Demystifying the End: Hospice care impact on the Black community 
Defender; by Laura Onyeneho; 4/22/25 
Monica James has seen firsthand the confusion and emotional strain families face when end-of-life care isn’t discussed early enough. She works for the non-profit organization Houston Hospice as the Community Engagement Coordinator, serving 13 counties across Southeast Texas. ... According to data collected by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, Black Americans on Medicare seek hospice and palliative treatment 13% less than their white counterparts. For African American, Afro-Caribbean and African immigrant families, generational trauma and a lack of trust in the healthcare system often lead to delayed decisions about hospice care. “There’s been a historical gap in access and trust,” said James. “Our goal is to show up consistently, to listen and to let these communities know they have options and that they’re not alone.”

What’s driving health system investment in Gen Z leadership 
Becker's Hospital Review; by Kristin Kuchno; 4/15/25 
With an aging workforce and looming executive retirements, building leadership pipelines early is more important than ever, Jason Gilbert, PhD, RN, chief nurse executive at Indianapolis-based Indiana University Health, told Becker’s. It is especially important given Generation Z’s strong interest in early career development. “Gen Z is actively seeking development, and if you do not provide them that opportunity, they are going to look for someone who is,” he said. While their ambitions may not be entirely different from those of earlier generations, their expectations of employers are, he added. ... “Feedback is very important to Gen Z employees,” she said. “They’re interested in personalized coaching and mentoring, and they want to be a part of the solution and have an expectation around communication and frequent, actionable feedback.”

Hospice Choices: VITAS Healthcare expands in Austin, Texas 
Globe Newswire - Small Business World Journal; Press Release; 4/23/25
... VITAS Healthcare has expanded its reach in the Austin area by opening a new administrative office in Pflugerville. With the addition of this North Austin location, VITAS now serves the entire metro area and surrounding counties, bringing greater access to compassionate, expert end-of-life care for patients and their families. ... Grand opening celebrations for the Kyle and Pflugerville offices are scheduled for late June.

Providence's push to hand off hospice, home care in Oregon to Tennessee firm gets closer look 
The Lund Report - Independent health news for Oregon and SW Washington; by Jake Thomas; 4/22/25 
Providence Health, Oregon’s biggest provider of home health and hospice services, wants to put a private equity-backed company in charge of those operations. But the plan could negatively affect the care of thousands of Oregonians, according to a new state report. The program that reviews large health care mergers and other deals has launched a six-month review of Providence’s proposed transaction with Tennessee-based Compassus and issued an initial report that analyzed the potential effects. Compassus is partly owned by private equity firm TowerBrook Capital Partners, L.P. ... Under the new 180-day review, the state will conduct a more in-depth evaluation of the deal and its potential effects on costs, care quality, access and workplace conditions. That’s in keeping with the 2021 law creating the program, which is considered the nation’s toughest.

Prevention of acute hospital transfers for long-term care residents at the end of life 
American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AJHPM); by Kirsten Lanpher, DMS, MSPA, PA-C and Kirsten Brondstater, DMS, MSPAS, PA-C; 3/24/25 
Findings: Long-term care residents are a vulnerable population with advanced comorbidities who often require high acuity care and are subject to preventable transfers to the hospital at the EOL. These disruptions in EOL care cause harm and complications, negatively impacting quality of care. The consequences of these events can be mitigated with early advance care planning to include documentation of EOL care goals, onsite medical clinicians to make critical decisions and provide care within LTC facilities, and adequate staffing with proper palliative and hospice care training.
Conclusion: Immediate action is needed to advocate for this high risk population and implement interventions to prevent hospital transfers at the EOL, therefore improving quality of care and positively influencing LTC residents’ EOL experience.
Editor's note: While this information is long-held common sense, this AJHPM evidence-based research equips us with strong conclusions that "Immediate action is needed to ..." Use this as you partner with SNF/NF's and you educate their staff about hospice care; see Hospice CoP's § 418.112(f). Educate and support your clinical teams as they communicate with SNF/NF staff, residents, and their families. And, pair this with today's post, "I’m a hospice physician. There’s one thing I dread telling my patients." Yes, there are times when hospice-specific GIP care (vs. acute hospital care) is needed for more support than can be provided at the SNF/NF "home."

