Literature Review
How California’s hospice industry spiraled out of control — and cost millions in fraud
08/12/26 at 03:00 AMHow California’s hospice industry spiraled out of control — and cost millions in fraud Los Angeles Daily News, Los Angeles, CA; by Jason Henry; 8/9/26 A quiet change in California law in 2018 unleashed a deluge of new hospices and spurred millions of dollars in Medicare fraud that state and federal authorities are still trying to unwind. ... It all started with three paragraphs added, at the request of the California Department of Public Health, to the end of an omnibus bill in 2018. CDPH had a backlog of 72 applications for hospice licenses at the time and wanted legislators to provide an alternative to a major bottleneck: its own inspectors. Under SB 1495, hospices could choose to pay a third-party accrediting organization for the inspection needed for a license, instead of waiting weeks or months for the next available state employee. ... Unlike a restaurant, which must undergo fire, building and health inspections, the vast majority of hospices in California could suddenly obtain a license, and even approval to bill Medicare, without a public employee stepping foot on the property. ...
Revisiting mastering the art of re-entry: the key to a less-stressful return from vacation
08/12/26 at 03:00 AMRevisiting mastering the art of re-entry: the key to a less-stressful return from vacation Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); by Chris Comeaux; 8/11/26 Now that it is midsummer, have you followed my advice in my previous blog, Work-Life Harmony and taken your vacation? Stephen Covey coined the phrase, “Sharpening the saw,” many years ago and that age-old wisdom applies even more today than when he first wrote about it over thirty years ago. Taking time off is essential to live a high-performance life. But I have noticed a disturbing trend amongst my peers and team members. They are taking time off, but about a week into their return, they comment, “that is so far in the rearview mirror because I am so far behind that I am working twice as hard to catch up.” ... It's time to break free from this vicious cycle by incorporating a crucial new competency: planning your re-entry.Editor's Note: Translate this to your interdisciplinary team professionals for whom--during their vacations--patients have died, their family conflicts have escalated, and newly admitted patients have been added to their caseloads. What systems do you have for smooth, supportive transitions for IDG members when handing off caseloads when leaving, and picking them up on return?
MatrixCare publishes their list of 2026 CAHPS Honors Elite and Honors Award winners
08/12/26 at 02:00 AMMatrixCare releases list of 2026 CAHPS Honors Elite and Honors Award winners MatrixCare, by ResMed; retrieved from the MatrixCare website on 8/11/26 MatrixCare (a ResMed company) released its 2026 CAHPS Honors and Honors Elite Award winners, recognizing home health and hospice organizations whose patient/family satisfaction scores exceeded MatrixCare's own national benchmark — a distinction limited to agencies that use MatrixCare as their CAHPS survey vendor. This is not a ranking among all roughly 6,850 Medicare-certified hospices nationwide, so many excellent agencies using other vendors simply aren't eligible to appear. Congratulations to all organizations listed, especially the approximately 70 that reached the top "Honors Elite" tier.
Hospice acquisitions by certain firms and corporations were associated with reductions in care intensity, 2010–21
08/11/26 at 03:15 AMHospice acquisitions by certain firms and corporations were associated with reductions in care intensity, 2010–21 Health Affairs; by Jiebing Wen, Alexander Soltoff, Mark A. Unruh, David G. Stevenson, and Robert Tyler Braun; 8/3/26 ... We linked a national PE and PTC acquisition database to Medicare claims for a beneficiary sample for the period 2010–21 and used a difference-in-differences event study to compare acquired versus nonacquired for-profit hospices on process-based quality measures and Medicare reimbursement. After PE acquisition, registered nurse, social worker, and home hospice aide minutes per thirty days declined 5.14 percent, 12.32 percent, and 6.62 percent, respectively; after PTC acquisition, registered nurse and home hospice aide minutes per thirty days declined 4.63 percent and 9.09 percent. Declines in visit minutes also were observed in the last seven days of life. Reductions in visit minutes were driven by four large acquirers. These findings highlight the need for increased transparency and oversight policies, as well as payment reforms that align reimbursement with care intensity and quality.
Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with ...
