Literature Review

VITAS Healthcare promotes Bryan Wysong to Chief Operations Officer South Florida Hospital News and Healthcare Report; Press Release; 7/2/26 VITAS Healthcare announced the promotion of Bryan Wysong to chief operations officer (COO). As executive vice president and COO, Wysong will lead companywide operations across VITAS, overseeing hospice care delivery, high acuity services, operational performance, quality improvement, home medical equipment and palliative care services. He will work closely with leaders across the organization to strengthen clinical excellence, advance operational performance and support the continued growth of VITAS. Since joining VITAS in 2014 as an internal management consultant, Wysong has held leadership roles of increasing responsibility, including senior director, vice president, head of high acuity services and senior vice president of operational performance. 

Sunday newsletters focus on headlines and top read stories of the last week (in order) - enjoy!

CMS creates new health tech office to lead interoperability efforts, digital products Fierce Healthcare; by Heather Landi; 6/15/26 The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) aims to play a bigger role in health tech modernization efforts, including leading interoperability initiatives. The agency created a new Office of Health Technology and Products (OHTP) to provide "enterprise leadership and oversight for CMS healthcare technology modernization, digital products and transformation of platforms and services supporting Medicare, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and other CMS-administered programs," according to a notice in the Federal Register published on June 11. The new health tech-focused office will work in close coordination with the CMS Chief Information Officer (CIO) and will lead enterprise strategy for artificial intelligence, interoperability, digital product development, Medicare.gov, provider directories and claims system modernization, according to the notice. The office consists of eight divisions and the notice lists more than 90 responsibilities.Editor's Note: Examine the detailed Federal Register's "Statement of Organization, Functions, and Delegations of Authority"

AI, hospice fraud crackdown & medicare’s future—the biggest healthcare stories of 2026| part one Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast hosted by Chris Comeaux with Cordt Kassner; 7/1/26 In this quarterly edition of TCNtalks / Anatomy of Leadership, host Chris Comeaux is joined by healthcare strategist Cordt Kassner to unpack the biggest healthcare stories shaping 2026.  Together, they examine the trends every healthcare executive should be watching—from the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence and workforce transformation to increasing regulatory scrutiny, quality measurement, Medicare reform, and the financial realities facing hospice providers.  Using Dr. Ira Byock’s strategic framework as their guide, they move beyond headlines to explore what these developments mean for the future of care. The conversation also tackles larger questions facing the healthcare system.  

Surely, in the light of history, it is more intelligent to hope rather than to fear, to try rather than not to try. For one thing we know beyond all doubt: Nothing has ever been achieved by the person who says, ‘It can’t be done.’ ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

The Alliance responds to the CY 2027 Home Health Proposed Rule National Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA; Press Release; 7/1/26 The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) today responded to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Calendar Year (CY) 2027 Home Health Prospective Payment System Proposed rule. CMS proposes an overall increase of 2.4% or $420 million in payments to home health agencies for 2027, a positive step made possible in part by the Alliance’s ongoing advocacy for the sustainability of the home health benefit. However, the application of a 3.0% temporary adjustment continues to be of concern and could jeopardize access to care in the home. 

Carolina Caring Community Counseling Program expands services to anyone who has experienced loss Carolina Caring, Newton, NC; Press Release; 7/1/26 For many individuals, addressing the mental health concerns tied to grief and loss can feel overwhelming, complicated, or out of reach. Recognizing the profound impact that loss can have on one’s wellbeing, Carolina Caring has expanded a Community Counseling Program to support individuals who have experienced a major loss of any kind. ... Traditionally, organizations like Carolina Caring provide bereavement services to families of hospice patients for up to 13 months. But the Community Counseling Program is different from this traditional model. Through the expansion, the Community Counseling Program redefines what it means to provide compassionate care to the whole person, both physically and emotionally.

CMS proposes community-based palliative care benefit Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 7/1/26 The U.S Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed coverage of community-based palliative care through the Medicare home health benefit. CMS included the palliative benefit in its 2027 proposed home health rule. ... The agency emphasized that palliative care under the home health benefit would be separate from hospice care and could support patients earlier in the course of serious illness.

Sunday newsletters focus on headlines and top read stories of the last week (in order) - enjoy!

VNA Hops for Hospice brings community together in support of compassionate care GreatNews.Life, Valparaiso, IN; by Maxwell Barath; 6/29/26 On Saturday, June 27, more than 250 guests and over 60 dedicated volunteers gathered at the Porter County Expo Center for VNA Hospice NWI’s sixth annual Hops for Hospice, an afternoon celebrating local craft beverages, delicious food, live music, and a shared commitment to compassionate hospice care. The Expo Center was filled with energy as attendees sampled offerings from dozens of regional breweries, wineries, and beverage vendors while enjoying live performances by Bryan Elliott and Duke Tumatoe, whose music provided the perfect soundtrack for an afternoon of community, conversation, and giving back.

Burke County hospice provider responds to national concerns over hospice industry The Paper, Morganton, NC; by Allen VanNoppen; 5/16/26 As questions continue nationwide about hospice oversight and Medicare abuse, leaders at Burke County’s AMOREM say nonprofit hospice providers offer a different model centered on community care rather than profits. AMOREM emphasized the distinction between nonprofit and for-profit hospice organizations, arguing that ownership structure directly affects patient care and family experience at the end of life, the nonprofit’s leaders said. The statement comes amid increased national attention on reports of misuse of the Medicare Hospice Benefit in some parts of the country. 

Mi Casa Hospice Alzheimer’s awareness event brings community together through education and compassion Alice Echo News Journal, Alice, TX; by Pete Vasquez; 6/29/26 Education, compassion, and community came together during the recent Mi Casa Hospice Alzheimer’s Awareness Event, where healthcare professionals, local businesses, caregivers, and community members united with one shared purpose—to raise awareness and support families affected by Alzheimer’s disease. ... Mi Casa Hospice emphasized that when healthcare providers, local businesses, community organizations, and residents work together, they can make a lasting difference in the lives of those impacted by Alzheimer’s disease.