5 risk factors at 50 can steal a decade of life 
Medscape; by Nadine Eckert; 4/17/25 
Five classic risk factors for cardiovascular disease — high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, diabetes, and smoking — at age 50 can reduce life expectancy by more than 10 years. This is the conclusion of an international study led by German researchers and presented at the 2025 American College of Cardiology Scientific Session. These five factors account for approximately 50% of the global burden of cardiovascular diseases. ... The findings, also published in The New England Journal of Medicine, show that lifestyle changes and risk management in middle age can make a significant difference. Lowering blood pressure and quitting smoking had the most significant impacts.

• Lifestyle Changes ...
• Persistent Risk Factors ...
• Key Interventions ...
• Limitations ...
• Focus on Prevention

Editor's note: How old are you? How long do you expect to live? Based on your risk factors, do you need to cut 10 years from that hoped-for longevity? What employee wellness programs and/or benefits do you provide? Within the broad scope of healthcare and all other industries, our hospice and palliative care employees should be among the most receptive to learning from this research.

7-year-old Clayton girl battling stage 4 cancer enters hospice care at her home 
CBS-17 News, Raleigh/Clayton, NC; by Matthew Sockol, Maggie Newland, Greg Funderburg; 4/18/25 
A seven-year-old girl battling an aggressive cancer has returned to her home in Clayton, her family said Friday. Noelle Franklin was diagnosed with stage four osteosarcoma less than a year ago and received treatment at UNC Children’s Hospital. In a video post on the Noelle Strong Facebook page, her mother Toni said Noelle is entering hospice care at their home. “The staff of UNC went above and beyond,” Toni Franklin said in a statement. “The care Noelle had was more than we could ask for. “Noelle has touched so many people, not just in our community, but in the hospital too,” she continued in her statement. “Seeing how many people came to celebrate Noelle breaking out overwhelmed me with joy. We paraded three different floors, wouldn’t expect anything less for Noelle. “We are home. We are at peace.”

As the ‘Silver Tsunami’ hits the Flathead Valley, dementia diagnoses are rising while caregivers reach a breaking point 
Flathead Beacon, Kalispell, MT; by Maggie Dresser; 3/23/25 
... As baby boomers age and Americans live longer than previous generations, the elderly population will continue to grow and overwhelm many local resources, which includes nursing homes and memory care facilities. ... According to 2020 Census data, the national demographic of people ages 65 and over grew nearly five times faster than the total population over the 100-year period stretching from 1920 to 2020, and the population segment has recently reached 55.8 million. But Montana’s senior citizen population is disproportionately higher than many other states, ranking No. 6 overall, with 19.7% of its population considered geriatric, according to 2020 Census data.  Of this population, 9.8% of individuals in Montana suffer from Alzheimer’s.
Editor's note: Click here for the national 2024 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures - Special Report: Mapping a Better Future for Dementia Care Navigation.

I’m a hospice physician. There’s one thing I dread telling my patients. 
Slate; by Charlotte Grinberg; 4/22/25 
Tom was dying, and managing his condition at home was increasingly difficult. ... His wife Sue was in survival mode. A few sleepless nights turned into weeks without rest, during which she was constantly trying to manage Tom’s symptoms and take care of his basic needs. I’m a hospice physician, and it’s at junctures like this that I can offer a life vest that completely changes the end-of-life experience. ... I told Sue that I thought Tom should transfer to our inpatient hospice facility. “You have done everything possible for Tom at home, it’s too much to ask of you or anybody,” I said. “He needs a higher level of care.” ... Getting a devoted spouse to agree to move their dying partner out of the home isn’t always easy. But a few days after Tom arrived at the inpatient hospice facility, Sue cried tears of appreciation describing the daily baths the caretakers there gave him. 

Walgreens will pay up to $350M in settlement with DOJ to resolve opioid prescription lawsuit 
Fierce Healthcare; by Heather Landi; 4/21/25 
Walgreens has agreed to pay $300 million to settle allegations from federal prosecutors that it illegally filled millions of invalid prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Monday. The DOJ also alleges that the retail pharmacy chain sought payment for many of those "invalid" prescriptions by Medicare and other federal healthcare programs in violation of the False Claims Act. The settlement amount is based on Walgreens’s ability to pay, the DOJ said, but Walgreens will owe the U.S. an additional $50 million if the company is sold, merged or transferred prior to fiscal year 2032. 

While claiming transparency, CMS quietly drops health equity elements of EOM 
American Journal of Managed Care (AJMC); by Mary Caffrey; 4/22/25 
Key Takeaways:

• Trump's executive order has led to the removal of health equity plans from the CMS's Enhancing Oncology Model (EOM).
• The EOM, successor to the Oncology Care Model, initially focused on health equity but now faces changes in data collection requirements.
• CMS remains committed to transparency and advancing its mission, despite the removal of mandatory health equity plans.
• Discussions about making oncology models mandatory continue, raising concerns for smaller practices due to significant start-up costs. 

CMS to withdraw federal Medicaid match for workforce, social needs, and infrastructure: What states, health care providers and community organizations need to know 
Mondaq; by Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton; 4/22/25 
In a move signaling a major shift in federal priorities, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ("CMS") recently announced it will limit federal funding for state Medicaid initiatives that support services beyond direct medical care. New policy guidance indicates that CMS intends to narrow the scope of the federal-state Medicaid partnership, refocusing matching funds on core healthcare services delivered to Medicaid beneficiaries. ... On April 10, CMS notified states that it will no longer approve new, or renew existing, state proposals for Section 1115(a) Demonstration Project expenditure authority to provide federal matching funds for state expenditures for designated state health programs ("DSHP") and designated state investment programs ("DSIP").

Rep. Jamila Taylor advances new laws to protect vulnerable communities and end-of-life rights 
The Seattle Medium, Olympia, WA; by The Seattle Medium; 4/18/25 
In a landmark legislative moment for Washington’s most vulnerable residents, Rep. Jamila Taylor (D-Federal Way) secured the passage of two major bills signed into law by Governor Bob Ferguson on April 16. Together, the laws modernize background checks for caregivers and ensure that all individuals—regardless of pregnancy status—retain full autonomy over their end-of-life healthcare decisions.

• [1] ... Rep. Taylor’s legislation, House Bill 1385, takes direct aim at one of the biggest barriers to filling [the shortage of qualified caregiver] roles: slow and outdated background check processes. The new law enables the Washington State Patrol to formally join 35 other states in implementing the National Crime Prevention and Privacy Compact, allowing for faster, more secure interstate sharing of criminal history records. ...
• [2] ... Taylor’s second legislative victory—House Bill 1215—confronts a long-standing equity issue in healthcare law. Until now, Washington’s advance directive form included a pregnancy clause that effectively invalidated a person’s end-of-life wishes if they were pregnant. HB 1215 removes that exclusion, ensuring that pregnancy does not override a person’s legally documented healthcare decisions.

U.S. News Best Leaders 
U.S. News & World Report News; 4/19/25 
Who deserves to be recognized as a U.S. News Best Leader? Tell us what you think. Later this year, U.S. News & World Report will select its 2025 Best Leaders in public service, business, healthcare and education. We want to hear from you. Please nominate up to three leaders who have strongly benefited their communities, organizations or the country at large.

Volunteers don’t get paid, not because they’re worthless, but because they’re priceless. ~ Sherry Anderson

Celebrating National Volunteer Week, April 20-26, 2025