Literature Review
Executive Personnel Changes - 4/4/25
04/04/25 at 03:00 AMExecutive Personnel Changes - 4/4/25
Trump administration orders NIH to eliminate $2.6 billion in federal contracts
04/04/25 at 03:00 AMTrump administration orders NIH to eliminate $2.6 billion in federal contracts STAT; by Megan Moteni; 4/3/25 April 8 is the deadline for a 35% cut in services that could affect specimen storage, genetic counseling, administration. Leaders at the National Institutes of Health have been meeting this week to figure out how to cut $2.6 billion in contracts from the biomedical research agency’s budget, ... Early last week, the Trump administration’s federal government-shrinking task force, known as the U.S. DOGE Service, directed the NIH to reduce contract spending across each of its 27 institutes and centers by roughly 35%. The NIH was told to comply by April 8, ... [Continue reading ... access may be limited by subscription]
The HOPE Assessment Tool Series: Managing special circumstances
04/04/25 at 03:00 AMThe HOPE Assessment Tool Series: Managing special circumstancesCHAP press release; by Jennifer Kennedy; 3/25Welcome to the next installment in the HOPE Assessment Tool Blog Series. We are discussing special situations such as patient transfers and traveling patients which may affect HOPE assessment tool completion.
Franciscan Health men’s group meets to grieve together
04/04/25 at 03:00 AMFranciscan Health men’s group meets to grieve together Daily Journal, Indianapolis, IN; by Ryan Trares; 3/31/25 The depths of the loss felt so great. When Phil Darmelio’s wife, Joanne, died in March 2023, he knew he needed help in his grief. The couple had been together for 60 years, and Darmelio was not certain who to talk to about his feelings. The suggestion of attending a bereavement group specifically for men seemed like a good place to start. The support has been overwhelmingly positive. ... The men’s bereavement group, hosted by Franciscan Health, has offered men grieving a death in their lives a place to heal with others in similar situation. Meeting weekly at the Franciscan Hospice House on the southside, the group offers a specially tailored program intended to meet the emotional needs of men. [Continue reading ...]
Today's Encouragement: Life’s challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, ...
04/04/25 at 03:00 AMLife’s challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they’re supposed to help you discover who you are. ~ Bernice Johnson Reagon
Senate confirms Oz as head of agency that runs Medicare, Medicaid
04/04/25 at 03:00 AMDr. Oz nomination to lead CMS advances in Senate vote Modern Healthcare; by Michael McAuliff; 4/3/25 The Senate on Thursday advanced the confirmation of former television host Dr. Mehmet Oz to lead the nation's largest healthcare agencies by serving as administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Lawmakers voted 50 to 45 to advance the nomination to a final vote, which is expected Thursday afternoon. ... He will assume control of an agency in flux that impacts some 160 million Americans and with a budget of around $1.7 trillion. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is attempting to cut some 20,000 employees across the the Health and Human Services Department while Congress is weighing budget proposals that are likely to require deep cuts in Medicaid. [Continue reading ...]
Fired health workers were told to contact an employee. She’s dead.
04/04/25 at 03:00 AMFired health workers were told to contact an employee. She’s dead. The Washington Post; by Lauren Weber; 4/3/25 Some government health employees who were laid off Tuesday were told to contact Anita Pinder with discrimination complaints. But Pinder, who was the director at the Office of Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, died last year. [Continue reading ...]Editor's note: Perhaps, is this its own example of fraud (incorrect contact for such an important initiative) and abuse (of the fired employees' rights, and of Anita Pinder's memory, family, and colleagues)?
U.S. Supreme Court rejects medical marijuana firm's bid to avoid racketeering suit
04/04/25 at 03:00 AMUS Supreme Court rejects medical marijuana firm's bid to avoid racketeering suit Reuters, Washington, DC; by John Kruzel; 4/2/25 The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday against Medical Marijuana Inc (MJNA.PK), opens new tab in its bid to fend off a lawsuit by a commercial truck driver who was fired for failing a drug test after taking cannabidiol, or CBD, that he said was falsely sold as lacking the psychoactive ingredient present in marijuana. The justices, in a 5-4 decision authored by conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett, upheld a lower court's ruling that had allowed plaintiff Douglas Horn to bring a civil lawsuit against the San Diego-based company under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. [Continue reading ...]
