Literature Review
[United Kingdom] Group treks Great Wall of China to raise £85k
06/04/25 at 03:15 AM[United Kingdom] Group treks Great Wall of China to raise £85k BBC News; by Emma Petrie; 5/31/25 A group of people who trekked along the Great Wall of China have raised more than £85,000 in support of a hospice. The team took on the challenge to fundraise for Dove House Hospice, which is a charity that provides respite and end-of-life care for people in Hull and East Yorkshire. The hospice warned they were facing a funding shortfall in April due to rising costs. ... Twenty people signed up for the site's latest fundraising challenge and set off for China 17 May, walking a 31-mile (50km) route along the Great Wall. Upon her return, Ms. [Ruth] Scott said: "It's not an easy walk, incredibly steep in places, ... The views are just unbelievable. You can't comprehend."
Medical robots to the rescue: New technologies to help our health
06/04/25 at 03:15 AMMedical robots to the rescue: New technologies to help our healthNIH News in Health; 6/2/25What do you think of when you hear the word robot? Is it a human-like assistant with a friendly face, or a large and menacing foe? Generally, a robot is a machine that that’s been built to perform specific tasks. [This article highlights:]
7 Brutal truths about leadership no one tells you at 29
06/04/25 at 03:00 AM7 Brutal truths about leadership no one tells you at 29Forbes; by Nirmal Chhabria; 5/29/25At 29, I was handed my first leadership role. Six months later, I was drowning—my inbox was overflowing with problems, top performers were quitting and morale was plummeting. "What am I doing wrong?" I asked my mentor. "You're trying to be the hero instead of creating heroes," she replied. That conversation began my real leadership education—years of failures that revealed truths I wish I'd known from day one. Here are seven leadership insights that only experience taught me:
The Roaring ‘20s: Hospice of the Valley hosts senior prom
06/04/25 at 03:00 AMThe Roaring ‘20s: Hospice of the Valley hosts senior prom Arcadia News, Phoenix, AZ; by Mallory Gleich; 6/1/25 At the Dementia Care and Education Campus in Arcadia, the spirit of the Roaring ’20s came to life as Hospice of the Valleyhosted its second annual senior prom. With pearls, feathers, vintage flair, and a whole lot of heart, this unforgettable evening was more than just a dance, it was a joyful celebration of life, connection, and music. Around 80 guests – a mix of Adult Day Club members, assisted living residents, spouses, family members, staff, and volunteers – attended the soiree. From the start, the event buzzed with anticipation and excitement. For many, this was a chance to relive a moment they had missed, or rewrite one that had fallen short in their youth.
The best leaders are spacious leaders. Here’s what that means
06/04/25 at 03:00 AMThe best leaders are spacious leaders. Here’s what that meansFastCompany; by Tracy Brower; 6/2/25A helpful concept is spacious leadership—a management approach in which you create space for others to participate, make choices, and be their best. With spacious leadership, you also ensure space for yourself to enhance your own effectiveness and satisfaction on the job. [Article discusses:]
CMS’s Hospice Star Rating System limited by missing data
06/04/25 at 03:00 AMCMS’s Hospice Star Rating System limited by missing data Health Affairs; by Amanda C. Chen and David C. Grabowski; 6/3/25 Two-thirds of US hospices were not given a star rating when the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) introduced its hospice star rating system in 2022. Since then, the share of hospices without a star rating has steadily increased, including through the most recent reporting period of 2024. This suggests that the CMS hospice star rating is having limited impact. We provide recommendations for CMS and other policy makers to improve the value for hospice patients of publicly reported star ratings.
10 Signs death is near for dementia patients
06/04/25 at 03:00 AM10 Signs death is near for dementia patients The Healthy; by Dr. Patricia Varacollo, DO; 6/2/25 For families and caregivers, recognizing the final stages of dementia can be difficult, but understanding the signs can help ensure comfort and dignity in a loved one's last days. Dr. Koncilja highlights these key indicators that may suggest the end of life is near:
Fortune 500’s top 25 healthcare companies
06/04/25 at 03:00 AMFortune 500’s top 25 healthcare companiesBecker's Hospital Review; by Molly Gamble; 6/2/25The 71st Fortune 500 ranks America’s largest companies by 2024 fiscal year revenue. [Results include:]
Today's Encouragement: The highest reward for a person's toil is not ..., but is ...
