Brian Logue was first introduced to hospice care when the wife of his friend fell ill. Impressed and inspired by the care she received in her last months under Treasure Coast Hospice, he began his selfless quest to become a…
Lifestyle
Attendees at our 2015 clinical conference, “Painting the Picture: Messaging Metrics & Mission,” had a unique opportunity to witness artists such as poets, dancers, and painters perform their crafts during the “The Art of Grief” Live Art Showcase. One of…
This year’s Forum attendees enjoyed a free copy of HospiScript’s Palliative Care Consultant Book. Now everyone can enjoy this comprehensive palliative care guide for 25% off the $69.99 ticket price. PURCHASE BOOK Use discount code 3H2XGAEZ – Discount expires…
Orlando, FL. – On May 21st, in conjunction with the 30th Annual Forum “Painting the Picture: Messaging Metrics & Mission”, Florida Hospice & Palliative Care Association (FHPCA) announced the 2015 winners of the annual Awards of Excellence in Hospice and…
In a continued effort bring valuable benefits to our members, FHPCA is excited to announce that we have installed to a new Job Board (www.floridahospices.org/jobs) on our website. This new FHPCA Job Board provides members more control over their listings,…
Are you renewal ready? The Florida Department of Health has changed the license renewal process, and clinicians are now required to report continuing education (CE) and continuing medical education (CME) course completions prior to license renewal. To view licensing requirements by…
By Avow It was a beautiful day in May when Jessica received the call informing her that her father had succumbed to a fatal heart attack. “Dad” was 77 and apparently suffering from undetected heart disease. The loss came as…
FHPCA is proud to announce the Executive Committee Committee Chairs for 2015. The Committee Chairs drive FHPCA’s strategic plan initiatives and work hard to ensure FHPCA’s mission to assure excellence and access to hospice care, and advocate for the needs…
Florida Hospice & Palliative Care Association (FHPCA) is pleased to announce position changes to its Board Leadership and Executive Committee for 2015. Susan de Cuba, MA, ACHE, President & CEO, Treasure Coast Hospice, served as FHPCA’s Internal Vice President before…
Courtesy of HPH Hospice Picture this: Your mother has broken her arm and it’s time to make her traditional pecan pie for the holidays. It’s easy to see that it would be difficult for her to make the pie this…
November is Hospice & Palliative Care Month (read Governor Scott’s proclamation) and a great time to learn more about the wonderful services hospice and palliative care provides patients and families. What is hospice and palliative care? Hospice and palliative care…
By Paul Ledford, President & CEO, FHPCA In 2010, Florida Hospice & Palliative Care Association adopted a position in opposition to physician-assisted suicide. It is our commitment to the value of life and to the optimization of the quality of…
DEA Releases New Rules That Create Convenient But Safe and Secure Prescription Drug Disposal Options
This article is from the US Department of Justice + Drug Enforcement Administration On September 8th the U. S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA’s) Final Rule for the Disposal of Controlled Substances, which implements the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of…
(Alexandria, VA) – Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate passed the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014 (IMPACT Act), legislation which includes hospice integrity provisions that are backed by the hospice community. The National Hospice and…
By Mery Lossada, MD Chief Medical Officer, Hospice of Marion County On July 18, 2014, Medicare replaced a policy it had put into place just four months previous. The policy it drew up in March threw hospices and their patients…
Medicare has announced significant changes in the hospice drug coverage rules, prompting cheers from many patient advocates within and beyond the hospice community. Many feared that the original changes would have had disastrous effects on quality of care by limiting…
The recent article, “How Dying Became a Multibillion-Dollar Industry” published by the Huffington Post, spoke on the increasing business of hospice care. This article attempted to prove that hospice is turning big business and quality of patient care is suffering…
By Wendy Melton Abbott, Team Leader, Big Bend Hospice As a hospice nurse, I often find that when families learn all that hospice care has to offer, they are both relieved and concerned: relieved that the comprehensive list of…
Orlando, FL. – On May 22nd, in conjunction with the 29th Annual Forum “The Journey Continues: Elevating Clinical Practice to New Heights”, Florida Hospice & Palliative Care Association (FHPCA) announced the 2014 winners of the annual Awards of Excellence…
Florida Hospice & Palliative Care Association (FHPCA) is pleased to announce that we won the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization’s (NHPCO) 2014 Trailblazer Award for our “Congressional Advocacy Notebook” project. The Trailblazer Award recognizes state organizations demonstrating high levels…
Being the primary caregiver for a loved one can be a rich, rewarding experience. It can also be hugely challenging and draining. While providing 24-hour care to individuals who cannot care for their own basic needs – eating, drinking, using…
“What is Palliative Care?” Article provided by Gulfside Hospice & Pasco Palliative Care Mary is in her 70s and has chronic emphysema – but she is not terminal and does not qualify for hospice care. She has been to…
Know a person or a program that deserves recognition? Nominate them for FHPCA’s Awards of Excellence! WHAT ARE THE AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE? Excellence in the delivery of hospice and palliative care is the hallmark of hospice providers and professionals in…
For over 30 years, FHPCA has worked toward the betterment of hospice through the commitment of our members and our Board Leadership. We are pleased to announce the new additions to our Board Leadership and Executive Committee. “We feel…
The grief journey never looks or feels the same for those that have lost loved ones. Grieving patterns differ depending on the relationship, the passing, and the season in the surviving member’s life. No one can truly understand what a…
News
FHPCA was honored to present the 2025 Awards of Excellence at the Annual Forum. These recognitions are granted to individuals, teams, or organizations that demonstrate outstanding service, innovation, leadership, and compassion in Florida’s hospices and palliative care. These awards help…