08/11/26 at 03:00 AMDon’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do. ~ John Wooden
AdventHealth expands at-home hospice care in Haywood County, a breakthrough residents say
08/11/26 at 03:00 AMAdventHealth expands at-home hospice care in Haywood County, a breakthrough residents sayWLOS-13 ABC, Haywood Count, NC; by Chloe Adams; 8/5/26 Residents and health leaders said AdventHealth's upcoming expansion of home-based hospice care in Haywood County comes at a critical time and will provide a level of care the community has been missing. The Certificate of Need approval comes after the State Health Coordinating Council determined that the county lacks sufficient hospice capacity to keep pace with the growing demand for end-of-life care, especially as the county experiences population aging, with residents over the age of 65, according to the 2026 Haywood County State Medical Facilities Plan.
Influencer Sydney Towle's final message before death was a powerful reminder to 'choose kindness'
08/11/26 at 03:00 AMInfluencer Sydney Towle's final message before death was a powerful reminder to 'choose kindness'Big News Network; 8/7/26 The death of popular influencer Sydney Towle has left her family, friends and followers heartbroken. According to PEOPLE magazine, the 26-year-old content creator, who openly shared her battle with a rare form of cancer on social media, passed away on August 5. Before her death, she left behind a simple but powerful message about kindness and compassion.
Spiritual aspects of palliative and end-of-life care: highlights - compiled by by Barry R. Ashpole
08/11/26 at 03:00 AMSpiritual aspects of palliative and end-of-life care: highlights - compiled by by Barry R. Ashpole ehospice; by The International Association for Hospice & Palliative Care; 8/10/26 The International Association for Hospice & Palliative Care's literature search is intended as an advocacy, research, and teaching resource for colleagues who have a special interest in palliative and end-of-life care. Its goal is to keep its readers abreast of “current thinking” and also of emerging or related issues. ... The current posting focusses on the spiritual aspects of palliative and end-of-life care.
Hospice physician: pain management rowing more complex for families
08/11/26 at 03:00 AMHospice physician: pain management growing more complex for families Hospice News; by James Warda; 8/7/26 When a patient starts to receive hospice care, families often expect to focus on making memories, finding comfort and spending meaningful time together. However, many instead find themselves making frantic phone calls to multiple pharmacies, driving across town to locate medications, or waiting days for prescriptions that should be readily available, with a patient in need at home. According to the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine’s (AAHPM) Board of Directors Secretary, Dr. Michael Barnett, a hospice physician and former inpatient palliative care physician, this growing challenge is becoming an all-too-common part of end-of-life care.
The top hospitals by state, per Forbes
08/11/26 at 03:00 AMThe top hospitals by state, per Forbes Becker's Hospital Review; by Molly Gamble; 7/29/26 Forbes rated the country’s hospitals state by state for 2026, with 259 earning the top mark of five stars. The Forbes Top Hospitals by State list, published July 14, draws on the national Forbes Top Hospitals 2026 ratings, which score general acute-care hospitals on measures pulled from the CMS Provider Data Catalog across four areas: patient outcomes (weighted at 55%), hospital best practices (20%), value (15%) and patient experience (10%). Each hospital lands on a single Forbes Overall Hospital Quality Rating of one to five stars.
Moral distress is the wound behind bedside care
08/11/26 at 03:00 AMMoral distress is the wound behind bedside careKevinMD.com; by Amanda Dean, RN; 8/9/2026A physician I follow on social media is an incredibly talented artist. He turns medical scenarios into cartoon sketches, as if they belong in a Sunday newspaper instead of on a telephone screen. One of his recent renderings depicted the typical ICU patient: intubated, sedated, and surrounded by machines. Standing beside the hospital bed were two individuals with captions over their heads saying, “Look at all of this! This is torture! He is suffering!” An identical image was placed by its side, the only difference being the captions overhead. This time they read, “Look at all of this! What amazing care! He’s getting everything!” The images invited almost 200 comments, ranging far and wide along the opinionated spectrum. ...
Community foundation awards $25,000 grant to VNA Mobile Health Clinic
08/11/26 at 03:00 AMCommunity foundation awards $25,000 grant to VNA Mobile Health Clinic Sebastian Daily, Vero Beach, FL; by Andy Hodges; 8/7/26 The Indian River Community Foundation has awarded a $25,000 grant to the Visiting Nurse Association of the Treasure Coast’s Mobile Health Clinic to support its ongoing work bringing primary care and screenings to residents who face barriers to traditional medical settings. The check was presented July 28 at a ceremony that included representatives from the foundation, VNA leadership, Mobile Health Clinic staff and the VNA & Hospice Foundation.
