeau; 3/22/26 [Historic photo shows workers with the Rutland Area Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice, a predecessor to VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region, in the 1970s.] VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region, founded in 1946, is celebrating 80 years of service to the community and compassionate care. “Our agency is celebrating 80 years of providing home health services in the community this year,” VNAHSR said in a statement. “We started as just a small group of community members that gathered to create an organization that would provide skilled nursing in the home with a mission to promote health and independence.Editor's Note: Timeline shows this VNA's beginnings as a "Certified Home Health Agency" to merging with Rutland Area Hospice in 1996, and more.