Preparing for the HOPE Tool with HealthRev Partners and BetterRX
Hospice care is about to experience a transformative shift. With the upcoming implementation of the Hospice Outcomes and Patient Evaluation (HOPE) tool on October 1, 2025, providers must adapt their documentation and medication management practices to meet new standards—while still delivering patient-centered, cost-effective care. At HealthRev Partners and BetterRX, we are committed to guiding agencies through this transition, ensuring compliance, operational efficiency, and optimal patient outcomes.
What Is the HOPE Tool and Why Does It Matter?
The HOPE tool is a comprehensive, standardized assessment system developed by CMS to replace the current Hospice Item Set (HIS). Unlike the HIS, which only required admission and discharge assessments, HOPE mandates up to four assessments per patient: at admission (within the first 5 days), update visits between days 6–15 and 16–30, and at discharge. This frequent, structured data collection provides a more nuanced, real-time understanding of patient needs throughout their hospice journey.
HOPE introduces expanded domains—including sociodemographics, diagnoses, symptom impact, skin conditions, and imminent death—and new quality measures such as Timely Reassessment of Pain Impact and Non-Pain Symptom Impact. It also requires in-person follow-up visits within two days for any moderate or severe symptom impact, potentially increasing the number of required assessments per patient.
Integrating HOPE with Documentation Best Practices
With HOPE’s detailed and frequent data requirements, precise and timely documentation becomes even more critical. Here’s how to align your documentation process with HOPE and regulatory standards:
- Comprehensive Initial and Update Assessments: Each HOPE assessment should capture a full clinical picture—symptoms, functional status, medication use, and patient/caregiver needs—supporting individualized care plans and eligibility documentation.
- Symptom and Medication Tracking: The HOPE tool’s focus on symptom impact and timely reassessment dovetails with the need to document medication effectiveness, side effects, and opportunities for deprescribing.
- Interdisciplinary Team Collaboration: With more frequent assessments and follow-ups, seamless communication across clinical, pharmacy, and administrative teams is essential for compliance and quality care.
- Software Integration: Ensure your EMR and documentation systems are updated to support both HOPE and existing Conditions of Participation (CoP) requirements, as both will be required moving forward.
Deprescribing and Cost Savings: A Strategic Opportunity
The expanded medication review and symptom management focus within HOPE presents a prime opportunity for deprescribing—systematically reducing or discontinuing medications that are no longer beneficial. This approach:
- Improves Patient Safety and Quality of Life: Reducing polypharmacy decreases the risk of adverse drug events and aligns care with patient goals.
- Drives Cost Savings: Fewer medications mean lower pharmacy costs. BetterRX’s real-time data and recommendations empower care teams to make cost-effective choices at the point of care, while HealthRev Partners ensures every deprescribing action is properly documented for compliance and reimbursement optimization.
- Supports Regulatory Compliance: Documenting the rationale for deprescribing and symptom monitoring through the HOPE tool helps meet CMS’s quality and reporting requirements, reducing audit risk and supporting future payment models.
How HealthRev Partners and BetterRX Can Help
Our collaboration offers a holistic solution for hospices preparing for HOPE:
- Streamlined Medication Management: BetterRX provides real-time medication tracking, cost recommendations, and seamless ordering, ensuring the right medications are delivered efficiently and affordably.
- Expert Documentation and Coding: HealthRev Partners’ certified professionals ensure all HOPE-required data and medication changes are accurately captured, maximizing claims accuracy and compliance.
- Education and Change Management: We support staff training on HOPE workflows, deprescribing best practices, and interdisciplinary communication to minimize the operational impact of the new requirements.
- Operational Efficiency: Our integrated solutions reduce administrative burden, freeing clinical teams to focus on patient care and symptom management in line with HOPE’s goals.
A Future-Ready Approach
The arrival of the HOPE tool marks a new era in hospice care—one that demands both rigorous documentation and thoughtful, cost-conscious clinical practice. By partnering with HealthRev Partners and BetterRX, your agency can confidently navigate this transition, ensuring compliance, financial sustainability, and, most importantly, compassionate, individualized care for every patient.
Prepare now for HOPE. Streamline your documentation. Optimize your medication management. Achieve better outcomes—together.
