Literature Review

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.

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.

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.]

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.”

Ohio’s Hospice fundraiser in Malvern raises more than $42,000 Your Ohio News; by Kyle Valentini; 3/22/26 The Carroll County community came together March 21 to raise funds for nonprofit hospice care during Ohio’s Hospice Spring Spectacular Treasures of Time at Good Shepherd Hall in Malvern. According to Ohio’s Hospice, more than 175 attendees took part in the event, supporting celebrity servers while helping raise $42,175. 

Official statement from NPHI on recent hospice fraud media coverage and ongoing federal enforcement efforts National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI); Press Release; 3/20/26 ... NPHI is actively engaged with federal leaders to advance targeted solutions that root out bad actors while safeguarding the integrity of the hospice benefit. It is important to underscore that these issues are not representative of the majority of hospice providers, who are focused every day on delivering high-quality, compassionate care to patients and families. Official Statement by Tom Koutsoumpas, Founder & CEO of NPHI: "... It’s important to be clear — this is not a failure of the hospice model of care. It is the result of a subset of providers exploiting the healthcare system, and that must stop. ..."Carole Fisher, President of NPHI, added: "“At its core, hospice care is about trust — trust from patients and families during some of the most vulnerable moments in their lives. That’s why NPHI is committed to supporting decisive action to address bad actors, while continuing to uphold and protect the high standards that define this field.”

Bayada offers scholarship program to address nursing shortage Williamsport Sun-Gazette; by Matthew Corter; 3/17/26 In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many industries experienced a shrinking workforce, and one of those hardest hit by the trend was the healthcare field. ... One of the biggest gaps currently is in home health aides. ... To face the shortage head on, Bayada has recently increased investment in its workforce and career development, including a scholarship program called Advance Through Nursing, which helps home health aides overcome financial and educational barriers on their path to becoming licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and registered nurses (RNs).

Ahead of National Volunteer Month, NPHI calls on Americans to become hospice volunteers and strengthen human connection National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), Washington, DC; Press Release; 3/19/26 As more Americans look for ways to build connection and find purpose in their communities, the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation is encouraging individuals to consider volunteering with their local hospice during National Volunteer Month this April. Across the country, nearly 30,000 volunteers already serve alongside professional care teams within NPHI's network of more than 125 nonprofit providers, bringing comfort, presence, and human connection to patients and families facing serious illness while also experiencing the personal benefits of giving back.