Medicare Prioritizes Symptom Relief for Patients on Hospice

Hospi Corporation Launches Education Initiative on New HOPE Requirements

SAN MATEO, Calif., March 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Medicare is reinforcing its commitment to patient comfort in hospice care with the implementation of new Hospice Outcomes & Patient Evaluation (HOPE) requirements, effective October 1st, 2025. To support hospice agencies in navigating these changes, Hospi Corporation has launched a comprehensive educational initiative.

REGISTER FOR THE FIRST WEBINAR OF HOSPI'S HOPE EDUCATION INITIATIVE

In their 2025 Hospice Final Rule, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) mandates that hospices begin reporting on symptom management using the HOPE data set, replacing the existing Hospice Item Set (HIS). This significant shift aims to enhance the quality and consistency of patient care.

Industry readiness for this transition is currently varied, with many Electronic Medical Record (EMR) implementations expected to be completed close to the October deadline.

A key component of the new requirements involves the in-person assessment of eight critical symptoms, including pain, nausea, and shortness of breath, upon admission and during two subsequent assessment visits. If any of the eight symptoms are assessed as having a moderate or severe impact to the patient, a follow-up visit must occur within 48 hours. The impact of the symptom at this follow-up visit must then be documented.

Recognizing the challenges these changes present to hospices, Hospi Corporation is committed to providing actionable resources and guidance. To kick off the initiative, Hospi is partnering with Confidis Consulting to offer a timely webinar: Hospice Readiness for HOPE: Practical Steps to Take Now. The webinar will take place on Thursday, March 20, 2025, at 1:00pm ET.

This webinar will feature a panel discussion with hospice industry experts in regulatory compliance (Judi Lund Person, MPH, CHC), clinical operations (Carla Braveman, BSN, RN, M.Ed.), and EMR implementation (Donnette Threats).

The panelists will discuss:

• The current state of hospice industry readiness for HOPE
• Clinical process optimization that hospices can implement now to ensure good HOPE outcomes
• How to collaborate with EMR vendors to ensure compliance with the reporting requirements

"We are delighted to collaborate with Confidis to provide expert educational content related to symptom management," said Igal Ladabaum, CEO at Hospi Corporation. "Most hospices keep most of their patients comfortable because of the wonderful work that they do. But there is room for improvement, especially for complex patients."

"We founded Hospi precisely to empower hospice agencies and caregivers to provide quick symptom control and we are pleased that CMS is putting a spotlight on the need for timely relief for every patient."

About the Webinar Speakers:

Judi Lund Person, MPH, CHC has spent over 21 years at NHPCO developing essential tools and resources for hospice providers, simplifying complex regulations into practical guidance. Previously, she led The Carolinas Center for Hospice and End of Life Care for 22 years and was instrumental in advocating for the Medicare Hospice Benefit, which was added to Medicare in 1982. Judi is known for turning regulations into "plain English" so that providers will understand how a change will impact their program.

With more than 30 years of operational experience in executive positions within home health, hospice, and palliative care, Carla Braveman, BSN, RN, M.Ed. has a proven track record of enhancing clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction. Her extensive background in both nonprofit and for-profit hospice environments brings valuable insights into efficiency and productivity.

Donnette Threats is bringing over 30 years of experience in the hospice industry. She has held executive positions in both software development and hospice operations, with extensive expertise in industry operations, regulatory compliance, quality assessment, and performance improvement programming. Donnette earned her master's degree in psychology from Columbia University's Teachers College.

About Hospi Corporation:

Hospi Corporation innovates practical medical devices that enhance patient comfort and well-being, ease caregiver burden, and reduce cost.

Hospi Corporation's flagship product is the Macy Catheter, which provides dignified and painless access to the rectal route for medication and fluid administration. The Macy Catheter helps nurses use oral medications already at the bedside to provide complex symptom relief within a single, short visit. The FDA-cleared device provides an effective alternative to intravenous (IV), subcutaneous (SubQ), sublingual, and transdermal delivery.

To learn about the Macy Catheter or to incorporate it into practice at your hospice, please visit MacyCatheter.com.

About Confidis Consulting:

Confidis, LLC is a consulting practice dedicated to supporting providers of hospice and palliative care with expert, specialized advice. Our firm's mission: to improve the long-term viability and quality of providers in our industry, fostering deep, trusting relationships with our clients.

Confidis experts have decades of experience in their fields, and bring real-world knowledge of finance, business development, clinical care and business operations to serve our clients. Confidis can also support investors in the hospice space with expert operational analysis and support for acquisition due diligence, relying upon our consultants' decades of knowledge of hospice management, reimbursement and regulation.

Visit Confidis.com to set up an initial consultation to discuss how we can help.

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SOURCE Hospi Corporation