Turns Out Texts Can Save Lives: Betterleave Is Quietly Powering a 50% Drop in Preventable Hospice Hospitalizations
Hospice care is deeply personal—and increasingly, digital. Betterleave, co-founded by Cara Abbott, is quietly reshaping how hospice providers connect with families through simple, effective communication tools like text messaging.
One of their partners, Village Home Health & Hospice, saw striking results: a 50% reduction in preventable hospitalizations, a 45% drop in missed visits, and a 3% boost in CAHPS (Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Services) scores after adopting Betterleave’s multi-channel platform. Families also became more aware of the CAHPS survey itself, leading to greater participation and more accurate feedback.
From Bereavement Support to Clinical Coordination
Betterleave originally launched as a bereavement benefit for employees grieving the loss of a loved one, a pregnancy, or even a pet. But in late 2022, the company expanded into clinical partnerships, helping hospices engage families more proactively—before the next crisis hits.
Text messaging now bridges a crucial communication gap. While younger generations expect multi-modal access, older caregivers are surprisingly active participants too. “Across our entire customer base, we see around 50% engagement,” McCarty-Abbott told Hospice News. “And the majority of family caregivers are probably going to be between 40- to 80-years-old.”
A Modern Toolkit for a Sensitive Mission
For Village Home Health & Hospice, Betterleave’s platform enabled real-time coordination and anticipation of emergent needs. In fact, 35 potential complaint situations were resolved through messaging before they ever escalated. And nearly half of families actively used the two-way system to stay informed and engaged in care planning.
As hospices face mounting pressure to improve care quality and satisfaction metrics, tools like Betterleave offer a meaningful way forward. “You have a lot of top- and bottom-line drivers for these hospice groups,” McCarty-Abbott said. “By engaging family members proactively, we can even get ahead of some challenges or issues.”
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