In this episode, Brian sits down with Angie Oujiri, Director of Hospice for Vivie, serving families across Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. With over 15 years in home health and palliative care, Angie brings a rare perspective on why so many hospice appropriate patients are hiding in plain sight inside home health caseloads. You'll learn how better conversations, earlier education, and stronger partnerships between home health and hospice teams can transform both care quality and census growth.

Key Topics

• Why patients who are eligible for hospice often land in home health first
• The emotional barrier to hospice and how to meet families where they are
• How to have informed, compassionate conversations about end-of-life options
• The single most important question clinicians can ask every patient
• Why home health teams are an underutilized referral source for hospice
• Building a new hospice program within a larger integrated care organization
• Facility partnerships, seamless care, and team communication tools
• Growing census in a new market through collaboration

Featured Guest Angie Oujiri, Director of Hospice, Vivie is a care provider offering an integrated set of care services, including home health, care management, senior living, rehabilitation, hospice, and more. With a dedicated team of over 2,300 employees, Vivie serves more than 13,000 individuals annually across Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.

Rooted in a foundation of faith and focused on transforming the way people live, age, and thrive, Vivie tailors its support to meet the unique needs of every person. By prioritizing people first and fostering a culture of excellence, compassion, and innovation, Vivie strives to deliver exceptional care.

Resources & Links

• Vivie: https://vivie.org/
• Connect with Angie on LinkedIn
• Hospice Care Marketing

If your hospice is not showing up where families search, you are leaving admissions on the table. We help hospice teams strengthen Google Maps visibility, generate reviews, and turn education into referrals. Call (877) 959-5849 or visit www.hospicecaremarketing.com

Schedule your free strategy session today.

#Hospice #HospiceCare #HomeHealth #PalliativeCare #HospiceLeadership #EndOfLifeCare #CensusGrowth #HospiceMarketing #Minnesota #HealthcareLeadership

Episode Summary

In this episode, you sit down with Raphael Akobundu, NP and CEO of Blue Monarch Hospice, serving families across North County San Diego. You unpack the difference between being eligible for hospice and being emotionally ready, common myths like 24/7 in-home care, and how clear communication with families and facilities reduces crisis decisions. Raphael also shares practical playbooks for reviews, referral partnerships, and what actually drives census growth in a competitive market.

Key Topics

• Eligibility vs readiness and how to guide families through both
• What hospice covers vs what it does not cover
• Typical visit cadence and how it increases as needs change
• The 24/7 misconception and how to set expectations
• Switching hospices and discharge when patients stabilize
• Building referral partnerships that last
• Why medication workflows between facilities and hospices need standardization
• Owner insights on compliance, costs, and growth

Featured Guest

Raphael Akobundu, NP, CEO, Blue Monarch Hospice
Locally owned, clinician-led hospice serving North County San Diego. Emphasis on small-team communication, right-sized caseloads, and high-touch family support.

Pull Quotes

• “Eligibility and readiness are different conversations. Your job is to meet families where they are.”
• “Communication and clear expectations with facilities prevent most issues before they start.”
• “Great care is your best marketing. Reviews and referrals follow.”

Resources And Links

• Blue Monarch Hospice, North County San Diego
• Connect with Raphael on LinkedIn
• Hospice Care Marketing: SEO, Maps, and Reviews Support

Show CTA For Hospice Providers

If your hospice is not showing up where families search, you are leaving admissions on the table. We help clinician-led teams strengthen Google Maps visibility, generate reviews, and turn education into referrals. Call (877) 959-5849 or visit www.hospicecaremarketing.com

Schedule your free strategy session today.

#Hospice #HospiceCare #HospiceEligibility #Caregiving #PalliativeCare #NorthCounty #SanDiego #HealthcareLeadership #CensusGrowth #HospiceMarketing

Why This Episode Matters for Hospice Leaders

When families hesitate, your census suffers. In this episode, you’ll learn practical language and field-tested frameworks to move families from fear to clarity, earn clinician buy-in, and empower your team to follow through without getting “salesy.”

What You’ll Learn (At A Glance)

• Eligibility Vs. Readiness: How to guide families without pressure
• The “Hospice Bank Account” Analogy: A simple way to explain the Medicare benefit
• Demystifying Meds: Reframing morphine myths into quality days
• Clinician Education That Works: Micro-trainings and data points that earn buy-in
• Leadership & Growth: “Trust but verify,” ride-alongs, and operational follow-through

Episode Highlights & Takeaways

Understand Eligibility Vs. Readiness In Hospice Admissions

Families often say “We’re not ready.” Samuel shows you how to separate readiness (emotional) from eligibility (clinical) using questions, checklists, and empathetic phrasing so decisions feel confident, not coerced.

Use The Medicare “Hospice Bank Account” To Educate Families

Explain that the hospice benefit is something families have already paid into. This bank-account analogy makes coverage, DME, and supplies easy to grasp and reduces cost anxiety.

Replace fear-driven narratives with a clear plan for comfort and goals (e.g., attending a reunion, one last fishing trip). Families remember outcomes, not jargon.

Win Clinician Buy-In With Data And Follow-Up

Short, focused lunch-and-learns, readmission impact, and timely feedback loops help physicians and NPs recognize hospice-eligible patterns sooner and refer with confidence.

Lead Field Marketing with Trust and Accountability

“Trust but verify” your marketers. Ride along, remove operational blockers, and keep promises (equipment, supplies, weekend availability). Empowered teams deliver better experiences and more qualified referrals.

Guest Bio: Samuel Powell

With over 18 years in customer service and more than a decade in sales and marketing, I’ve dedicated my career to helping organizations strengthen their impact through leadership, compassion, and connection. Using both my professional experience and my personal experience, I am passionate about hospice teams and the way they can elevate their marketing, inspire their people, and create meaningful experiences for every family they serve.

Connect With Samuel:

Guest Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuel-powell-9628a6145/
• Company: https://www.powellmarketinginnovation.com/

Resources For Hospice Owners & Administrators

• Family Education Toolkit Ideas: Eligibility checklist, “bank account” one-pager, DNR explainer
• Clinician Micro-Training Topics: Eligibility indicators, readmission reduction, handoff scripts
• Field Marketing Framework: Visit cadence, value-based touchpoints, follow-up templates

Need More Qualified Hospice Referrals?

If your hospice isn’t showing up in Google’s Map Pack or you want more high-intent calls, our team can help, from Google Business Profile optimization and reviews to local SEO and conversion-focused websites.

Hospice Care Marketing (HCM): hospice-only expertise, full-funnel strategy, and results you can measure.

FAQ: Hospice Leadership & Marketing

Learn More

If you’re a hospice leader looking for strategies to better support families, let’s connect: Schedule a Free Strategy or call (877) 959-5849.

#hospicecaremarketing #HospiceLeadership #EndOfLifeCare #FamilySupport #HospiceMarketing #VoicesOfHospice