Literature Review

Strafford County, Mass General Brigham in talks to reopen Hyder Hospice Foster's Daily Democrat, Dover, NH; by Karen Dandurant; 5/17/26 A deal has been reached that would save Hyder Family Hospice House, according to Strafford County Commission Chairman George Maglaras. The county closed the hospice earlier this month, citing financial difficulties. Maglaras said April 17 that a $1-a-year lease agreement has been reached with Wentworth-Douglass Hospital of Dover, which is owned by Mass General Brigham, with only details to be worked out before it becomes official.

Petaluma’s Sacks Hospice Thrift Shoppe to close in May The Ramsey Show, Petaluma, CA; by Jeff Woodworth; 4/17/26 The beloved Sacks Hospice Thrift Shoppe in Petaluma will permanently close its doors by May 15 after nearly 40 years of service. The Petaluma Argus-Courier reports store operator Providence Hospice Foundation cited the need for “significant capital improvements” and safety upgrades to the leased Liberty Street building as the reason for the shutdown. While liquidation proceeds will continue to fund local grief support, the news has sparked community heartbreak and an online petition with over 1,300 signatures. Volunteers call the shop a “critical resource” for both hospice families and eco-conscious shoppers. 

Google.org and Johnson & Johnson Foundation launch $10 million AI training program for rural U.S. healthcare workers Complete AI Training; Press Release; 4/14/26 Google.org and the Johnson & Johnson Foundation are launching a $10 million program to train rural U.S. healthcare workers to use AI tools for administrative tasks. The initiative targets operational efficiency in clinics facing chronic staffing shortages and administrative overload. ... According to the National Rural Health Association, over 130 rural hospitals have shut down since 2010, with administrative burden cited as a major factor. The new program addresses this directly by teaching healthcare workers to use AI for scheduling, patient documentation, and clinic operations. 

Accreditation: moving forward during the moratorium HME News - Business News for Home Medical Equipment Providers; by Sandra Canally; 4/13/26 ... Hospice contracts: Hospice providers are required to contract only with accredited DMEPOS suppliers to equip terminally ill patients whether at the hospice facility, in a nursing home or at home. The supply opportunities closely mirror those in skilled nursing, with enteral nutrition, mobility aids and respiratory equipment all in demand. Hospice covers 100% of DME costs related to the terminal illness. [To DME companies:] Invoice the hospice organization directly, and they pay you. Medicare stays out of the transaction entirely.

As demand for hospice care increases, Lansing nonprofit breaks ground on expansion PBS-WKAR Public Media; by Lillian Williams; 4/8/26 Demand for end-of-life specialized care is increasing nationwide, and a Mid-Michigan provider says that has led to a facility expansion that broke ground today. Hospice of Lansing plans to add four bedrooms to its Stoneleigh Residence by next spring. ... Executive Director Heather Vida says her organization turns away more than 100 families each year because they don’t have enough rooms. "What we want to do is make sure there are beds available for everyone at any time," she said. 

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.

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.

The corporate brand, culture, and the CISO: Why understanding the business is non-negotiable Halcyon; by Gary Hayslip; 3/30/26 Over the course of my career as a Chief Information Security Officer, I have come to a conclusion that many of my peers eventually reach, though sometimes the hard way: if you do not understand your company's brand and culture, you will never build a security program that is truly aligned to the business. ... This is not a soft topic. It is foundational. The relationship between corporate brand, internal business culture, and cybersecurity strategy is one of the most underappreciated dynamics in our profession, and I believe it deserves far more attention than it typically receives.

Palladium Equity partners to acquire majority stake in DME Express from WayPoint Capital Partners PR Newswire, New York and The Woodlands, TX; by Palladium Equity Partners; 3/20/26 Palladium Equity Partners, LLC (along with its affiliates, "Palladium"), today announced an agreement to acquire a majority equity interest in DME Express ("DME Express" or the "Company"), an established provider of durable medical equipment serving hospice providers across the United States. ... DME Express would be Palladium's second investment in the hospice industry since inception, and the second platform investment by Palladium Equity Partners VI, LP. 

AI in hospice: What every leader needs to know | part one Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast hosted by Chris Comeaux with Ernesto Lopez; 3/11/26 Artificial intelligence is rapidly entering healthcare, but what does it really mean for Hospice leaders?  In this episode of TCN Talks/Anatomy of Leadership, host Chris Comeaux sits down with Ernesto Lopez—founder and CEO of 1520 AI and a longtime Hospice executive—to unpack the opportunities, risks, and realities of AI in Hospice. Drawing on his background as a registered nurse, healthcare executive, and Harvard Business School–trained data analyst, Ernesto explains how artificial intelligence is evolving and why Hospice organizations must approach it with both curiosity and caution. 

California hospice fraud: What to know as blame game erupts Newsweek; by Jasmine Laws; 3/11/26, updated 3/12/26 The social media platform X has been awash with criticism targeted at California Governor Gavin Newsom as a CBS News report detailed the extent of the state's hospice fraud problem. Newsom's office has been hitting back at the comments, reminding users that the state "cracked down on hospice fraud years ago," and has been pointing the finger at President Donald Trump, as his administration paused a hospice oversight program at the start of 2025. ... Responding to Newsom's office's comments, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told Newsweek: "No one cares about Newscum’s boring X posts ..." While California has been in the spotlight for its hospice fraud, it is not the only state experiencing the problem—it is a nationwide issue. ... A report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General in 2023 found that suspected hospice fraud amounts totaled an estimated $198.1 million nationwide. However, some states in particular have seen a surge in new operators, namely California, Arizona, Nevada and Texas, meaning these states are considered hotspots for potential hospice fraud.Editor's Note: This article aptly names the deeply partisan “blame game” now playing out across many media outlets. Hospice fraud is not a partisan issue—it is a human one. When hospice is exploited, it erodes trust in a field built on compassion and dignity at life’s most vulnerable moments. Political finger-pointing may generate headlines, but it does little to solve the problem. Stopping hospice fraud requires accountability, strong oversight, and a shared commitment to protect patients—and the integrity of hospice care itself.

VNA of Texas to take over operations of Faith Presbyterian Hospice Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 3/11/26 Faith Presbyterian Hospice, a subsidiary of the nonprofit senior housing operator Forefront Living, is transferring its patients and most of its staff to the Visiting Nurse Association of Texas (VNA). VNA is expanding its census and its footprint through a deepened partnership with Forefront, with which the organization has had a longstanding relationship. Faith Presbyterian is currently winding down its operations, allowing VNA and Forefront to focus on their own core competencies while leveraging each other’s expertise.

[United Kingdom] Specialist palliative care has the potential to reduce costs by up to £8,000 per person and improve quality of life, according to new research published in Palliative Medicine Innovation News Network; by Megan Traviss; 3/10/26 Led by researchers at King’s College London, the research considered two modes of palliative care for those living at home and for those in acute hospital settings. As well as significantly reducing the overall cost of care per person, specialist palliative care delivered at home and in the hospital was associated with improved quality of life for patients in their final months. Peter May, Senior Lecturer in Health Economics at King’s College London and lead author of the study, stated: “This is the first study to estimate the economic impact for England.