Literature Review

Best use of emerging tech in health systems from 50 leaders Becker's Hospital Review; by Scott King; 9/25/25 Emerging technologies have greatly improved efficiency at most health systems. Over 50 healthcare leaders spoke with Becker’s about their best uses of tech in the past year. ... As part of an ongoing series, Becker’s is connecting with healthcare leaders who will speak at the event to get their perspectives on key issues in the industry. ... Question: What’s your system’s best use of tech in the past year, and why?

One year after Hurricane Helene: Lessons in resilience, recovery, and renewal Hospice & Palliative Care Today; Joy Berger and Cordt Kassner with Vern Grindstaff, Millicent Burke-Sinclair, and Chris Comeaux; 9/26/25 At this time last year, Hospice & Palliative Care Today brought you a series of articles reporting on the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene across the Southeast, focusing on hospices in the North Carolina mountains. We remain deeply grateful for the many ways you—our readers and colleagues—rallied in support of those hospice organizations and their communities during their time of urgent need. This Saturday, September 27, 2025, marks the one-year anniversary of that epic disaster. To reflect on what has been learned and how recovery has unfolded, Vern Grindstaff (CEO of Compassionate Care WNC, Burnsville, NC), Millicent Burke-Sinclair (President and CEO of Four Seasons, Flat Rock, NC), and Chris Comeaux (President and CEO of Teleios Collaborative Network, Flat Rock, NC) gathered in conversation with Cordt Kassner (publisher) and Joy Berger (editor-in-chief). The insights that follow honor the hospice employees who persevered to provide urgent patient care. We celebrate their spirit of compassionate community and courageous problem-solving from the onset one year ago through ongoing recovery.

Hospice home for veterans named after philanthropist in Nevada Audacy.com - Connecting Vets; by Julia DeDoux; 9/22/25 A Reno, Nevada-based nonprofit dedicated to ensuring veterans have access to the medical care they need has named its newly opened hospice home in honor of a philanthropist whose gifts have been critical to its efforts. Veterans Guest House said the facility, which opened in June, will be known as the Cynthia Lake House. Lake has been instrumental in expanding access to both medical and end-of-life care for veterans across northern Nevada. In 2022, she founded Veterans Guest House’s Patient Advocacy Program, which connects veterans with transportation, post-operative care, and personal support. The impact of the program inspired Lake to scale the vision to 24/7 personalized care, making the hospice house possible.

Texas did not calculate or collect hospice cap overpayments totaling $10.5 million HHS-OIG; Report number: A-06-24-09001; Issued on 9/17/25, Posted on 9/22/5 

The keys to building solid disease-specific hospice programs Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 9/8/25 Understanding the most prevalent medical conditions among aging patient populations is a significant part of developing disease-specific programs that better address physical, emotional and practical needs. ... Community needs assessments play a large role in steering the direction of a disease-specific program, said Evan Dressel, director of strategy, program development and innovation at Lower Cape Fear LifeCare.  ... Navigating service needs, strategic execution and establishing successful care collaborations are crucial components to consider when building a disease-specific program, according to Kelly Gadison, vice president of clinical practice, strategy and programs at Amedisys. ... 

Amarillo VA expands end-of-life care with new hospice unit CBS KFDA-10, Amarillo, TX; by Canion Cvazos; 8/28/25 After years of planning, the Amarillo VA has opened a new chapter in veteran care. The VA held a ribbon-cutting ceremony today to celebrate the opening for its new hospice unit. VA leaders say the goal is to create a home-like environment, where families can gather with comfort and dignity during their loved one’s final days. The hospice unit will provide 10 private rooms, each designed for a single patient, with its own bathroom and shower. 

Hospices nationwide pursue organic growth with new sites Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 8/28/25 Hospices from across the country have sought organic growth with the recent launches of new facilities.

Family Hospice, Alzheimer’s Association partner on ‘Check In’ program for dementia patients Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 8/11/25Family Hospice is working with the Alzheimer’s Association, Georgia Chapter, to improve safety for dementia patients through a new collaborative campaign. The #ICheckedIn campaign calls on community members to check on seniors in their community, particularly those who suffer from dementia or memory loss, through phone calls, visits or other modes of communication. Editor's Note: This article by Hospice News was reposted by the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) under the title, "Hospice encourages public to check on older neighbors."

Top 5 leadership shifts to watch after the summer break Hunt Scanlon Media; by Scott A. Scanlon and Dale M. Zupsansky; 8/4/25 ... Drawing on insights from its global network, the International Executive Search Federation (IESF) has identified five key leadership transitions that are gaining momentum. These changes promise to redefine how executives think, adapt, and drive impact as organizations head into the latter half of 2025 and beyond. ...

How proposed home health cuts could impact hospices  Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 8/1/25Proposed cuts to home health payments for 2026 could have somewhat of a ripple effect on hospices. The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has called for a 6.4% aggregate cut to home health payments for 2026 in a proposed rule. The total reductions amount to $1.135 billion. This is the fourth straight year in which CMS has cut or proposed to cut home health payments. Due to this proposed rule, the agency has “failed” providers, according to Dr. Steven Landers, CEO for the National Alliance for Care at Home.

Hospice of Humboldt expands services Redwood News, Eureka, CA; 7/31/25 ... Through a fundraising effort called the Compassionate Growth Campaign, Hospice of Humboldt was able to raise $750,000, enough to recruit another team of caregivers and double the capacity of the hospice house. “It was a heavy lift for our organization. We recruited and trained an additional 19 staff members,” Keating said. Doctor Charles Knoll, the medical director on campus, walks families through the process. 

Public welcomed inside Heather’s House, North Dakota’s 1st freestanding hospice Grand Forks Herald, Fargo, ND; by Robin Hueben and Michael McGurran; 7/22/25 The public is getting its first look inside North Dakota's first freestanding, inpatient hospice house. Several hundred people turned out for a program and open house at HIA Heather's House on Tuesday, July 22, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 3800 56th Ave. S., Fargo, put on by HIA Health. The letters HIA stand for "hearts in action." HIA had previously been known as Hospice of the Red River Valley before changing its name in June. ... Nancy Andrews, president of the HIA Hospice Board, greeted the crowd on behalf of the board and the facility staff. "I welcome you to the grand opening of this sacred place — a place of peace, compassion and dignity," she said. [For more background, read our 4/23/24 post, Hospice of the Red River Valley celebrates milestone in Heather's House construction.]

Roche Bros. co-owner donates $1M to hospice care nonprofit Boston Business Journal; by Kate Keeley; 7/21/25 Rick Roche, co-owner of Roche Bros. Supermarkets, and his wife contributed a $1 million gift to NVNA and Hospice's $20 million fundraising campaign. ... The Roche family has worked with the nonprofit for more than a decade, and the organization said the family's involvement has been essential to its long-term stability. NVNA established the Pat Roche Hospice Home, the South Shore's first nonprofit hospice home, in 2013. The 12-bed care center, located in Hingham, is named after Roche's father who co-founded the family's grocery chain.