Literature Review

If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door.  ~Milton Berle

Medicine on screen: 10 films doctors may want to rewatch Medscape; by Medscape's editorial team; 8/24/26 Cinema has long portrayed medicine through many different lenses: from the perspectives of doctors and patients to those of friends and family, whether set in hospital wards or research laboratories. This curated selection of classic and contemporary films explores care, illness, and hospital life from strikingly different angles — some realistic, some visionary, and others deeply unsettling. Together, they aim to refocus attention on medicine not only as a science, but as a profoundly human experience. 10 Films Every Doctor Should (Re)Watch:

CMS oversight did not prevent Medicare Part D sponsors from making $587.7 million in ineligible payments to pharmacies for drugs available over the counter but labeled as prescription-only United States Government HHS-OIG; Report number OAS-24-02-004; issued on 8/31/26, posted on 9/2/26 

How pet therapy brings joy to Hospice of the Valley patients AZ Big Media; by Lin Sue Flood; 9/3/26Wagging tails and wet kisses are bringing a unique brand of medicine to local patients and families navigating a challenging time of life. Hospice of the Valley is celebrating the success of its Pet Connections program, which began 20 years ago when a medical director brought her golden Labrador to visit a patient and saw how much joy the dog brought. Today, the nonprofit agency has more than 50 dedicated pet therapy teams that bring comfort and smiles to patients, caregivers and family members. Among these beloved volunteers are Ed Gesten and his Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Huck. ...   

National Alliance VP: palliative care should occur throughout continuum Hospice News; podcast hosted by Jim Parker with Katie Wehri; 9/3/26 Palliative care should be offered via home health, but not only through home health. This is according to Katie Wehri, vice president for regulatory affairs, quality and compliance at the National Alliance for Care at Home. The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently clarified in a proposed rule that palliative care is available via the home health benefit. Hospice News recently sat down with Wehri on the Elevate podcast to discuss the implications of this clarification for providers, as well as other avenues CMS could consider to expand palliative care.

Dementia associated with shorter survival, fewer days at home after hip fractureHealio; by Ashlee Moore; 9/2/26Key takeaways:

Sagility volunteers host back-to-school Event for Hospice El Paso's Butterfly Program Cision PRWeb, El Paso, TX; by Sagility; 9/3/26 Sagility, a leading tech-enabled healthcare operations and transformation company, recently hosted a volunteer-led back-to-school picnic for children and families connected to Hospice El Paso's Butterfly Program. The event brought together local families, community partners, and Sagility employees to help students prepare for the upcoming school year. ... Hospice El Paso's Butterfly Program provides specialized pediatric and perinatal hospice care, emotional support, and resources for families facing serious illness, end-of-life care, or loss. Hosting the event reflects Sagility's broader dedication to giving back to the regions where its employees live and work.Editor's Note: A back-to-school picnic sounds simple — until you consider that these children and families are living with serious illness, end-of-life care, or loss through the Butterfly Program's pediatric and perinatal hospice care. Sagility's volunteers didn't just fund it; they showed up, in person, restoring an ordinary joy that grief so often steals. Which local employer in your community could become this kind of partner — not just a donor, but a familiar face at your next family event?

Mercy Hospice change in operator created conditions that posed ‘immediate jeopardy’ to patient well-being, state regulators say The Journal; by Jessie Bowman; 9/1/26 The ownership transition of Durango’s hospice program created serious problems in patient care and organizational oversight, according to state inspections that found multiple deficiencies and twice determined patients were at immediate risk of serious harm or death. In October 2025, the for-profit arm of the national CommonSpirit Health system – CommonSpirit Health at Home – took over ownership of the Mercy Hospice program. CommonSpirit assured the community the quality of care would not decline as a result of the transition. ... However, in May, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment conducted two concurrent relicensing inspections that found the ownership transition created system-wide deficiencies that led to clinical care practices and poor organizational oversight that put patient health and safety at serious risk. 

[United Kingdom] Majority of nurses have given end-of-life care in corridors The Daily Mail; by Shaun Wooller; 9/1/26 More than half of nurses have treated patients receiving end-of-life care in corridors or other makeshift spaces, a damning report reveals. Terminally ill patients are being condemned to 'undignified' deaths and poor quality care in NHS hospitals due to crippling staff shortages, the health workers warn. Meanwhile, overcrowding means some of the most vulnerable are left languishing on trollies where they must go to the toilet and even die in 'full glare of the public.' Nurses told researchers of widespread problems in care planning ... and in some cases patients being resuscitated against their wishes. The survey of 1,153 UK nurses and healthcare professionals by the charity Marie Curie and nursing website Nursing Standard found 55 per cent had treated patients in corridors or non-clinical areas, such as cupboards and offices.

Hospice exclusion correction announced for the long-stay antipsychotic measure American Health Care Association (AHCA) and National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL); by Amy Miller; 9/1/26 The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has identified a subset of hospice residents who should have been excluded from the long-stay (LS) antipsychotic measure for the first quarter of 2026. These residents were inadvertently included because of incomplete hospice data in the CMS Centralized Data Repository. The issue affected approximately 2% of residents included in the measure for the quarter. CMS does not anticipate that it will significantly affect facilities’ overall measure results or quality measure ratings. CMS is updating its calculation to ensure that these residents are appropriately excluded going forward. The correction to first-quarter 2026 data will appear in the October 28, 2026, refresh of Nursing Home Care Compare. 

Office of the Governor — Gov. Green announces $58 million federal investment to strengthen rural healthcare across Hawaiʻi The America Watch - State of Hawai'i, Honolulu, HI; by Office of the Governor, Josh Green, MD; 9/1/26 Governor Josh Green today announced $58 million in federal funding through the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) to improve access to healthcare and strengthen services in rural and underserved communities across Hawaiʻi. “As a physician who has practiced in rural communities, I know that distance can determine whether someone receives care in time,” said Governor Green. “This $58 million federal investment will help us train and retain more healthcare professionals, provide new ambulances in every county and modernize emergency communications. ..."