Q1: What is the HOPE feature in HospiceWorks?
The HOPE (Hospice Outcomes and Patient Evaluation) feature enables hospices to meet the CMS HOPE reporting requirements effective October 1, 2025.
It allows clinicians to complete, validate, and export Admission, HUV1, HUV2, and Discharge assessments directly within the HospiceWorks EMR, including XML generation and validation through CMS iQIES.
Q2: Where can I access the HOPE Assessments in HospiceWorks?
Hospices can access HOPE assessments in several ways:
From the Patient Dashboard — via the HOPE Task in the “Tasks to Complete” section.
From the Quick View Toolbar — located in the top orange bar of the Patient Dashboard. Click the HOPE icon to open the Patient HOPE Dashboard pop-up.
From Nursing Forms (INA and NVN) — while completing the Initial Nursing Assessment (Admission) or Nurse Visit Notes (HUV1/HUV2), clinicians can access the HOPE pop-up using the Quick View Toolbar.
Note: The HOPE assessments are not linked or auto-generated from these forms; the toolbar provides convenient access for review and completion.From the Hospice HOPE Dashboard — under Hospice → HOPE Dashboard, where administrators can monitor all HOPE assessments for all patients.
Q3: What does the Quick View Toolbar HOPE Icon do?
The Quick View Toolbar provides one-click access to HOPE data while documenting in the chart.
Clicking the HOPE icon opens a real-time Patient HOPE Dashboard pop-up that displays:
Patient demographic and admission details
The full HOPE Assessment Timeline
Status indicators (Ready to Sign, Pending, Validated, Not Required, Overdue)
Action buttons to Edit, Create, or Validate assessments
This allows clinicians to view and manage HOPE progress without navigating away from the patient record.
Q4: How are HOPE Tasks and Alerts generated?
HospiceWorks automatically generates HOPE Tasks and Alerts based on CMS-defined time windows:
If a patient discharges before a window opens (for example, before Day 6), the EMR automatically marks that assessment as Not Required.
Q5: What information does the HOPE Dashboard show?
The HOPE Dashboard provides a live compliance overview for all active hospice patients.
Dashboard Summary Cards
Each category displays total counts and current statuses:
Admissions
HUV1 (Days 6–15)
HUV2 (Days 16–30)
Discharges
SFV (Symptom Follow-Ups)
Total Overdue
Each card shows:
Pending — Assessments created but not validated
Validated — XML accepted by CMS
Completed — Signed and export-ready
Overdue — Not completed within CMS timeframe
HOPE Timeline Overview
Displays current week activity across Admission, HUV1, HUV2, and SFV windows, with color-coded labels:
Due: Approaching deadline
Overdue: Outside the compliance window
This gives QA and leadership an at-a-glance summary of organizational readiness.
Q6: What do the Patient Record Status Indicators mean?
In the Patient Records table of the HOPE Dashboard:
You can search by patient, select multiple assessments, or activate Batch Mode for export.
Q7: How can I complete the Admission HOPE Assessment?
Go to the Patient Dashboard.
Locate the HOPE Task under “Tasks to Complete.”
Click the task to generate the HOPE Admission Assessment.
Complete all required sections and save.
Once reviewed, mark the document Ready to Sign.
The RN (or assigned clinician) can then sign under Z0400 – Signature of Assessor.
Q8: What happens if a HOPE Assessment is overdue?
Overdue assessments display in red alerts across:
The Patient Dashboard
The HOPE Dashboard
The HOPE Timeline Overview
HospiceWorks uses real-time monitoring to flag overdue items for administrative review and QA compliance tracking.
Q9: Can I edit a HOPE Assessment after marking it “Ready to Sign”?
No. Once an assessment is in Ready to Sign state, it becomes locked.
To make changes, it must be reverted to Draft by a user with the appropriate administrative permissions.
Q10: How is the HOPE Discharge Assessment created?
When a patient is discharged (alive or deceased), HospiceWorks automatically flags a HOPE Discharge Assessment as required.
You can create it directly from:
The HOPE pop-up dashboard, or
The Alerts section in the Patient Dashboard.
Once completed, the discharge HOPE becomes part of the validation and export workflow.
Q11: Can I document a Symptom Follow-Up (SFV) visit in relation to HOPE?
Yes. SFV visits can be scheduled and documented from the Calendar tab of the Patient Dashboard:
Select Visit Type: SFV
Complete and sign the Nurse Visit Note (SFV)
If the SFV visit is completed within 2 days after the related NVN (Nurse Visit Note) is signed, HospiceWorks automatically associates the SFV data with the corresponding HOPE Assessment for accurate outcome tracking.
Q12: How do I validate a HOPE Record using the CMS Validation Utility Tool (VUT)?
Each HOPE Assessment must be validated in CMS’s Validation Utility Tool (VUT) before submission.
This ensures compliance with CMS XML structure and field requirements.
Steps to Validate:
In HospiceWorks, open the HOPE Validation window.
Click Download XML as ZIP.
Visit https://iqies.cms.gov/vut.
Choose “HOPE Data Submission Specification” under Provider Data Specification.
Enter a Submission Date.
Upload your ZIP file and review the Validation Report.
Results:
✅ Accepted → XML passed CMS rules and is valid.
⚠️ Has Errors → Return to HospiceWorks, correct the issue, regenerate the XML, and revalidate.
Q13: How do I update the Validation Status in HospiceWorks?
Once the XML has been validated successfully in CMS VUT:
Open the HOPE Validation panel in HospiceWorks.
Update the Validation Status dropdown to:
Pending – Awaiting upload to VUT
Validated – Accepted by CMS (no errors)
Failed – Validation failed (requires correction)
When set to Validated, the clinician can sign Z0400 – Signature of Assessor.
The same clinician or a QA staff member can sign Z0500 – Signature of Person Verifying Record Completion.
Once both signatures are applied, the assessment is ready for export.
Q14: What is the HOPE Batch Export process?
After validation and signature, HOPE Assessments appear in the Batch Mode Active list for export.
To create a Batch Export:
From the HOPE Dashboard, click Batch Mode Active.
Select one or multiple Validated assessments.
Click Export Batch to generate a ZIP file containing the XMLs.
The batch appears on the HOPE XML Batch Export page, showing:
Once exported, these files can be uploaded into iQIES for official CMS submission.
Q15: What permissions are required for HOPE documentation and export?
Clinicians (RNs) – Complete and sign HOPE Assessments (Z0400).
QA/Administrative Staff – Validate XML files, sign Z0500, and perform batch exports.
Administrators – Can revert assessments from Ready to Sign to Draft, or mark as Not Required when applicable.
Q16: What defines a “Completed” HOPE Assessment?
A HOPE record is considered Completed when:
All sections are finished
Validation Status = Validated
Both signatures (Z0400 and Z0500) are applied
It appears as Completed in the HOPE Dashboard
It has been included in a Batch Export
At this point, the assessment is ready for iQIES upload.
Q17: What if my HOPE XML shows “Has Errors”?
If a HOPE record displays “Has Errors”:
Click the patient’s record from the Dashboard.
Open the HOPE Validation screen.
Review CMS VUT error details.
Correct any missing or invalid fields.
Re-download and revalidate XML.
Update Validation Status to Validated once accepted.