Literature Review

Hospice of the Piedmont CEO: Doubling down on community-based support Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 7/16/25 Virginia-based Hospice of the Piedmont is sharpening its focus on home-based care services and unfurling several initiatives in this realm. The future of end-of-life care delivery has increasingly shifted into the home, according to Nancy Littlefield, president and CEO at Hospice of the Piedmont. While demand for facility-based hospice care is also rising, sustaining these services has become increasingly difficult, she indicated. Several hospices have shuttered their facility-based programs in recent years, with many citing financial headwinds as a leading reason fueling inpatient center closures. Financial strains were among the challenges that led to the difficult decision to close Hospice of the Piedmont’s Center for Acute Hospice Care, Littlefield said. ... Hospice News recently sat down with Littlefield to learn more about how hospices are sustaining and growing their services in today’s economic and financial climate.

Agrace opens western Wisconsin office in La Crosse WisBusiness, La Crosse, WI; Press Release; 7/16/25 Agrace continues its rapid growth across the state of Wisconsin with the opening of a new office in La Crosse, a western-Wisconsin city of 52,000 located along the Mississippi River. Since its founding in Madison, Wis., in 1978, Agrace has provided exceptional care for the state’s residents who are in the final months of life. The new Agrace location gives residents of La Crosse County greater choice for high-quality, in-home hospice care. County residents can enroll with Wisconsin’s largest nonprofit hospice to receive hospice care that comes to them where they live—in private homes, long-term care facilities or any other place they call home.

Leveraging speedy admissions to support hospice growth Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 7/16/25 Seamless and fast admissions processes are crucial to hospice growth. Speedy hospice patient admissions can lead to improved referral numbers, profitability and length of stay. Yet, hospices need to carefully navigate their patient admission processes to maximize both quality and their revenue. The hospices that do this effectively have a core set of key performance indicators that they look at consistently, according to Tony Kudner, chief strategy officer of the consulting firm Transcend Strategy Group. “The ones that look at data and are constantly asking themselves, ‘How can we paint the fullest picture of eligibility and get to that patient as quickly as possible?’ are the ones that we would say are the ones that are successful,” Kudner told Hospice News. “The people who have that information at their fingertips and use it to drive decision making are usually the ones who are sustaining their organizations and growing.”

Medicare fraud has gone global. It’ll take a nationwide effort to stop itLos Angeles Times; by Mehmet Oz, Kim Brandt; 7/15/25Federal law enforcement recently announced a $14-billion fraud takedown — the largest healthcare fraud action in U.S. history, involving many crimes orchestrated by foreign nationals. Every American taxpayer should be alarmed not just because of the dollars at stake, but also because it reveals how vulnerable Medicare and Medicaid have become to large-scale, international exploitation... Fraud is a national problem, but it starts locally. Drive around certain neighborhoods in Los Angeles and you’ll pass what appear to be empty office buildings, which unbeknownst to neighbors could serve as hubs of criminal activity. There are more than 1,000 potentially fraudulent hospice operations identified in Los Angeles.Publisher's note: Medicare fraud is tragic - and that hospice is the highighted provider in this story is also tragic. This article includes steps that can be taken to stop this fraud. Also, thanks to Sheila Clark, President-CEO of the California Hospice & Palliative Care Association (CHAPCA) for forwarding this article.

Reopening of Hospice House stalls after Seasons Hospice exits Steele County Southernminn, Faribault, MN; by Annie Harman; 7/1/25 What has been a continuing journey of peaks and valleys has come upon yet another roadblock as volunteers with the Homestead Hospice House announce the reopening of the residential hospice facility will be put on hold. The news comes after Seasons Hospice, a nonprofit hospice care organization based out of Rochester, has made the decisions to discontinue their home care and hospice services in Steele County. Seasons had initially partnered with the board of the Homestead Hospice House in August 2024 to work toward reopening the facility, raising $850,000 — $350,000 to reopen the facility and cover startup funds for IT and staff, and an additional $500,000 to secure operating funds for the first year. 

Essentia Health is putting Duluth Hospice patients in jeopardy, healthcare workers speak out Minnesota Nurses Association; Press Release; 7/1/25 In a move hospice nurses are calling “cruel and unnecessary,” Essentia Health has informed staff that it will suspend patient care at Solvay Hospice House beginning July 8, the same day an open-ended unfair labor practice (ULP) strike is set to begin across Duluth hospitals. The Minnesota Nurses Association has proposed seven bargaining dates in the week before the strike, but Essentia Health has not accepted a single date for Solvay Hospice House or its hospitals and clinics. Solvay healthcare workers say these transfers are not being driven by a shortage of caregivers, but by Essentia’s refusal to engage in good faith bargaining with frontline healthcare workers at Solvay and across Duluth facilities. Caregivers at Solvay have been seeking a fair contract for nearly a year. 