Upcoming Events
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
29
30
3:00 PM - The Seven Pillars of Hospice Growth
3
4
5
6
7
10
11
12
13
14
18
19
20
21
22
24
25
26
27
28
30
31
1
2
Most organizations want to grow, but not all organizations do what is required. This session will provide hospice, palliative care, and home care professionals with specific actionable methods to grow, increase the number of eligible patients served, and give the gift of hospice and home care. Join us to learn about the means and methods to install these growth pillars:
1. Creating an organizational culture of growth
2. Building a superior referral inquiry-to-admission process (intake) – the lifeblood for hospice growth
3. Engaging your medical director and providers to support growth and better involve community physicians
4. Installing a professional sales model (the days of muffin marketing are over)
5. Selling on value to 10 key referral sources
6. The power of differentiation
7. Using a quarterly growth plan to guide and direct growth
The HOPE assessment tool implementation timeline is effective October 1, 2025. CMS has released new versions of the HOPE Guidance Manual and all HOPE assessment tools. This session will address the changes to the HOPE tool to ensure your agency is prepared to accurately complete documentation as per the updated guidance. It will cover the HOPE tool’s impact on HQRP, updated guidance regarding HOPE Update Visits and completion requirements, and new and/or updated data items. It will also include the sequencing requirements for successful HOPE assessment submissions and acceptance to ensure the 90% compliance threshold is met.
An effective IDG fosters patient-centered care by involving a team of professionals who collaborate to meet the medical, psychosocial, emotional, and spiritual needs of hospice patients and their families. This collaborative approach ensures a comprehensive, holistic plan of care is developed and implemented.
The plan of care continues to be a key area of focus and challenge for agencies with surveys and financial audits. This presentation will explain how to conduct an effective IDG that impacts the individualized patient plan of care. It will review key IDG elements, including care planning, team communication, patient documentation, continuous assessment, coordination of care, and scope of services. The recommended best practices to conduct an effective IDG will be outlined to provide a structured, scheduled, and formatted IDG that meets the hospice requirements, including supporting patient eligibility. If your agency has struggled with POC survey or ADR challenges, and/or IDG team participation challenges, this will be an excellent presentation to attend.
The number of new hospice programs expands exponentially each year. This means there is an unprecedented need for new volunteer managers – yet many of these new hires do not receive the training necessary to apply existing skills to the very specific role of a hospice volunteer manager. This webinar will focus on introducing volunteer managers to the skills, information, and resources necessary to create a “knock your socks off” volunteer program.
The rate of provider live discharges has increased steadily from 16% in FY 2020 to 19% in FY 2024. Within the Medicare Hospice Benefit, there are five allowable live discharges. This program will review the requirements for each, define the process, explain what documentation is required, and include best practices.
Certain live discharges can be more challenging and require an agency to have policy in place specific to that live discharge. The presenter will address what information live discharges can provide as it relates to overall performance and Medicare eligibility. Both provider performance and eligibility can impact hospice quality and reimbursement, therefore understanding live discharges and best practices is critical.
For most people, “backstage language” and “bedside language” are very different. How we speak about situations in the office is not how we speak in people’s homes… or is it? “Your husband is terminally ill.” “Your wife is actively dying.” Are you certain the people you are speaking to know what you are talking about? What about saying to coworkers, “This is a difficult family”? What does this really mean and what should be done about it? Are you certain that you are not doing more harm than good by not being “intentional” about your word choice? This webinar will explore the many ways language can interfere with high-quality care – and how to mitigate it.
In a field where empathy meets expertise, confidence isn’t just helpful — it’s essential. This dynamic presentation will explore how confidence directly impacts sales success in home health and hospice. You'll discover the true definition of sales confidence, learn to identify the pitfalls of low or excessive confidence, and uncover the core habits that build a grounded, authentic presence. Whether you're navigating objections, connecting with families, or partnering with referral sources, your confidence sets the tone. Join us for this inspiring session and come ready to learn, grow, and step into the kind of confidence that sells with heart.
Budgets. Agencies need to have a budget, but does your agency actively use it as part of clinical operations? Have you prepared your clinical manager for utilizing key performance indicators? This webinar will identify the positive impact of involving clinical managers in budget discussions. It will address key performance indicators, specifically in home health and hospice, as a tool for monitoring the health of your organization. In addition, you’ll learn how communication flow between finance and clinical staff is an integral part of meeting budget projections.
The survey is finished and now it’s time to focus on the PoC. This presentation will take your agency through the next steps based on the preliminary survey findings, what is required after receiving your PoC, and where to begin with a post-survey corrective action plan and process. It will address the resources required to write and implement action items on the PoC and the critical steps an agency must take, including education, timeframes, potential auditing, establishing measurable goals, and ongoing QA.
In addition, it will cover ongoing quality improvement activities agencies should use to ensure sustained excellence in care. Learn how to prepare your agency for a resurvey if condition-level deficiencies require it. This program will help agencies turn their nerves into effective, doable, and focused corrective action items for a positive survey outcome.
