Literature Review

Heart to Heart Hospice expands service in Oklahoma Cision PR Newswire, Plano, TX; Press Release; 1/13/26 Heart to Heart Hospice, one of the country's largest private providers of hospice care, has expanded its presence in Oklahoma with the recent acquisition of an agency in Oklahoma City. Heart to Heart Hospice of Oklahoma City is now open and serving patients and families across Central Oklahoma. ... his is Heart to Heart's second location in Oklahoma following its expansion into Southeastern Oklahoma with the opening of its Durant site in 2024.

Alliance responds to MedPAC vote on home health and hospice payment recommendations National Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC; Press Release; 1/15/26 The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) is alarmed by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission’s (MedPAC) vote today to approve draft recommendations that would significantly reduce home health payment rates by 7% for calendar year 2027 and eliminate payment updates for hospice care in fiscal year 2027.  ... For hospice, the elimination of payment updates would reduce spending by $250 million to $750 million over one year and between $1 billion and $5 billion over five years. 

Top news stories from 2025, and predictions for 2026 by Chris Comeaux and Cordt Kassner | Part 1 Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast by Chris Comeaux with Cordt Kassner; 1/14/26 This episode of TCNtalks / Anatomy of Leadership brings together a year-in-review and a forward-looking conversation, as Chris Comeaux and Cordt Kassner reflect on the most important healthcare and Hospice stories from 2025 and share their predictions for what lies ahead in 2026. In Part One, Chris and Cordt review key headlines from late 2025, connecting policy shifts, technology trends, workforce realities, and financial pressures to the everyday leadership decisions facing hospice and healthcare organizations.  Rather than reacting to news in isolation, the discussion focuses on how these forces intersect at the front lines of care.

15K Nurses strike, disrupting care at 5 NYC hospitals Patch, New York City, NY; by Miranda Levingston; 1/12/26 Five private hospitals are without nearly 15,000 nurses, who are striking for higher wages and health care benefits, starting Monday. According to the New York State Nurses Association, the contract for the union expired on Dec. 31, and hospitals had until Jan. 12 to reach an agreement with the union. The nurse union said that, in addition to higher wages and health care benefits, the union is striking for improved pension plans and protection from workplace violence, highlighting the recent active shooter situation at Mount Sinai on East 100th Street in November.

Investigating hospice fraud: Common schemes and red flags Healthcare Fraud Shield; by Rebecca Kneipp; 1/14/26 Hospice is designed to provide comfort and supportive care to terminally ill patients with a prognosis of six months or less. However, the high per diem payment structure makes it a significant target for sophisticated fraud schemes. Improper billing for hospice services not only costs taxpayers millions but can also harm vulnerable patients by denying them necessary care. Understanding the primary modes of operation is crucial for identifying and hopefully preventing millions in improper payments. 

Baptist Health and Hosparus Health expand hospice and palliative care partnership to Southern Indiana Hosparus Health, Louisville, KY; Press Release; 1/14/26 Hosparus Health and its palliative care affiliate, Pallitus Health Partners, in collaboration with Baptist Health, announce the expansion of their innovative partnership to Southern Indiana. As of January 2, 2026, Pallitus Health Partners is offering palliative care consultations for patients at Baptist Health Floyd in New Albany. The program focuses on supporting patients and families facing serious illness by providing expert symptom management, helping them plan for the future, and connecting them with broader care options, including hospice when appropriate. 

Marion hospice volunteer wins major honor from New England Patriots SouthCoast Today | The Standard-Times; by Faith Harrington; 1/14/26 Giving back took center stage this season as the New England Patriots Foundation donated $185,000 to 17 local nonprofit organizations in honor of its 2025 Patriots Difference Makers. ... The feel-good initiative wrapped up during the Patriots’ season finale on Jan. 4, where all of the Difference Makers were recognized, including Marion resident Madeline Cooke, who earned the title of 2025 Patriots Difference Maker of the Year. ... As the 2025 Patriots Difference Maker of the Year, Cooke was presented with a $25,000 grant for Community Nurse Inc. ... The foundation called her “a trailblazer, determined to walk alongside patients and their loved ones with dignity, grace, and compassion.”

2026 Healthcare Private Equity outlook & trends JD Supra; by Shayan Ahmed, Justin Brown, Emily Burrows, Bryan Bylica, Laura Carrier, Meredith Edwards Collins, Krista Cooper, Jeffrey Davis, Lara Flatau, Michael Hess, Angela Humphreys, Tatjana Paterno, Dawn Perez-Slavinski, Scott Reid, Danielle Sloane, Jonathan Stanley, Ryan Thomas, Shannon Wiley; Bass Berry & Sims PLC; 1/13/26 As we step into 2026, the healthcare private equity landscape is defined by both powerful momentum and meaningful constraints. Record levels of dry powder and a growing pipeline of high‑quality assets suggest increased deal activity, while stabilizing macroeconomic conditions and the potential for interest‑rate relief offer real tailwinds. 

Phoenix medical students using AI to help them navigate difficult diagnoses or patient discussions NBC News 12, Phoenix, AZ; by Troy Lynch; 1/12/26 For nursing students, delivering a life-altering diagnosis or navigating end-of-life discussions can be more daunting than any clinical procedure. At Creighton University’s Health Sciences Phoenix campus, students are now turning to artificial intelligence to bridge that emotional gap. Launched in the fall of 2024, Creighton faculty and computer science students developed a specialized AI chatbot designed to help nursing students practice "soft skills" in a low-stakes environment. Unlike general-purpose AI, this program is custom-coded to simulate patient interactions and provide immediate, nuanced feedback on empathy and professional tone.

[Spain] Why primary care is central to better end-of-life care Medscape; by Eva Farina; 1/9/26 Primary care professionals should play a proactive role in caring for patients at the end of life, according to family medicine specialists at the National Congress of the Spanish Society of Family and Community Medicine (semFYC) held in Madrid, Spain. ... According to the SUPPORT study, dying in a hospital is often associated with avoidable suffering, excessive use of technology, limited communication, and insufficient care planning. 

How physical therapy supports comfort and connection in hospice care CBS News Baltimore, Baltimore, MD; by LifeBrdge Health; 1/13/26 ... Physical therapy in hospice looks different from traditional rehabilitation. Instead of focusing on long-term recovery, it centers on day-to-day steadiness and comfort. Every visit is shaped around what the patient feels able to do that day. "I try to emphasize what patients can do versus what they can't," Jennifer says. "Big goals can always be broken into smaller and more manageable steps." Therapy commonly supports three important areas.

New AMA survey spotlights top priorities, challenges in 2026 HCN - HealthCare News, Chicago, IL; by HCN Staff; 1/9/26 Physician organizations are preparing for a dynamic state legislative landscape this year with health policy changes poised to reshape coverage, oversight, care delivery, and public health across the health system, according to a new survey released by the American Medical Assoc. (AMA). The AMA’s survey of 64 medical societies, including all 50 state medical societies and the District of Columbia, spotlights the leading healthcare priorities and challenges set to define state-level legislative action in 2026. Top issues include scope of practice, Medicaid policy pressures, and physician workforce challenges.

Even the briefest touch of kindness can lighten a heavy heart. ~ Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate