Hospice finance 101 and the gift of mortality
Post Independent; by Peter Schoomaker, Homecare & Hospice of the Valley CFO; 2/19/25
... [Practical information about hospice expenses, like labor and mileage reimbursement with. "For our agency, we estimate our clinicians will drive more than 250,000 miles in 2025, slightly more than the distance from the Earth to the Moon."] And now a more personal note … I am grateful for the last seven years of my career working in hospice care. Most importantly, I am grateful for the opportunity to integrate into the clinical experience of hospice. When I shadow an admission visit or attend the hospice interdisciplinary meeting, I am reminded that hospice is a world of YET (You’re Eligible Too). The only thing that separates me, and our hospice patients, is time. My relative physical strength will eventually shrink. My mental faculties will fade. And there is a large possibility, at some point in my life, that I will depend almost entirely on others to help with most activities of daily living. This is true for all of us. ... ... Recognizing this truth opens a path to humility. A path to step away from the ego, even for a moment, and really let go. ... When I reflect on this, I realize what a gift our mortality is. To know that our choices matter because we never know much time we have left. A sincere thank you to all our hospice, homecare and private duty clinicians — and our administrative teams that support them. It is genuinely noble work.
Editor's note: "A sincere thank you" to Peter Schoomaker, Homecare & Hospice of the Valley CFO.

Historic flooding hits Kentucky: Death toll rises to 14 as recovery efforts continue 
NBC WLWT-5, Cincinnati, OH; by Emily Sanderson; updated 2/18/25
The death toll is continuing to rise across Kentucky amid devastating flood conditions. [Gov. Andy] Beshear says at least 14 people have died due to the severe flooding, weather. The deaths include a mother and her child who were swept away by flood waters in their car. The governor confirmed hundreds of people have been displaced. Swift Water Boat Teams and 146 Kentucky National Guard soldiers have been activated. Beshear says there have been over 1,000 water rescues already. Ohio Task Force 1 has also been activated as a Type III team in response to heavy flooding in Kentucky and surrounding states. [Additionally, snow is expected with temperatures] set to drop significantly, with wind chills dropping below zero. Officials said 300 roads are still impacted or closed, with standing water still an issue across the state. ... The governor also started a donation fund for those impacted by flooding. Donations can be made at TeamKyReliefFund.ky.gov. Beshear stressed the first things the fund will be used for is funerals for victims. 

Harley Owners Group & Community make splash for JRMC Hospice 
NewsDakota.com, Jamestown, ND; by Steve Urness; 2/18/25 
The spirit of generosity and adventure was alive and well at the 19th annual Polar Pig Walk the Plank & Chili Cook-off, held Feb. 1 at Stutsman Harley-Davidson. ... This year, Polar Pig reached an incredible milestone—surpassing $300,000 raised for JRMC Hospice since its inception. ... This year alone, $19,405 was raised, directly benefiting the care provided by the JRMC Hospice team. Braving the winter air, dozens of participants in a wide variety of costumes took the plunge, leaping into the water in the name of hospice care. Spectators cheered as JRMC team members, community members and families joined in the fun, embracing the cold for a cause. The event also featured a chili cook-off and silent auction.
Editor's note: We don't know the temperature for this North Dakota polar plunge on Feb 1. However, the weather in Jamestown, ND on Thu 2/20 is -8°F.  Bravo to these brave souls!

BCN expands community grief care and integrative medicine with grant 
Bluegrass Care Navigators; News; 2/12/25 
Saint Joseph Hospital and Saint Joseph East have awarded Bluegrass Care Navigators (BCN) $50,000 to support grief services and integrative medicine programs. This funding will help BCN provide essential care to more than 1,000 diverse individuals across Lexington, Frankfort, and Cynthiana and address significant health challenges in 2025. Our Community Grief Services include individual and group counseling, Camp Hope for children and adults, and crisis response. With this grant, we anticipate being able to serve more than 800 individuals through community grief counseling. Our Integrative Medicine offerings—music, art, massage therapy, and mindfulness—expand to be able to support approximately 300 patients with 800 visits, enhancing physical and mental health. ... "Together, we are creating a meaningful impact in the community and improving the mental health and well-being of those we serve,” said Liz Fowler, president and CEO of BCN. 
Editor's note: After this 2/12 post, multiple hospice areas served by Bluegrass Care Navigators were flooded this week. We thank BCN for your community grief systems already in place, with significant support ahead for those you serve. 

Staffing shortages weighing on hospice executive’s minds in 2025 
Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 2/19/25 
Hospice leaders have lost sleep over workforce pressures plaguing the industry for several years running, a trend that is not anticipated to abate anytime soon. Staffing challenges were cited as the leading concern among 35% of 112 hospice professionals who participated in this year’s Outlook Survey by Hospice News and Homecare Homebase. This represented an 18% decline compared to the 2023 survey results. ...

• Biggest staffing issues in hospice ...
• Addressing staff priorities ...
• Click on the title's link to read the full article

[Notable mentions: Butte Home Health & Hospice, Community Hospice & Palliative Care, Enhabit, Hospice of the Valley, Pathways]

Partnership grows to help more clinicians of color find community in Vermont 
Vermont Business Magazine - Vermont Biz (VB), South Burlington, VT; by Tim, The University of Vermont Medical Center; 2/18/25 
A growing partnership between University of Vermont Medical Center and the Vermont Professionals of Color Network (VT PoC) aims to help people of color adjust to life in Vermont and build the personal and professional relationships community leaders say are crucial to both individual wellbeing and keeping residency students in the state after they complete their clinical training. “During my 20 plus years here, I have heard from so many black and brown people about how difficult it can be to adjust to life in Vermont – and this goes for medical residents too,” said Tino Rutanhira, co-founder and co-executive director of VT PoC. "... Without support, many of these professionals decide to leave Vermont at a time when our state desperately needs young, skilled and diverse people to help it grow.” 
Editor's note: Partners listed include The University of Vermont Health Network - Home Health & Hospice.

Over a quarter of adolescents, young adults with cancer who want to die at home do not 
Healio; by Jennifer Byrne; 2/20/25 
More than one-fourth of adolescents and young adults with cancer who wished to die at home did not attain this goal, according to research published in JAMA Network Open. Researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study that included adolescents and young adults (AYA; age range, 12 to 19 years) with cancer who died between 2003 and 2019. The cohort included patients treated at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Kaiser Permanente Northern California or Kaiser Permanente Southern California. ... Healio spoke with Odejide about the rationale for the study, the importance of the findings, and strategies oncologists can employ to ensure more goal-concordant end-of-life care for AYA patients with advanced cancers. [Click here for Helio's discussion with the lead researcher, Oreofe O. Odejide, MD, MPH, associate professor of medicine at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.]  
Editor's note: Examine this JAMA article, which we posted in our Saturday Research issue, 1/18/25: "Preferred and actual location of death in adolescents and young adults with cancer."

Heritage Hospice’s “Scatter Hearts” project honors veterans and patients 
The Advocate-Messenger, Danville, KY; by Josely Labarrere; 2/19/25 
Heritage Hospice volunteers are spreading love and appreciation this Valentine’s season with the “Scatter Hearts” project, a heartfelt initiative designed to bring joy to hospice patients, particularly veterans. ... “The volunteers thought it would be a good time to honor our veterans, acknowledge the sacrifices they have made for us, and bring a smile to our hospice patients,” said Wendy Hellard, Director of Volunteer Services at Heritage Hospice. ... The wooden hearts, designed to be displayed on doors, were individually painted by Heritage Hospice volunteers and community members in bright and cheerful colors. Special hearts featuring patriotic red, white, and blue designs were created for veteran patients."

New Day Healthcare acquires Christian Senior Care Services  
Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 2/20/25 
New Day Healthcare has acquired the home-based care company Christian Senior Care Services in Houston for an undisclosed sum. The deal, New Day’s 13th to date, expands the company’s personal care services division into five additional counties in the Houston metro area. The operation will continue to operate under its current brand, and the entire staff will remain in place. ... The transaction adds personal care services to New Day’s hospice and home health operations in the Houston area, a key step in the provider’s efforts to build out a multi-faceted continuum of care. ... Similar to national demographic trends, a growing aging population is driving demand for hospice in Texas. Seniors 65 and older represent 13.8% of the Lone Star State’s overall population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

'Fast and furious' AI sparks health system refocus 
Becker's Health IT; by Laura Dyrda; 2/19/25
Health systems are beginning to hire chiefs of artificial intelligence and other AI leaders to bring new expertise into the system with the goal of becoming a more sophisticated, data-driven organization. Lisa Stump, executive vice president, chief digital information officer and vice dean of information technology at Mount Sinai Health System and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, participated in the search and hiring process for Girish Nadkarni, MD, Mount Sinai's first chair of artificial intelligence and human health to create a formal department at the Icahn School of Medicine dedicated to AI. She now partners with him and the system's chief clinical officer – calling themselves the "digital and technology partners" group – to structure a center of excellence around AI and digital health, focusing on the patient and consumer experience.

New tech, new problems: Why application development needs a big-picture view 
Software Development Times (SD Times); by Sharul Sangl; 2/19/25
... [Many] organizations have approached [technology] innovation without a comprehensive strategy or holistic view of their applications, simply focusing on adding the latest features or trendy tools. As a result, they are facing challenges related to application performance, scalability, efficiency, and security. To ensure the success of application innovation, enterprises must maintain a big-picture view of their applications.  ... When approached strategically, organizations are in a prime position to capitalize on current technologies to truly innovate. ...

• Legacy Systems: ...
• Data Security and Compliance: ...
• Talent Gap: ...
• Stakeholder Alignment, Change Management, and Budgeting: ...

Andy Isaac, beloved Detroit sports fan and internet star, says he's entering hospice care 
Detroit Free Press; by Jared Ramsey; 2/20/25 
One of the more prominent faces in the Detroit sports fan online community announced Tuesday he's leaving social media due to his ongoing battle with cancer. Andy Isaac, known from his X (formerly Twitter) account @WorldofIsaac, said he's chosen to enter hospice care. He's been battling Hodgkin's lymphoma since he was first diagnosed in 2006. Isaac, with more than 89,000 followers, became a beloved figure as he cheered on the Detroit Lions, Tigers, Red Wings, and Pistons with his followers and cracked jokes at other teams' expense, namely the Chicago Bears. ... "I don't know when my first tweet or post was but I can tell you, sadly, this is probably one of my last. Having cancer since 2006 has finally taken its toll on me, it has stripped me of my quality of life. I have decided on hospice care." ... He signed off by saying, "Be kind to each other. I love you all. Truly, I do." 

[UK] Campaign focuses on hospice's work: [This is Hospice Care] 
The Free Library; by Sam Volpe; 2/17/25 
Tyneside Hospice is taking part in a new national campaign highlighting their "vital role" - while one son has paid tribute to the care his mother received in her final days. St Oswald's Hospice in Newcastle is one of more than 140 hospices taking part in a new campaign called "This is Hospice Care" which is designed to demystify the role hospices play in our communities. [England, Scotland and Wales] Click here for "This is Hospice Care | UK," on the St. Oswald's Hospice website.

Executive Personnel Changes - 2/21/25

• Allegheny Health Network in Pennsylvania, the health system arm of Highmark Health, names Mark Sevco as president. Click here for Allegheny Health Network's Hospice care. 

You are your best thing. ~ Toni Morrison 
Honoring Black History Month 2025