Build a real workplace violence committee. Not just a checkbox. Download 9 ready-to-use templates to launch your program.
pomsafe - Compliance Resource; by pomsafe; 4/15/26 
Built for the filed, not the facility. Most WPV resources are designed for hospitals, buildings, and fixed locations. This kit was built from the ground up for organizations whose staff work in homes, communities, and the field, where the risk environment looks completely different. Built for teams in home health and hospice; ... any organization sending caregivers into patient homes or the community.

Ending Do Not Resuscitate requirements in pediatric home hospice
American Academy of Pediatrics - Pediatrics Perspectives; by Meaghann S. Weaver, MD, PhD, MPH, HEC-C, FAAP and Sara Taub, MD, MBE, FAAP; Lisa C. Lindley, PhD, RN, FPCN, FAAN; 4/16/26 
Hospice care is designed to provide holistic support for children with serious illness while honoring family values and preferences. We recently encountered challenges in enrolling children from 3 of the 4 US census regions (the Midwest, West, and South) into home hospices. The hospice agencies maintained an internal policy requiring “Do Not Resuscitate” (DNR) orders as an enrollment requirement. We hold clinical and ethical concerns about pediatric hospice care being contingent on DNR orders.
Editor's Note: Having served on a pediatric hospice team and supported parents before, during, and after many children’s deaths, requiring a DNR order for hospice enrollment raises serious ethical concerns. Conditioning access to hospice on a DNR risks undermining parents’ authority to make decisions for their child, eroding trust, and misaligning with the core purpose of hospice care. Pediatric hospice should support families as decisions evolve—not require a single, binding choice as a prerequisite for care.

St. Croix Hospice CCO: transparency, compliance fosters growth
Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 4/15/26
Tami Johnson-White is the newly appointed chief compliance officer for St. Croix Hospice. Johnson-White brings 30 years of health care leadership experience to St. Croix Hospice. St. Croix Hospice operates more than 85 locations across Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Hospice News sat down with Johnson-White to talk about her priorities as she comes into her new role, the top compliance issues facing hospices today and how they can prepare for audits.

Sovereign Hospice: addressing late-stage renal condition care gaps in Fort Worth 
MyCarrollCountyNews.com, Dallas, TX; by Sovereign Hospice; 4/16/26 
End-stage kidney disease affects hundreds of thousands of Americans each year. When kidneys can no longer sustain life without dialysis or a transplant, families are left to make decisions that few feel prepared for. Sovereign Hospice ... is drawing attention to a gap many families face: not knowing that hospice care services exist as a legitimate, fully supported option at this stage of illness. ... For patients with end-stage kidney disease, the shift away from aggressive treatment means that symptom management becomes the priority. Common symptoms at this stage include fatigue, pain, restlessness, and fluid retention. The interdisciplinary team is trained to address all of these through individualized care plans.
Editor's Note: How intentionally are you building disease-specific knowledge across your interdisciplinary teams? End-stage renal disease brings complex physical, psychosocial, and spiritual needs—especially as dialysis decisions extend into hospice care. Are your teams equipped and aligned? Call to action: Each quarter, lead one disease-specific interdisciplinary learning initiative to strengthen shared understanding and deliver more cohesive care. 

Hospice fraud: the $530m surge and the new era of “zero tolerance”
Lund Person & Associates Hospice Consulting; by Judi Lund Person; 4/16/26 
The landscape for hospice care in the United States has shifted dramatically. As of April 15, 2026, federal and state enforcement data signals a pivotal moment: the “light-touch” era is officially over. With over $530 million in alleged losses tracked in the last 12 months, providers are now under the most intense scrutiny in the history of the Medicare hospice benefit.

• The Enforcement Epicenter: California’s Billion-Dollar Crackdown ...
• The “Non-Terminal” Epidemic and Dominant Fraud Schemes ...
• The High Cost of Non-Compliance: Dr. Rajiv Bhuva ...
• Looking Forward: A Warning for Providers ...

Hundreds of hospice providers suspended in Los Angeles over $600 million in suspected fraud 
Washington Examiner; by Mia Cathell; 4/15/26 
Vice President JD Vance's anti-fraud task force has suspended hundreds of hospices suspected of fraudulently billing for end-of-life services in Los Angeles, an area identified by both state and federal authorities as a hospice fraud hot spot. The newly appointed White House task force, headed by Vance, issued suspensions this week against 447 hospices and 23 home health agencies operating out of Los Angeles, pausing payments to providers believed to have defrauded federal healthcare programs out of more than $600 million.

Hospice Insights Podcast - high risk hospices are in the hot seat across six states 
JD Supra; podcast by Husch Blackwell, LLP; 4/15/26 
Since September 2024, CMS’s Medicare Administrative Contractors have been conducting expanded prepayment reviews (also known as “EPRs” or targeted high-risk reviews) of existing hospice providers in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Texas. As of December 2025, hospices in Georgia and Ohio are also under the microscope. In this episode, Husch Blackwell attorneys Bryan Nowicki and Zaina Niles discuss how hospices can differentiate between EPRs and other audit types. You’ll also learn what to expect throughout the EPR process and strategies to overcome claim denials and other possible EPR consequences.

Family perceptions of palliative care consultations for nursing home residents 
BMC Palliative Care; by Alfred Boakye, John Cagle, Gretchen Tucker, Mary Ersek, Alexander C. Floyd, Hanley Elftmann, Peiyuan Zhang & Kathleen T. Unroe; 4/16/26 
Results: ... Four interaction themes emerged regarding palliative care consultations interactions: they (1) promoted physical comfort, (2) supported family members, (3) attended to residents’ social needs, and (4) provided next steps/care planning. Four themes on perceived benefits of consultation visits were identified. Visits (1) improved residents’ quality of life, (2) provided recommendations/referrals, (3) kept family members informed, and (4) supported family members.

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. 

Giving back gives purpose to local woman 
The Hinsdalean; by Ken Knutson; 4/15/26 
Those nearing the end of life and their loved ones may not know Bonnie Walk. But her longstanding, dedicated behind-the-scenes volunteer service for St. Thomas Hospice has helped deliver resources and comfort to untold families during difficult seasons. ... "I work anywhere from one hour to six hours a week," she said. "It just depends on what needs to be done." ... How long will she stick with it? "Until I can't, I suppose," said Walk, not keen on passive entertainment. "You've got to do something. I'd rather help than not."

Executive Personnel Changes - 4/17/26

• HopeWest in Grand Junction, CO has promoted Lindsay Kampfer to Chief Clinical Officer
• Hospice Help Foundation in Portsmouth, NH has welcomed Abigail Sherwood as their new Executive Director

Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there. ~ Will Rogers