Pierce Dempsey on Why Your Funeral Home Needs to Engage Hospice

In this episode of On the Clock, host Tony Russo sits down with Pierce Dempsey of Leaf Cremation to explore the relationship between funeral professionals and hospice care providers.Pierce, a fourth-generation cemeterian, shares how he transformed a simple task of “knocking on doors” into a massive endeavor that bridges the gap between end-of-life healthcare and final arrangements. Key Takeaways* The Genesis of the Hospice Playbook: Pierce discusses how he began visiting hospices within a 125-mile service area to understand their needs and provide resources without ever asking for a referral.* Camaraderie in Care: Why hospice workers are often eager to learn the technicalities of the cremation process and legal regulations.* The “In-Service” Advantage: Tips on conducting group presentations that provide genuine value (and perhaps some chicken biscuits) to nurses, social workers, and chaplains.* Shifting the Mindset: The importance of treating hospice professionals as a unique type of “external customer” and fostering an office culture that “loves hospice”.* Demystifying Cremation: How funeral professionals can act as a 24/7 resource for hospice staff to help clarify pricing and legal requirements for grieving families.* Beyond Hospice: Pierce touches on his other professional passion: implementing AI in daily deathcare operations to help even “techno-illiterate” professionals work more efficiently. Get full access to On Deathcare at ondeathcare.substack.com/subscribe