06/04/25 at 03:00 AMThe highest reward for a person's toil is not what they get for it, but what they become by it. ~ John Ruskin
2 West Covina women arrested for alleged $4.8 million hospice care fraud
06/04/25 at 03:00 AM2 West Covina women arrested for alleged $4.8 million hospice care fraud CBS News KCAL, Los Angeles, CA; by Julie Sharp; 6/3/25 The U.S. Department of Justice announced that two West Covina women were arrested Tuesday for an alleged scheme to defraud Medicare of $4.8 million with false hospice care claims. One of the women who was arrested is the owner and operator of two West Covina hospices, Golden Meadows Hospice Inc., and D'Alexandria Hospice Inc., which billed Medicare for hospice services for patients who were allegedly not terminally ill. Between Sept. 2018 and Oct. 2022, owner and operator Normita Sierra, 71, and her alleged accomplice, Rowena Elegado, 55, collected more than $3.8 million from Medicare on false claims, the DOJ said.
The persons behind our patients - Individualized assessment tools for personalized care
06/04/25 at 03:00 AMThe persons behind our patients - Individualized assessment tools for personalized careJAMA Internal Medicine; by Ruchi Bhatia; 6/2/25In clinical medicine, we rely heavily on bulleted templates to conduct and document care. These templates help capture the complexity of the medical problems we treat... However, the checklists we use often fail to provide a holistic narrative of the patient’s story... Reviewing the details of these checklists during the visit may aid decision-making but limits face-to-face interactions and can distract from understanding the unique person in the patient... Relying exclusively on checklists can unintentionally prevent patients from sharing their personhood and will not elicit complex concerns, such as fears of getting older, dying, or being written off.Publisher's note: Several recent stories we've covered extol the benefits of AI in healthcare; this story articulates some of the risks.
Confronting global inequities in palliative care
06/04/25 at 03:00 AMConfronting global inequities in palliative care BMJ Global Health; by Anna Peeler, Oladayo Ayobami Afolabi, Katherine E Sleeman, Maha El Akoum, Nahla Gafer, Asmus Hammerich, Richard Harding; 5/15/25
Death behind bars: Prisons routinely ignore guidelines on dying inmates’ end-of-life choices
06/04/25 at 03:00 AMDeath behind bars: Prisons routinely ignore guidelines on dying inmates’ end-of-life choicesKFF Health News / Times Daily; by Renuka Rayasam; 5/31/25Brian Rigsby was lying with his right wrist shackled to a hospital bed in Montgomery, Alabama, when he learned he didn’t have long to live. It was September 2023, and Rigsby, 46, had been brought to Jackson Hospital from an Alabama state prison 10 days earlier after complaining of pain and swelling in his abdomen. Doctors found that untreated hepatitis C had caused irreversible damage to Rigsby’s liver, according to his medical records. Rigsby decided to stop efforts to treat his illness and to decline lifesaving care, a decision he made with his parents. And Rigsby’s mother, Pamela Moser, tried to get her son released to hospice care through Alabama’s medical furlough policy, so that their family could manage his end-of-life care as they saw fit. But there wasn’t enough time for the furlough request to be considered...
Hospices facing a US caregiving ‘crisis’
06/04/25 at 03:00 AMHospices facing a US caregiving ‘crisis’ Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 6/2/25 Family caregivers in the United States are being challenged by a swelling aging population inneed of greater support and stronger policy infrastructures. Much room for improvement exists at both state and federal levels when it comes to recognizing the important roles that family caregivers play, according to Steven Lee, co-founder and CEO of ianacare, a Boston-based patient and caregiver resource company. More innovative care models and disease-specific reimbursement options have widened pathways for hospice providers to improve family caregiver support, Lee said in a recent Hospice News Elevate podcast. But these fall short of addressing the diverse scope of practical, emotional and financial needs, he stated. Editor's note: This article has an excellent map of US states with caregiver categories for "Well-Supported," "Safe for Now," "High Risk," and "Critical" (courtesy of Otsuka America Pharmaceutical). Additionally, our sponsor Hospice Analytics provides the National Hospice Locator, for caregivers/families to find hospices that serve in each US county, and sorted by their quality scores. And, our sponsor Composing Life equips hospice organizations with caregiver/family video libraries that span the continuum of serious illness, hospice, and grief care.
