Reflection on the Potomac River Crash 
Hospice & Palliative Care Today; by Joy Berger, Editor in Chief; 1/30/25
We are absorbing the heartbreaking news about Wednesday night’s tragic plane and helicopter crash over the Potomac River. Like many of you, I’m flooded with memories of flying into this same airport--delighting in the beautiful river and DC’s historic sites, the diversity among fellow travelers, and the city's adventures ahead. Many of these Washington DC trips were to be with our hospice and palliative colleagues at the NHPCO Conferences (now The Alliance). Today, I’m grateful for our many safe journeys and the rich connections we made in meetings, meals, spontaneous greetings, and our shared purpose. And, these current Potomac River tragic deaths can stir currents of our own traumatic losses. For me, I remember the pains of a beloved family in my childhood’s home church, whose adult son was killed in the January 1982 Potomac River plane crash. I easily feel the loss of my grandfather from when he was killed by a drunk driver. What are these for you? What truths do we glean from our hospice work? As news unfolds, may we treasure anew the unknown measures of our time on this earth. May we cherish our connections and treat each other with respect across our differences. May we, in our work and in our lives, sensitively tune into the often silent, life-altering traumas carried by others. May we learn, live, and give. Humbly, Joy

3 things leaders should prioritize in 2025
World Economic Forum; by Madeleine North; 1/28/25 
At the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting 2025, what did leaders from different industries view as the priorities for the coming year? Over the course of the event, cooperation and adaptability emerged as key themes for addressing challenges in a rapidly evolving global landscape. ... Here are three lessons for the year ahead from seven leaders in their field.

• In the age of AI, people are more crucial than ever ...
• Adopting an adaptive mindset is key ...
• Collaboration and communication are also paramount ...

Polsinelli attorney: Expand access to capital for hospice, health care providers
Hospice News - Executive Perspectives; by Jim Parker; 1/28/25 
Private equity in health care has come under fire in recent years, but the regulatory environment leaves few other options for raising capital. This is according to Bobby Guy, an M&A attorney and shareholder in the law firm Polsinelli. Guy posits that regulation of publicly traded markets have pushed business owners towards private equity and reduced transparency when it comes to corporate funding. 

The Handbook of LGBTQIA-inclusive Hospice and Palliative Care, 2nd edition 
Review in Ageing & Society, published online by Cambridge University Press; book authored by Kimberly D. Acquaviva, review authored by Luis Stoisser; 1/23/25 
The Handbook of LGBTQIA-inclusive Hospice and Palliative Care is a comprehensive guide to providing inclusive palliative and hospice care to everyone, regardless of their self-identification. Following the author's belief that LGBTQIA+ hospice and palliative care requires change at three levels - individual, institutional and systemic - the book extends state-of-the-art palliative and hospice practices (US focused) by including LGBTQIA+ perspectives. Such a rethinking educates hospice and palliative care practitioners on how to provide person-centered care, how to be self-reflexive on a daily basis and how to handle their own stereotypes and stigmas.
Editor's note: What stories of poor clinical care have you experienced? Of great care? If you do not know, ask your clinicians, especially those who have been in the healthcare field for a longer period of time. Click on the title's link for this research review. This book is available via Columbia University Press and Amazon.

‘Small but significant’ keys to amplifying hospice grief support 
Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 1/29/25 
Grief support service lines can be an important pathway for hospices to reach communities outside of their patient populations. ... Grieving processes are multifaceted and unique to each individual, and hospices’ bereavement models need to be conceptualized around this notion, according to Keely Rhiannon, lead grief counselor at Michigan-based Angela Hospice. ... A key to developing sustainable grief referral relationships is understanding what each organization has to offer and adapting services to fill gaps of unmet need, according to Dr. Micki Burns, CEO of Judi’s House and the Judith Ann Griese (JAG) Institute, and Lauren Ross, its director of clinical programs. 
Editor's note: The CMS Hospice Conditions of Participation (CoPs) require each hospice to provide bereavement/grief support to patients' families, both before the death and after. The CMS Hospice CoPs identify "bereavement" and/or "grief" 155 times. For the significance of bereavement services, visit the article we posted 1/30/25, "The iatrogenic consequences of medicalising grief: Resetting the research agenda." For grief resources designed for hospice services' serious illness-hospice-bereavement needs and branded to your hospice, visit our sponsor Composing Life Out of Loss.

Behind the scenes: Caring for the caregivers 
Harvard Magazine; by Lydialyel Gibson; 1/30/25 
When I was in seventh grade, my best friend’s father was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s. He was in his late 50s. ... My sharpest memories from that time are of my friend’s shock and grief as her father deteriorated, and of her mother’s incredible stamina. ... That was more than 30 years ago. ... [When] I heard about the work of Christine Ritchie, a geriatrician and palliative care physician who studies the caregiver experience, I knew I wanted to talk to her. Ritchie directs the Dementia Care Collaborative at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and teaches at Harvard Medical School, and has been doing this research for decades. ... The caregivers are the heart of this story. Across the country there are more than 11 million other people like them, who continue to fill these difficult, precious, necessary roles. [Click on the title's link to continue reading this important article.]

Opioid painkillers less available to people of color 
HealthDay News / Coastal Breeze News, Marco Island, FL; 1/30/25 
People of color now have less access to prescription opioid painkillers than white patients, an unintended consequence of efforts to stem America’s opioid epidemic. Communities of color have a 40% to 45% lower distribution of commonly prescribed opioids, compared to majority white communities, researchers reported in a study published Jan. 23 in the journal Pain. This could prevent opioid painkillers from reaching those in true need of them, like cancer patients, researchers said. 

16 states where virus activity remains high: 5 updates 
Becker's Clinical Leadership; by Alexandra Murphy; 1/27/25 
The CDC is reporting high levels of respiratory virus activity across the U.S. While respiratory syncytial virus levels are beginning to peak in many areas of the country, flu-related emergency department visits are at very high levels and are still rising, according to the latest data. Thirteen states are experiencing "high" respiratory virus activity: Texas, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Minnesota, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Hawaii and Washington, D.C. Three states are experiencing "very high" levels: New Hampshire, New Jersey and Wisconsin. [Click here for the CDC's "Respiratory Virus Activity Levels," with more detailed data and maps for all 50 states.]

Grant renews funding for pain and aging center 
Cornell Chronicle; by Weill Cornell Medicine; 1/30/25 
The Translational Research Institute for Pain in Later Life (TRIPLL), a New York City-based center to help older adults prevent and manage pain, has been awarded a five-year, $5 million renewal grant from the National Institute on Aging (NIA). ... The institute seeks to apply insights from psychology, sociology, economics and communications to develop and implement effective pain management techniques that are acceptable to and practical for older adults.

The human edge: How AI can assist but never replace 
JD Supra; by Ralph Losey; 1/29/25 
The rise of artificial intelligence has evoked both awe and apprehension. he list of its potential contributions seems endless. Yet, whispers of fear persist in our conversations: What if AI surpasses us? What if it replaces us entirely? These fears, while understandable, stem from a fundamental misunderstanding of what AI is—and what it is not. While AI may outperform humans in specific analytical domains, .. it can never replicate the full spectrum of what it means to be human. Far from being a threat to humanity, AI—when governed responsibly—offers a transformative tool to amplify our potential, not a rival to our existence. [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

Valentine’s snacks show love to Hospice supporters 
The Morgan Messenger, Berkeley Springs, WV; by Hospice of the Panhandle; 1/29/25 
Hospice of the Panhandle’s Education Center once again this year will turn into a Valentine snack center. And the result will be that thousands of snacks, ranging from granola bars to raisins to potato chips to candy, will be distributed to Hospice providers and supporters as a thank you during Valentine’s season this year. A project that began more than 30 years ago, Valentine Treat Week is a big hit in the local community. 

Maine communities struggle with nurse practitioner shortage 
NBC News Center Maine; by Brianna Bush; 1/29/25 
According to U.S. News & World Report, nurse practitioner is the No.1 ranked job for 2025. The study says that's because of work-life balance, high pay, and job growth potential. Despite this, communities in Maine are lacking enough nurse practioners to support patients. ... According to the Maine Nurse Practitioner Association, there are more than 3,100 nurse practitioners in Maine. 

Does confronting mortality make our lives more meaningful? | The Ethical Life podcast 
SC Now, Florence, SC; podcast hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada; 1/29/25 
Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada discuss how our awareness of mortality shapes the way we live. Kyte begins by discussing how ancient philosophers, particularly the Stoics, believed we should keep death constantly in mind, [helping] us avoid self-deception about our mortality and the tendency to become overly attached to material possessions and markers of success. Later, the hosts discuss how major religions have grappled with the question of what happens after death. ... Rada and Kyte share their personal reflections on mortality. ... Kyte says he ponders it daily, not in a morbid way, but to remind himself to use his finite time wisely. They discuss how people near the end of life often shift their priorities to relationships, forgiveness and small joys. 

Executive Personnel Changes - 1/31/25

• Cooley Dickinson Hospital, a member of Mass General Brigham in Northampton announces Kevin Whitney, DCNP, RN as President and Chief Operating Officer
  
  
• Providence realigns executive team: 12 things to know
• Darryl Elmouchi, MD, who became Vice COO on Jan. 2, will oversee division operations, home and community care, and compliance. Additionally, he will oversee clinical care functions
• Susan Huang, MD, will serve as chief physician executive of Providence and chief executive of the health system's clinical network
• Greg Hoffman, CFO, will maintain responsibility for financial functions, corporate development, revenue cycle and Providence Health Plan
• Sara Vaezy, executive vice president and chief strategy and digital officer, has been named chief transformation officer
• [Click on the title's link to continue reading]
  
  
• Traditions Health announced the following new appointments:
• Jeffrey Clagg, Vice President of Sales
• Toby Radabaugh, Vice President of Operations for Hospice Service Line
• Corinne Ehlert, Chief Clinical and Quality Officer 
  
  
• UnitedHealth Group has tapped Tim Noel to be CEO of UnitedHealthcare, the company announced. The appointment of a new leader for the insurance subsidiary comes seven weeks after the fatal shooting of Brian Thompson ahead of a company event in New York last month. Thompson had been UnitedHealthcare CEO since 2021
  
  
• VITAS Healthcare announces the addition Benardo Ferreira as VP of Financial Planning and Analysis