Everett hospice workers concerned for patient care after private equity takeover
08/11/26 at 03:00 AMEverett hospice workers concerned for patient care after private equity takeover HeraldNet, Everett, WA; by Jenna Peterson; 8/8/26 Home health and hospice workers in Everett are raising concerns that a recent management change is jeopardizing their ability to administer quality patient care. In 2024, Providence Swedish announced a “joint venture” with Compassus, a home health company backed by private equity and based in Brentwood, Tennessee. Now, the organizations operate as “Providence at Home with Compassus,” providing home health and hospice services in the western United States. ... ... [Since] the joint venture went into effect 15 months ago, more than 60 employees have left the Everett location, not including those who have retired, said Milli Palmer, a licensed practical nurse and a member of the union’s executive board. The location has historically been home to about 200 employees, Palmer said. Union members say staff have left largely because of unsustainable patient load requirements and fear of losing their licenses. Throughout Washington, employees have filed dozens of complaints with federal and state agencies regarding what they say are inadequate patient care, wage theft and unsafe practices.
Avoiding 3 risk factors in midlife could add 13 dementia-free years
08/11/26 at 03:00 AMAvoiding 3 risk factors in midlife could add 13 dementia-free years Medical News Today; by Amy McLean; 8/5/26 [For you own health and well-being:] Researchers analyzed data in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study, a cohort study that began in 1987. They examined the data of 12,409 participants. They assessed three risk factors, which the ARIC study consistently measured:
Why AI works best when it works with humans
08/11/26 at 03:00 AMWhy AI Works Best When It Works with HumansHarvard Business Review; 6/1/26Despite the big promise of AI, only 5% of AI implementations deliver measurable business returns, according to a recent study by MIT. Rarely is the problem the technology. More often, AI efforts fall short because leaders overlook the critical role humans play in the system. AI is a tool. Like other tools, AI operates best when people understand how to use it, trust it, and can integrate it into the way they already work.Publisher's note: Thank you Ernesto Lopez for drawing our attention to this article. He notes, "Trust, context, judgment, and accountability are not optional in healthcare. AI can absolutely create value, but only when it is designed and built around the people doing the work every day."
52 hospitals closing departments or ending services
08/10/26 at 03:00 AM52 hospitals closing departments or ending servicesBecker's Hospital Review; by Andrew Cass; 8/7/26A number of healthcare organizations have recently closed medical departments or ended services at facilities to shore up finances, focus on more in-demand services or address staffing shortages. Here are 52 department closures or services that are ending or have been announced, advanced or finalized that Becker’s reported since Jan. 1: ... [#40 names, "Minot, N.D.-based Trinity Health is suspending home health and outpatient hospice services. ...]
Sixth Circuit clarifies Medicare safe harbor for hospice providers in landmark coverage decision
08/10/26 at 03:00 AMSixth Circuit clarifies Medicare safe harbor for hospice providers in landmark coverage decision JD Supra; by Jason Bring and Bill Dombi; 8/5/26 Key Takeaways
Home health, hospice admissions surge as Medicare Advantage growth plateaus
08/10/26 at 03:00 AMHome health, hospice admissions surge as Medicare Advantage growth plateausMcKnights Home Care; by Marissa Fernandez; 8/6/26 Providers could potentially have a new benchmark for fee-for-service home care admissions, according to the latest report from Trella Health. The annual interactive Post-Acute Market Intelligence Report: 2026 Edition also found increases in home health and hospice admissions, as well as other related data changes that could signal national trends.
The benefits and hidden costs of AI scribes
08/10/26 at 03:00 AMThe benefits and hidden costs of AI scribesHealthcare Brew; by Maia Anderson; 8/5/26Ambient AI scribes have typically been marketed as tools to reduce providers’ administrative burden by speeding up the clinical documentation process. They may also be useful in boosting health system revenues. Multiple studies show that scribe usage is leading to more billing codes being included in clinical notes, which in turn leads to higher reimbursement from insurers and higher revenues for hospitals. That may be a slight boon for health systems, experts said. But, they cautioned that it could also increase overall medical costs and insurance premiums, particularly when scribes are used in inpatient settings, which involve billing for much higher-cost services. Whether they also result in improvements in care is unclear.
