Literature Review

Psychedelics for cancer pain and associated psychological distress: A narrative review of a potential strategyCancer Medicine; Erika Belitzky, Lis Victoria Ravani Carvalho, Melissa Taylor, Cristina Naranjo Ortiz, Laura Baum, David A Fiellin, Maryam B Lustberg; 3/25Cancer pain can ... be exacerbated by anxiety, depression, quality of life challenges, and fear of death and dying, as well as by fear of recurrence or progression. Psychedelics, such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin, mescaline, and N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), are under consideration as new pharmacologic strategies for mitigating pain and the distress associated with cancer pain and associated symptom burden. Although published studies are limited, regulatory hurdles have decreased. Many clinical trials are underway to assess further the use of psychedelics and behavioral counseling for patients with cancer and comorbidities such as anxiety or depression. Early results are promising, and additional research is needed to understand efficacy and tolerability in broader cancer populations. 

The preference for acute rehospitalization scale: Evaluating preference for acute rehospitalization in pediatric hospice patientsJournal of Palliative Medicine; Kelley Newcomer, Katherine Maddox; 3/25Since the passage of the Affordable Care Act, children are able to access pediatric hospice while still pursuing life-prolonging care. This can create confusion between hospice and palliative care staff and families about current goals of care (GOC), which evolve over time. Hospice and palliative care teams created, implemented, and evaluated a five-point scale to summarize the Preference for Acute Rehospitalization (PAR) Scale for children on concurrent care hospice. Most users reported they agreed or strongly agreed the PAR Scale helped them to understand families' GOC and feel more confident giving advice with urgent questions.

Hospice use among Medicare beneficiaries with Parkinson Disease and Dementia with Lewy bodiesJAMA Network Open; Meredith Bock, MD; Siqi Gan, MPH; Melissa Aldridge, PhD; Krista L. Harrison, PhD; Kristine Yaffe, MD; Alexander K. Smith, MD; John Boscardin, PhD; Lauren J. Hunt, PhD; 3/25Lewy body disease (LBD)—an umbrella term that includes Parkinson disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB)—describes progressive, incurable neurodegenerative disorders. Parkinson disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer disease (AD) and is the fastest growing neurologic disorder in the world.In this cohort study of ... Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in hospice between 2010 and 2020, hospice enrollees with both PD and DLB were less likely to be disenrolled due to extended prognosis than those with AD. Enrollees with PD—but not DLB–were more likely to have longer lengths of stay and revoke hospice. The findings of this study suggest a higher likelihood of revocation of hospice care in PD, raise important questions about their unmet needs in hospice, and highlight the need to disaggregate dementia subtypes for policy analysis. 

Saturday newsletters focus on headlines and research - enjoy!

Daughter asks US Marine to honor her dying war hero dad. She broke down when she answered the door next dayScoop Up Worthy; by Abhishek Bhatia; 3/13/25 The Korean War veteran's daughter, who was seen standing beside him in the footage, wanted her dad to be remembered as a national hero in his final moments. At the daughter's request, Tim visited her dad and thanked him for his service to the country. "Marine on deck. Good afternoon, Sir. Sergeant Chambers, reporting his order. You ever run across that horse in Korea that was running artillery rounds in evacuating wounded?" he asked the veteran, referring to Sergeant Reckless, a famous horse that served with the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War.  ...

A best friend is like a four leaf clover: hard to find and lucky to have. ~ Irish ProverbEditor's note: Celebrating best friends everywhere who see us through life's joys and challenges. Bonus: Click here for "Why Four-Leaf Clovers Are Considered Lucky: Facts and Myths"

Malpractice lawsuits are rising — here’s how physicians can protect themselves Becker's ASC Review; by Patsy Newitt; 3/11/25 Medical malpractice insurance is essential for protecting physicians from financial and legal risks, particularly amid the rise in malpractice lawsuits, according to a March 5 article on Physicians Thrive’s website.  In 2023, malpractice verdicts hit a record high. There were 57 medical malpractice verdicts of $10 million or more, with more than half of those verdicts hitting $25 million.  Here are nine things to know from the Physician’s Thrive article. 