How do you comfort a dying parent?
06/04/25 at 02:00 AMHow do you comfort a dying parent? U.S. News & World Report - WTOP News; 6/1/25 Caring for a parent who is dying can be emotionally taxing. ... Here are ten tips for how to conduct a caring conversation with someone who is dying — and how to know when to sit in silence too.
Groundbreaking ceremony for new hospice house in Derby
06/03/25 at 03:30 AMGroundbreaking ceremony for new hospice house in Derby CBS WCAX-3, Burlington/Derby, VT; by Hailey Morgan; 5/31/25 ... Marion Dehnke lost her husband Clint Stevens to cancer back in 2013. She says during that time, she was his caregiver, and he had to stay in a nursing home in a tiny room, with one other person. She said it made things very disruptive, and she didn’t get to spend the time she wanted with him, and she doesn’t want that for someone else. ... Community leaders, and members with the Newport Church of God invested in a solution called the Living Waters Hospice House. It is a two bedroom home dedicated to those in need in their final days. The project is worth a million dollars, and is funded entirely by donations. ... Construction for the home, started this past week, the groundbreaking ceremony was held on the church lawn Saturday.
Ethics talk: Are private equity investments really different from other ownership structures in health care?
06/03/25 at 03:00 AMEthics talk: Are private equity investments really different from other ownership structures in health care?AMA Journal of Ethics, Podcast May 2025; by Robert I. Field, PhD, JD, MPH; 5/30/25Dr. Robert I. Field joins Ethics Talk to discuss whether and to what extent private equity firms’ increasing presence in health care deserves our scrutiny and what policy makers, clinicians, and patients should know about responding to private equity ownership stakes in the organizations where they work and where they go for health services.
Nonprofit participates in ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
06/03/25 at 03:00 AMNonprofit participates in ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Coeur d'Alene / Post Falls Press, Coeur d'Alene, ID; 5/31/25 Hospice of North Idaho took the plunge this week after being nominated by Kootenai Health to participate in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, a viral campaign aimed at raising awareness and funds to fight amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. In a video on social media, Hospice of North Idaho’s Leadership Team and staff sat front and center Wednesday as team members gathered, cheered and doused them with buckets of ice-cold water all in the name of a great cause, Hospice of North Idaho shared in a Friday news release. ... “Hospice of North Idaho is proud to take part in this movement and show our support for those affected by ALS,” Megan Ryan, communications specialist at Hospice of North Idaho.
Today's Encouragement: Is the life I'm living ...
06/03/25 at 03:00 AMIs the life I’m living the life that wants to live in me? ~ Parker J. Palmer
17 "Spooky" things that happened right before terminally-ill patients passed away, according to nurses who saw it first-hand
06/03/25 at 03:00 AM17 "Spooky" things that happened right before terminally-ill patients passed away, according to nurses who saw it first-hand BuzzFeed Staff; by Raven Ishak; 5/31/25 "At the beginning of my shift, my patient kept pointing to a corner of the room and said to me, 'Do you see them?" ... When medical professionals work closely with patients who may pass soon, a lot of "supernatural" things may occur. So we thought to ask the BuzzFeed Community, "Nurses with dying patients, share with us the most unexplainable things you've ever witnessed." Here's what they said below: ...
Empathetic AI policy example: A framework for the human impact on AI
06/03/25 at 03:00 AMEmpathetic AI policy example: A framework for the human impact on AI Solutions Review; by Tim King; 5/30/25 ... Empathetic AI is our organizational pledge to place people at the center of our AI strategy. It means prioritizing the dignity of work, the stability of our workforce, and the fair treatment of all individuals impacted by automated systems. It means actively supporting those whose roles may be transformed or displaced and investing in their future through retraining, redeployment, and transparent communication. Our core principles are as follows:
Sioux Falls VA Healthcare System opens hospice cottage
06/03/25 at 03:00 AMSioux Falls VA Healthcare System opens hospice cottage Dakota News Now, Sioux Falls, SD; by Dakota News Now staff; 5/30/25 The Sioux Falls VA Healthcare System has cut the ribbon and opened the newest facility on its campus, a hospice cottage. The 10,000-foot facility with 10 beds is meant to give veterans and their families a high level of care and a peaceful environment that allows them to spend time together. The VA says the cottage is the perfect setting for end-of-life care for veterans, treating them with dignity. ... "We are here for the veterans, and we complete that circle. The time they gave, and now we’re giving back to them at the end of their life,” said Sioux Falls VA Hospice Nurse Manager Cami VanWyhe.
