Hospice Keys

People are living longer, and more want to age in place. Are state budgets, policies and services keeping pace? Medicaid requirements and other policy shifts can change access to support. States need to rethink traditional approaches to aging. tinyurl.com/4ney377w

Hospice live discharges: the overall rate doesn't tell the whole story. A study of 1.4M+ Medicare beneficiaries with dementia found shifts in discharge reasons. Hospice agencies should track discharge reasons, document accurately, and analyze patterns. tinyurl.com/2s4czd5u

When an older adult experiences cognitive decline, protection and autonomy must both be considered. Could supported decision-making offer an alternative to guardianship in some cases? An important discussion for anyone providing care to aging individuals. tinyurl.com/ms4fnmkw

Only 11% of adults surveyed had a specific plan for when they might need ongoing help with daily life. Wanting to age independently is common. Planning for the support that may be needed is less common. tinyurl.com/424mxb74

What financial and operational metrics should every hospice agency track? This video examines research on hospice finances across ownership models. Setting aside discussion of the role of private equity in healthcare, hospice agency leadership should consider benchmarking their own patient care spending, nursing costs, administrative expenses, revenue sources and margins. tinyurl.com/v2nztky5

67% of healthcare providers use AI -- and the use is broad and varied. AI shows up in EHR ambient scribes and when staff use ChatGPT (including shadow AI) to draft notes. What's concerning is that only a fraction of agencies have a formal integration or governance strategy. Listen to tips from @HuschBlackwell on how agencies can stay ahead. tinyurl.com/3f96xezh

Does your hospice agency also operate a specialty palliative care program? CAPC has launched a free national Palliative Care Program Inventory to help map program availability, staffing, patient volumes and care models. Review eligibility and participate: capc.org/program-inventory/

How can clinical care and compassionate, nonmedical support work together at the end of life? The LaborOUT Conference explores collaboration between healthcare professionals and death doulas. 📅 Oct. 28, 2026 | 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. ET 📍 Cleveland, Ohio tinyurl.com/a55b7f9t

For generations, we have kept death inside hospitals and care homes, and out of our conversations. Maybe it’s time to change that. Talk about what a good death means to you, while you still can. tinyurl.com/j4v2nryj

U.S. life expectancy hit a record 79.0 years in 2024, and the average 65-year-old can expect to live another 19.7 years (CDC). Longer lives make advance care planning and hospice education more important. tinyurl.com/ffdckdkx

The DOJ and CMS are focusing on providers of wound care services and manufacturers of skin substitute products as targets for healthcare fraud enforcement. Hospices who use these types of providers and services may want to consider how this contributes to SSVI. tinyurl.com/mtwmvyux

This international study raises important questions about end-of-life care. The U.S., Europe and South Korea had higher overall unmet needs vs. China and Mexico, where families provide more informal care. Rural gaps and family support also matter. Are we measuring services or needs met? tinyurl.com/ywbn86n3

This opinion article raises a difficult question about assisted suicide and the value society places on people who are elderly, disabled, seriously ill or dependent on others. If independence and economic contribution become measures of value, what happens to those who can no longer contribute? This question deserves serious discussion. tinyurl.com/54scp35x

A fascinating look at the future of caregiving and aging in place. AI, virtual support, music and VR can support caregivers and improve dementia care. Beyond technology, training, respite, community and human connection are also important. Using VR to help caregivers experience dementia-related confusion and disorientation is particularly interesting. tinyurl.com/yjby3mep

This is a valuable podcast episode on advance care planning. Advance care planning isn't just about completing a living will, MOLST or power of attorney. It's important that your loved ones and physician know what you want, where your documents are, and that documents are updated if your wishes change over time. Advance care planning may not be a one time event since wishes can change as life changes. tinyurl.com/yc4c6rvh

Healthcare delivery is becoming more distributed but the burden of care coordination falls on the patient or their caregiver. When information doesn't follow the patient, the consequences can include missed information, conflicting plans, and duplicate testing. tinyurl.com/3u7yb2dr

Aging and dementia not only impact medical diagnosis that affect medical treatment. They also affect families, loved ones, caregivers, independence, and how care is delivered. This collection of physician perspectives raises important questions about how we care for older adults. tinyurl.com/yf43m7cx

Health systems too often treat "healthy aging" and "end-of-life care" as separate silos, leading to delayed referrals and crisis-driven admissions. This article argues for a unified continuum: goal-aligned dying isn't a failure, it's quality care. tinyurl.com/bddpry8v

Hospice medical directors need to be aware of a new risk they face. CMS’s affiliation rule allows Medicare to revoke a physician’s enrollment, for up to 10 years, simply for being affiliated with a hospice that later has compliance issues. Physicians need to carefully consider with which agencies they choose to affiliate. tinyurl.com/3yzadcru

A hospice request for medical records isn't simply a matter of pulling the chart and sending it. HIPAA, legal authority, state privacy laws, and the scope of the request are all important considerations. Listen to this informative @HuschBlackwell podcast for tips on compliant response to third party records requests. tinyurl.com/3z5juhuc