Lutz Foundation grant funds additional hospital beds at the Wayne T. Patrick Hospice House The News & Reporter; 3/12/25 Hospice & Community Care is honored to announce a generous $24,000 grant from The Herbert and Anna Lutz Foundation to support the ongoing replacement of hospital beds at the Wayne T. Patrick Hospice House. This funding will allow Hospice & Community Care to upgrade five additional high-quality, medical-grade beds, enhancing comfort and care for patients and their families. Last year, thanks to the support of the Lutz Foundation and Chester Healthcare Foundation, 8 beds were replaced. With this latest contribution, a total of 13 beds have now been upgraded, ensuring that more patients receive the highest level of comfort and support during their hospice journey. 

CMS pulls plug on projects aimed at improving care, saving on costs KFF Health News - Morning Briefing; 3/13/25 One initiative that has been scrapped would have offered some generic drugs to Medicare enrollees for $2. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has backed off hospice oversight.

Northern Light Palliative Care helps patients live their best lives The Piscataquis Observer - The Voice of Rural Maine; by Stuart Maine; 3/13/25 People who have received a chronic, life-altering or life-limiting diagnosis can live their best life with the help of Northern Light Palliative Care, and there have been recent changes in the delivery of palliative care.  ... Northern Light Health Palliative Care Service Line Medical Director Dr. Vanessa Little, DO, FAAHPM [described,] ... “We’ve had nurse practitioners who visited people in the home exclusively and now we’re moving to expand the program to a clinic setting and the in-home model is going to be changing a bit." ... Patients can still receive home care “but we’re trying to have palliative care be available to more people,” she said. “We are going to be relying on technology to get the providers, nurse practitioners, and physicians in homes via technology and then have people in person through Northern Light Homecare & Hospice with nursing, critical therapy, and occupational therapy just as we always have.”

Visiting nurses discontinue services in 21 Southern Vermont townsBennington Banner, Brattleboro, VT; by Bob Audette; 3/12/25 Visiting Nurse and Hospice of Vermont and New Hampshire, located in White River Junction, will relinquish its designation as the home health agency and discontinue all home health and hospice services in most of Windham County and some of Bennington County, effective April 15. While many people learned about the discontinuance at Town Meeting Day, when line item donations to the organization were deleted, the organization has been planning this move since 2023. "This is all because of work force," said Johanna Belliveau, president and chief executive officer. In 2023, the Visiting Nurses requested the de-designation due to increases in expenses related to paying traveling nurses to service many of the towns in Windham County, she said. Since that request was made, Bayada has been providing home health care and hospice services to Windham County. 

Walgreens sells to private equity firm Sycamore Partners Healthcare Brew - Pharma; by Nicole Ortiz; 3/11/25 Since December, rumors have floated around that Walgreens was going to be acquired by private equity (PE) firm Sycamore Partners. And while analysts told Healthcare Brew at the time that it was unlikely to happen, the tides appear to have turned in the PE company’s favor. On March 6, Walgreens Boots Alliance announced in a press release that it had signed a definitive purchase agreement with Sycamore for up to $23.7 billion. However, when Walgreens’s debts and assets to be potentially divested are taken out, the total sale price is actually closer to around $10 billion, per the ll Street Journal, turning the retailer into a private entity after nearly a century as a public company.

[Multi-cultural] Honouring traditions: Integrating cultural wisdom into palliative care - Saif Mohammed ehospice; by Saif Mohammed; 3/10/25[Personal Story] ... "Reflecting on this experience, I realize that caregiving is deeply embedded in tradition and culture, a natural extension of communal life." Caregiving is as old as humanity itself. One of the earliest known cases of palliative care dates back 45,000 years to Shanidar 1, a Neanderthal male found in present-day Iraq. His skeletal remains indicated severe injuries, yet he had survived for decades, suggesting that his community had cared for him. This example highlights that palliative care is a deeply human and historical practice, far predating modern medicine. Cultures around the world continue to recognize the importance of caregiving, often embedding it in traditions and religious beliefs. ... In some societies, the emphasis on independence can make caregiving more complex, as patients may refuse assistance to maintain self-sufficiency. ... Palliative care workers must be equipped to understand and respect the cultural traditions of the communities they serve. This requires training in cultural competence, which involves: