Literature Review

Building the continuum: Inside New Day Healthcare’s growth & acquisition strategies Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 8/27/25 New Day Healthcare in 2025 has been one of the home health and hospice sector’s most active acquirers. ... Founded in 2020, New Day’s roughly 10,000 employees provide hospice, home health, pediatric and personal care to roughly 180,000 patients annually. ... Brands under the New Day’s umbrella include Phoenix Home Care & Hospice, New Age Hospice, Compassion Hospice, Home Care Providers of Texas, Pathfinder Home Health, Envision Health Partners and AssistCare, among others. ... Hospice News sat down with New Day CEO G. Scott Herman to discuss the company’s growth, its approach to acquisitions, forthcoming changes in the C-Suite and where hospice fits into its strategy.

[DRAFT] Today marks the 20th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina

[United Kingdom] 'The word hospice can be terrifying - but this is why it's giving us extra life' Verve Times, story from Wetherby, UK; by Craig Fedirighi; 8/27/25 The word “hospice” often conjures up images of people living out their final days in a room surrounded by nurses. But one mother says the hospice she goes to with her family has given them a life they could never have imagined would be possible. ... The 32-year-old said: “It’s one of those things where obviously the word hospice, everyone finds it scary. One thinks it’s the worst-case scenario, but it’s not. It’s giving you that extra life that you didn’t know you could have. ..."

How to create meaning in every season of life with Dr. Trisha Welstad Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast hosted by Chris Comeaux with Trisha Welstad; 8/27/25 In this conversation, Dr. Trisha Welstad shares her philosophy on leadership, highlighting the importance of healthy leaders who can heal the world, demonstrating how personal pain can shape a person's purpose, and highlighting the value of reflection in leadership. Dr. Trisha Welstad explores how purpose emerges from our deepest wounds and why healthy leaders can heal the world through their wholeness.  She shares her belief that purpose isn't a luxury, but a necessity for our identity, one that develops throughout all stages of life.

Judge approves $2.8B Blues settlement with providersHealthcare Dive; by Rebecca Pifer; 8/22/25Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans have agreed to pay $2.8 billion to millions of hospitals, physicians and providers to settle allegations that they colluded for years to lower reimbursement.

Hospice provider’s coast-to-coast expansion receives green light from California AGMcKnight's Home Care; by Adam Healy; 8/26/25Chapters Health System, a Florida-based hospice and palliative care organization, received conditional approval for its expansion into California via affiliation agreements with Hospice East Bay and Hospice of Santa Cruz County. To finalize the two affiliations, Chapters agreed to: ensure that Hospice East Bay and Hospice of Santa Cruz County maintain certification with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; honor employment agreements with existing staff members; establish quality advisory committees for both East Bay and Hospice of Santa Cruz County; make a reasonable effort to continue providing specialized care services that are currently offered by both newly affiliated providers; and provide annual reports on its compliance with these conditions, according to the California Office of the Attorney General.

Over $37,000 raised at Hospice's Swim a Mile eventNorth Country Now [St. Lawrence County, NY]; 8/25/25On Saturday, August 2, Hospice of St. Lawrence Valley held its 15th annual Swim a Mile fundraiser and the community showed up in a big way. More than 40 swimmers jumped in the water to help raise $37,864.98, exceeding the fundraising goal.

Hospice AI - Compare hospice, palliative care, and PACE progamsHospice & Palliative Care Today staff; 8/25/25Today we asked ChatGPT "How are hospice and palliative care and PACE programs similar / different? Include infographic." Click here for a 3-page comparison of hospice, palliative care, and PACE programs - including an infographic.

Letter: A Strategic Path Forward for Hospice and Palliative Care must focus on equity: A response to ByockPalliative Medicine Reports; by Karen Bullock, Ramona L. Rhodes, Marisette Hansan, Kimberly S. Johnson; 8/21/25In a letter to the editor critiquing Ira Byock’s recent white paper, the authors say: “one of the most urgent uncomfortable truths is briefly and incompletely acknowledged in the article. That is, not only do historically marginalized communities face unequal access to the benefits and progress of our field; they endure a disproportionate share of practices that lead to poor quality care, including many of the challenges that Byock highlights.” While applauding the article’s call to action, they caution that: Standards must embed cultural and structural competence. Data must expose disparities and drive accountability. Quality-based competition must not deepen disparities. Rebranding the field must include building trust. Guest Editor Note, Ira Byock, MD: The authors’ perspectives and insights amplify and expand the approach outlined in the Strategic Path Forward white paper. I am grateful to them for calling on me – and us all – to keep equity as a core value and priority in strategic planning.

Spokane hospice chaplain’s new book challenges comfort clichés at life’s endThe Spokesman-Review (Spokane, WA); by Mia Gallegos; 8/25/25“Hospice Chaplain: Interrupted” examines how caring for the dying transforms the caregiver, exploring the profound discomfort and unexpected revelations that emerge when chaplains sit with patients at life’s end. Written by the Rev. Scott Kinder-Pyle, a hospice chaplain and Presbyterian ordained minister in Spokane, the collection of poems following an introductory essay challenges some of the typical mechanisms pursued by those who accompany people within their final moments of life.

Home care workers are more likely to live with older, sicker adults, new study findsMcKnight's Home Care; by Adam Healy; 8/21/25Compared to the average adult, home care workers are more likely to live with older seniors or those with long-term services and supports (LTSS) needs, according to a new study published in Health Affairs Scholar... Approximately 15% of these home care workers lived with those who needed LTSS, the study found. This compared to about 4% of nonhome care workers... This tendency among home care workers to live with older, sicker adults could be linked with their on-the-job duties, according to the study. “Household caregiving responsibilities may serve as an on-ramp into the home care workforce — both through employment within the home and through employment outside of it,” the study said. It added, “The flexible work schedules and high labor demand in the home care workforce may be particularly appealing to workers who must balance their employment with unpaid household caregiving responsibilities.” Another possibility is that home care workers are more capable of assisting older, sicker seniors with aging in place, and therefore have a higher likelihood of living with those who could use their care.Publisher's note: Perhaps this is important information regarding employee flexibility and retention.