The importance of humanity in internal medicine
06/03/25 at 03:00 AMThe importance of humanity in internal medicine I.M. Matters from the American College of Physicians; President's Message by Jason M. Goldman, MD, MACP; June 2025I recently attended the funeral of one of my long-time patients, who had required hospice care after a long battle with heart disease. Many of us have had the experience of telling a patient and their family that their disease has progressed and we have reached the limits of medical science. In training, we are taught to be compassionate but professional, maintaining a certain level of emotional detachment ... As internal medicine specialists, we have the awesome responsibility and privilege to be the doctor for our patients through decades of their life experiences and to offer them not just medical science, but also humanity and comfort. ... One of the greatest acts of charity a person can perform is to attend someone's funeral, as it is the only act of kindness that cannot be reciprocated. This patient had been in my practice for almost two decades, and I had the privilege of taking care of both her and her husband.Editor's note: Re-read this powerful statement, "One of the greatest acts of charity a person can perform is to attend someone's funeral, as it is the only act of kindness that cannot be reciprocated."
Q&A with Jim Obergefell on the future of Supreme Court's gay marriage ruling, LGBTQ rights
06/03/25 at 03:00 AMQ&A with Jim Obergefell on the future of Supreme Court's gay marriage ruling, LGBTQ rights Fremont News Messenger; by Laura A. Bischoff; 6/1/25 In 2013, Ohioans Jim Obergefell and John Arthur flew on a medical jet to exchange vows in Maryland where same-sex marriage was legal at the time. With Arthur in hospice care for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, time was slipping away for the Cincinnati couple and their home state of Ohio prohibited same-sex marriage. Days after their tarmac wedding, civil rights attorney Al Gerhardstein showed them a blank Ohio death certificate. "Do you guys understand that when John dies, his last record as a person will be wrong here, where it says marital status at the time of death?" Gerhardstein told them. "Ohio will say John was unmarried. And Jim, your name will not be here, where it says surviving spouse name." Brokenhearted and angry at the idea of not being recognized by Ohio, Arthur and Obergefell told Gerhardstein, yes, they wanted to do something about it. Arthur didn't live to see the fruits of that decision: On June 26, 2015, in a 5-4 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, the U.S. Supreme Court decided states must allow for same-sex marriages and must recognize those solemnized in other states. Arthur died in October 2013 at the age of 48.
[United Kingdom] Hospice cuts 19 jobs to save £1.7m amid ‘worst financial crisis’ in its history
06/03/25 at 03:00 AM[United Kingdom] Hospice cuts 19 jobs to save £1.7m amid ‘worst financial crisis’ in its history LSE - The London School of Economics and Political Science; by Emily Moss; 5/29/25 A Yorkshire-based hospice charity has cut 19 jobs in the hope of reducing its annual costs by £1.7m as it faces what it has previously described as “the worst financial crisis” in its almost 40-year history. The Kirkwood, which provides palliative and end-of-life care for people living in and around Kirklees, West Yorkshire, said that an additional nine employees had agreed to reduce their hours or adjust their roles to enable the hospice to save money. The hospice opened its redundancy consultation in February. The initial plans placed 33 roles at risk of redundancy. At the time, the Kirkwood said it was facing the “worst financial crisis” in its history, citing a “perfect storm” of an increasing demand for hospice services versus rises in the prices of essential equipment, energy and food.Editor's note: This represents just one of many ongoing reports of financial crises, extreme fund-raising, closures and staff layoffs throughout the UK's hospices. Themes and patterns pair with trends we're seeing throughout the US.