Duke University Health System CEO: 7 lessons learned from a complex transformation
04/04/25 at 03:00 AMDuke University Health System CEO: 7 lessons learned from a complex transformation Becker's Hospital Review; by Craig T. Albanese, MD, CEO of Duke University Health System; 4/3/25 Change management is both the art and science of preparing, supporting and equipping individuals, teams and an organization to adopt and adapt to new beginnings. ... Unifying our organization over the past 21 months, as with most mergers, has been challenging and we are far from finished. ... Lessons Learned:
Trump administration to shut down CMS, HHS minority health offices amid restructuring
04/04/25 at 03:00 AMTrump administration to shut down CMS, HHS minority health offices amid restructuring Healthcare Dive; by Rebecca Pifer; 3/31/25 The CMS and HHS offices that coordinate efforts to eliminate health disparities are being shut down completely as part of the Trump administration’s overhaul of the federal healthcare department, according to sources with direct knowledge of the matter. Closing the offices will impact efforts to improve the health of underserved patients in the U.S. — and is probably illegal, according to experts. ... Shutting the offices, which were authorized by the Affordable Care Act more than a decade ago, may also be illegal, according to legal experts. [Continue reading ...]
HHS restructures duals, PACE offices amid department overhaul
04/04/25 at 03:00 AMHHS restructures duals, PACE offices amid department overhaul Modern Healthcare; by Bridget Early; 4/3/25 The Health and Human Services Department is reorganizing a handful of key programs for dually eligible enrollees and older adults, including laying off numerous staffers. HHS is shuffling how it manages care coordination for people dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid under the Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office and the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly. PACE, which had been poised for growth, offers home and center-based care mostly to dual-eligible Medicare and Medicaid enrollees who qualify for skilled nursing but can still live in their communities. A spokesperson for HHS said the department has “planned productivity enhancements for the PACE management department.” HHS did not elaborate on what management changes for the PACE program might look like.
4 leadership lessons March Madness teaches us about winning workplaces
04/04/25 at 03:00 AM4 leadership lessons March Madness teaches us about winning workplaces Forbes; by Julian Hayes II; 3/30/25 Very few things, like sports, unify people across backgrounds, cultures, and ideologies. Sports are the ultimate connectors. One of the best examples of this is the NCAA Tournament. March Madness captivates us for three weeks with buzzer-beaters, heartbreaks, and Cinderella stories that defy expectations. But beyond the spectacle, March Madness also offers beneficial workplace and leadership lessons. ...
Navigating the intersection of heart failure and palliative care: A holistic approach to improving quality of life
04/04/25 at 03:00 AMNavigating the intersection of heart failure and palliative care: A holistic approach to improving quality of life Cureus; by Awanwosa V. Agho, Fatimot Disu, Efeturi M. Okorigba, Okelue E. Okobi, Safiyya Muhammad, Toheeb Bakare, Chioma Ezuma-Ebong, Nneka Muoghalu; 3/30/25 ... Historically, palliative care has often been perceived as a last-resort option, introduced only when curative treatments have failed, creating a false dichotomy between life-prolonging therapies and symptom management. However, modern palliative care frameworks emphasize its integration throughout the disease trajectory, particularly for chronic, progressive illnesses like heart failure. ... Palliative care should ideally be initiated at diagnosis of advanced heart failure or with early signs of significant symptom burden to ensure timely, patient-centered support, as recommended by ACC, AHA, and HFSA guidelines
Fraud alert: HHS-OIG telephone numbers used in scam
04/04/25 at 02:00 AMFraud alert: HHS-OIG telephone numbers used in scam The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG); 4/3/25 The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) confirmed that official HHS-OIG telephone numbers are being used as part of a spoofing scam targeting individuals throughout the country. These scammers represent themselves as HHS-OIG employees and can alter the appearance of the caller ID to make it seem as if the call is coming from HHS OIG phone numbers found on its public website. The perpetrator may use various tactics to obtain or verify the victim's personal information, which can then be used to steal money from an individual's bank account or for other fraudulent activity. We encourage the public to remain vigilant, protect their personal information, and guard against providing personal information during calls that purport to be from HHS-OIG telephone numbers. We also remind the public that it is still safe to call into the HHS-OIG Hotline to report fraud. We particularly encourage those who believe they may have been a victim of the telephone spoofing scam to report that information to us through the HHS-OIG Hotline 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477) or online.
Shingles vaccine tied to lower dementia risk, study finds
04/04/25 at 02:00 AMShingles vaccine tied to lower dementia risk, study finds McKnights Long-Term Care News; by Kristen Fischer; 4/2/25 Older adults who were vaccinated against shingles were 20% less likely to develop dementia over the next seven years compared with people who didn’t receive the shot, a study shows. The report was published Wednesday in Nature. [Continue reading ...] Editor's note: Related articles ...
1 Red Flag that reveals bad leadership fast: One clear sign can tell you a lot about whether someone is leading well or failing miserably.
04/03/25 at 03:15 AM1 red flag that reveals bad leadership fast: One clear sign can tell you a lot about whether someone is leading well or failing miserably. Inc., by Marcel Schwantes; 3/28/25 Bad leadership isn’t always obnoxious, toxic, or obvious. Sometimes it shows up in small, everyday moments—how someone talks to their team, how they handle mistakes, or how they treat people when no one’s watching. You don’t need a long list to spot it, either. A few clear signs can tell you a lot about whether someone is leading well … or just holding the title. ... Here is one quick way to recognize bad leadership before it does real damage: a lack of patience ... [Continue reading ...]
Experiences of family caregivers of children aged 1–23 months who have received pediatric palliative care: A systematic review with qualitative metasynthesis
04/03/25 at 03:00 AMExperiences of family caregivers of children aged 1–23 months who have received pediatric palliative care: A systematic review with qualitative metasynthesis Sigma Global Nursing Excellence - Journal of Nursing Scholarship; by Juan Manuel Vázquez Sánchez, Manuela Rodríguez Sánchez, Emilio Mota Romero, Ana Alejandra Esteban Burgos, Rafael Montoya Juárez, César Hueso Montoro, Daniel Puente Fernández; 4/1/25 This study underscores the importance of addressing the unique needs of family caregivers of children aged 1–23 months receiving pediatric palliative care (PPC), highlighting their struggles with social isolation, neglected self-care, and disrupted family life. Healthcare providers should prioritize age-specific approaches to PPC, focusing on improving communication, care coordination, and understanding of palliative care principles to better support these caregivers. [Continue reading ...]
Hospices must ‘evolve’ to better support next generation of caregivers
04/03/25 at 03:00 AMHospices must ‘evolve’ to better support next generation of caregivers Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 3/31/25 Individuals in the millennial and generation Z (Gen Z) age groups represent a swelling proportion of today’s family caregivers. They face unique challenges when providing support for hospice patients compared to others, recent research has found. ... Understanding the competing, complex priorities of these generations is pivotal for hospices’ ability to deliver quality care, according to Nicole McCann-Davis, senior client advisor and research director at Transcend Strategy Group. [Continue reading ...]
Palliative Care ECHO on health system strengthening: Advancing global collaboration and integration
04/03/25 at 03:00 AMPalliative Care ECHO on health system strengthening: Advancing global collaboration and integration ehospice; by Mark Stoltenberg, Clayton Richards, Chris Piromalli; 3/24/25The World Health Organization (WHO) Working Group on Palliative Care has introduced an innovative digital initiative utilising the ECHO Model to enhance global collaboration in palliative care. Officially launched on March 5, 2025, this programme will facilitate knowledge exchange and promote best practices for the integration of palliative care into health systems worldwide. The ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) Model connects healthcare professionals globally in virtual communities of practice to support contextualised implementation of best-practice care through mentorship and guided practice. [Continue reading ...]
