Author: Dr. Rich Behers, BCC, CFHPC CPE Training Supervisor/Educator, The Hospice Chaplaincy Resource Center (HCRC.store)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Hospice has drifted from its founding ethos—holistic, interdisciplinary, mission-driven care inspired by Dame Cicely Saunders—toward a narrow, medical-reimbursement model. The predictable outcomes are visible everywhere: declining family satisfaction, higher turnover, and staff burnout. Reversing this trend requires culture change led from the top, anchored in Saunders’ “Total Pain” framework (physical, psychological, social, and spiritual), and supported by rigorous onboarding, clear professional standards for chaplains, and empathy-centered operations. This paper outlines a practical blueprint to realign hospice culture with its roots—and to improve outcomes for patients, families, and teams.