World Hospice and Palliative Care Day, Oct. 10, 2026, with theme "Pain management - an essential part of palliative care"
08/10/26 at 03:00 AMWorld Hospice and Palliative Care Day, Oct. 10, 2026, with theme "Pain management - an essential part of palliative careWorldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance (WHPCA); Press Release; 8/7/26World Hospice and Palliative Care Day is an annual unified day of action to celebrate and support hospice and palliative care around the world. WHPCD has been marked every year since 2005. Join us on Saturday 10 October 2026 to advocate for better hospice and palliative care services around the world.
Children are not a distraction from more important work. They are ...
08/10/26 at 03:00 AMChildren are not a distraction from more important work. They are the most important work. ~ C.S. Lewis
The leadership pendulum and the paradox of choice: how leaders balance purpose, power and performance
08/10/26 at 03:00 AMThe leadership pendulum and the paradox of choice: how leaders balance purpose, power and performance Chief Learning Officer; by Wesley Payne McClendon; 8/6/2026 Institutions drift not when leaders hesitate, but when they overcorrect, substitute force for judgment or confuse visible action with disciplined leadership. The real leadership challenge is to keep purpose, power and performance in proportion so the organization can move forward with legitimacy, clarity and endurance. ... The leadership challenge is to remain anchored in purpose and governance, apply the right amount of force, hold the necessary tension, stay close enough to lived reality to remain relevant and resist swings that create more disruption than progress. Viewed in this way, leadership is not judged only by visible action, but by the mechanics that produce drift, overreach, correction and return.Examine McClendon's teaching graphic for "The Leadership Pendulum"
Hudson Valley Hospice lights the Walkway in Memory of loved ones
08/10/26 at 03:00 AMHudson Valley Hospice lights the Walkway in Memory of loved ones Times Hudson Valley, Newgurgh, NY; by Mark Reynolds; 8/5/26 The Hudson Valley Hospice Foundation held its second annual Lights Across the Hudson luminary event Friday evening at the midpoint of the Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park. The free event offered visitors a chance for reflection, connection and shared memory of loved ones who have died. Thousands of glowing luminaries, each honoring an individual, lined the southern side of the walkway’s 1.28-mile span. ... “Tonight, as the sun sets and the Walkway begins to glow with thousands of luminaries, we are reminded that love does not end when a life ends,” Lisa Wilson, executive director of the foundation said. ... Wilson said each luminary represents its own story. ... Students from Hudson Valley Voices in Harmony, led by choral director Stephanie Hu-Corbett, performed several selections, including “Be the Light.”
Why the proposed palliative care benefit comes up short for home care advocates
08/10/26 at 03:00 AMWhy the proposed palliative care benefit comes up short for home care advocatesMcKnight's Homecare; by John Roszkowski; 8/3/26Palliative care providers are encouraged by a new provision in the federal home health payment rule that would expand community-based palliative care for some Medicare beneficiaries, but many questions remain on whether the proposed change would have a significant impact... Providers have long advocated for an expansion of community-based palliative care under the home health benefit in original Medicare and the fact CMS is finally recognizing its potential value is “an encouraging signal,” according to Fred Bentley, managing principal for Bentley Health Strategies, which provides strategic consulting and analytics and post-acute care provider organizations. Still, he said the proposed change CMS is considering would be limited to a relatively small subset of seriously ill fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries that are homebound and need skilled care.
Nevada doctor charged with $95M wound care fraud on Medicare
08/10/26 at 03:00 AMNevada doctor charged with $95M wound care fraud on MedicareOIG press release; 8/5/26A federal grand jury in the District of Nevada returned an indictment yesterday charging Stephen Dubin, M.D., 74, of Henderson, Nevada, with a $95 million scheme to defraud Medicare by billing for medically unnecessary amniotic wound allografts that he and others applied to elderly Medicare patients... Dubin allegedly applied these allografts to elderly patients — including vulnerable patients in hospice care — without medical necessity.