Federal legislation would mandate hospice education upon hospital discharge
04/03/25 at 03:00 AMFederal legislation would mandate hospice education upon hospital discharge McKnights Home Care; by Adam Healy; 4/2/25 A bill under consideration in Congress would require hospitals to educate patients about hospice care options upon discharge. HR 2437, introduced Thursday by Rep. Erin Houchin (R-IN), would amend Medicare policy to mandate that hospitals “provide information on available hospice programs to certain individuals upon discharge,” according to the bill. Although hospitals are not necessarily required to provide patients with information on available hospice programs upon discharge, they are encouraged to do so. [Continue reading ...]
Moffitt Cancer Center to offer inpatient hospice
04/03/25 at 03:00 AMMoffitt Cancer Center to offer inpatient hospice Becker's Hospital Review, Tampa, FL; by Elizabeth Gregerson; 3/31/25 Tampa, Fla.-based Moffitt Cancer Center has partnered with Clearwater, Fla.-based Empath Health to offer inpatient hospice services. Moffitt care teams will continue to care for patients while nurses from Suncoast Hospice of Hillsborough in Tampa, part of Empath Health, will ensure inpatient hospice care criteria is met. Moffitt’s palliative medicine team will also “collaborate closely” with the hospice care team ... Moffitt CEO Patrik Hwu, MD, prioritized partnering with a hospice agency two years ago, the release said. “One of the biggest benefits of this partnership is the option for patients and their loved ones to transition from curative treatment to receiving compassionate end-of-life care while they continue maintaining relationships with their care team at Moffitt,” Kerry Hoerner, BSN, RN, senior vice president of Empath Health’s hospice division, said in the release.
How this thrift shop helps Virginia families in their time of need: 'They’re good people here'
04/03/25 at 03:00 AMHow this thrift shop helps Virginia families in their time of need: 'They’re good people here' CBS-6 News - Richmond, Petersburg, VA; by Wayne Covil; 3/31/25 The regulars who frequent Crater Community Hospice Thrift Shops were busy browsing for bargains on Monday. They know that some of the money they spend here goes back into their community. Crater Community Hospice runs the stores as a way for the nonprofit to raise much-needed funding. "The money we bring in to our stores goes directly to caring for our patients," Zach Holt, with Crater Community Hospice, said. "I don’t want to ever say no to a patient. I don’t want to ever say no to a patient’s need." Krystal Mansfield told CBS 6 there was a reason she chose to shop at Crater Community Hospice Thrift Shops. "[It] was a big part of my grandmother's end of time, and they took very good care of her in her last days," Mansfield said. ... Angie Dowdy shared a similar story. ... [Continue reading ...]
‘Unsung backbone of care delivery’: The growing need for hospice aides
04/03/25 at 03:00 AM‘Unsung backbone of care delivery’: The growing need for hospice aides Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 3/28/25 As workforce shortages persist in health care, some operators are struggling to recruit and retain essential members of their care teams — hospice aides. The demand for hospice aides is expected to grow in the coming years. However, factors such as turnover, retirement, slow wage growth and immigration policy could complicate hospice’s ability to fill those positions. Many companies are focused on bolstering their nursing workforce, who are also in high demand, but providers also need to prioritize hiring a sufficient number of aides, according to Cooper Linton, associate vice president of Duke HomeCare & Hospice. [Continue reading ...]
Today's Encouragement: I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: ...
04/03/25 at 03:00 AMI don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really are those who will have sought and found how to serve. ~ Albert Schweitzer
The most personal column I’ve ever written
04/03/25 at 03:00 AMThe most personal column I’ve ever written The Times, United Kingdom; by Professor Tanya Byron; 3/31/25 ... This column will be more personal than any other I have written in my now 20 years writing for The Times. I write it four days after my sister Katrina and I lost our beloved mum, Elfie, who ... had advanced end-stage dementia. Where do we start when trying to describe the many moments of heartbreak and the challenges that come with the long goodbye we have faced with our parents? Dementia is unpredictable. We say goodbye more than once and so the pain of bereavement does not begin at the time of death. Instead it is a prolonged pain marked by gradual losses. Watching a loved one slowly fade away over months or years brings grief, exhaustion and deep emotional turmoil. Amid all this is the experience of being on a rollercoaster of loss and hope, an experience that creates huge lurches between perceptions and emotions. There are moments of clarity and regression, ... [Continue reading ...]