TCN & HPCT Podcast: Plans of Care, Ethics, Robotics, and more! Top News Stories, June 2025 Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast by Chris Comeaux with Cordt Kassner; 7/2/25 What makes Hospice special isn't magic—it's the masterful implementation of coordinated care plans that align interdisciplinary teams with patient priorities.  This month's deep dive into June's most critical Hospice and Palliative Care developments explores how this "secret sauce" remains simultaneously the heart of our philosophy and our most common survey deficiency. In this episode of TCNtalks, host Chris Comeaux and Cordt Kassner, Publisher of Hospice & Palliative Care Today & CEO and Founder of Hospice Analytics, discuss relevant top news stories in Hospice and Palliative Care for June. They also explore technology's dual-edged potential, suggesting that AI and robotics should enhance, rather than replace, the human elements of Hospice Care.  As Daniel Pink notes, "if a robot can replace you, you should be"—allowing us to focus our irreplaceable human capacity on meaningful connection rather than routine tasks.

National Health Care Fraud Takedown results in 324 defendants charged in connection with over $14.6 billion in alleged fraud: Largest Justice Department Health Care Fraud Takedown in history, more than doubles prior record of $6 billion Office of Public Affairs - U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC; 6/30/25 The Justice Department today announced the results of its 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, which resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants, including 96 doctors, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and other licensed medical professionals, in 50 federal districts and 12 State Attorneys General’s Offices across the United States, for their alleged participation in various health care fraud schemes involving over $14.6 billion in intended loss. The Takedown involved federal and state law enforcement agencies across the country and represents an unprecedented effort to combat health care fraud schemes that exploit patients and taxpayers.Editor's Note: For cases specific to hospice and palliative care, (1) go to our homepage, (2) ;ogin to your newsletter account, (3) use the search engine at the top of our page, using the key word "fraud". We have posted  204 articles about hospice fraud, since we began this format on 1/1/2024. Ongoing, use this search engine as your first "Go To" resource for targeted, timely information.

Snowline rethinks donation policy Mountain Democrat, Placerville, CA; News Release; 6/18/25 ... Operated in support of Snowline’s nonprofit mission, its thrift stores raise crucial funds to provide palliative care, hospice services, bereavement and veteran support to individuals and families throughout our region. Recently, in response to feedback from the community about donation limitations, Snowline opened its doors to accept a broader range of donated items. The goal was simple: to be more accommodating and say “yes” more often to those wanting to give. ... While the outpouring of donations was generous and deeply appreciated, this well-intentioned shift led to a significant rise in items that simply could be resold, things that were broken, torn, incomplete or nonfunctional. As a result, waste removal costs have skyrocketed in the thousands due to an increased number of trash runs and landfill fees. These unexpected expenses threaten Snowline’s ability to direct maximum funds toward the care programs that are at the heart of its mission. “We want to be a resource for our community and also remain good stewards of the donations we receive,” said Director of Thrift Operations Daron Hairabedian. “But we also have a responsibility to ensure the dollars raised through our thrift operations go where they matter most, supporting patients and families in the most vulnerable times of their lives.” To preserve the long-term sustainability of Snowline’s vital programs, including palliative care and grief support services, Snowline Thrift Stores will return to a more selective donation process. 

5 real world lessons from using AI to transform legacy software Forbes - Innovation; by Muamer Cisija; 6/10/25 AI is not the future—it is already shaping our present. According to a recent Forbes survey, AI and machine learning represent the top tech spending area in 2025, capturing 42% of IT budgets. Moreover, an NTT survey conducted by WSJ Intelligence shows that 89% of global CEOs consider AI crucial for future profitability. ... Drawing from real-world use cases I've seen across sectors, here are five critical lessons for applying AI to transform legacy software and unlock growth.

Groundbreaking ceremony for new hospice house in Derby CBS WCAX-3, Burlington/Derby, VT; by Hailey Morgan; 5/31/25 ... Marion Dehnke lost her husband Clint Stevens to cancer back in 2013. She says during that time, she was his caregiver, and he had to stay in a nursing home in a tiny room, with one other person. She said it made things very disruptive, and she didn’t get to spend the time she wanted with him, and she doesn’t want that for someone else. ... Community leaders, and members with the Newport Church of God invested in a solution called the Living Waters Hospice House. It is a two bedroom home dedicated to those in need in their final days. The project is worth a million dollars, and is funded entirely by donations. ... Construction for the home, started this past week, the groundbreaking ceremony was held on the church lawn Saturday.

Capito sees earmark results in hospice renovations CBS 13 WOWK, Charleston, WV; by Sarah Davis; 5/28/25 U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) visited the Hubbard Hospice House in Charleston Wednesday to see her congressionally directed spending in action. The senator got an exclusive tour of the renovations being made, including a new roof, HVAC system and a fresh paving job on the facility’s parking lot. The construction project is supported by Capito’s 2024 congressional directed spending, also known as an earmark, which she said is a necessary investment for the welfare of West Virginians.