Literature Review

New IL law requires annual report on prison hospice care WAND News, Springfield, IL; by Mike Miletich; 1/15/26 A new law requires Illinois to report data on hospice care available for prisoners. Supporters say the law will bring dignity, transparency and compassion to people dying within the state's correctional facilities. More than 1,000 prisoners are 65 or older, and a growing number of those people need end-of-life care and support services. The Illinois Department of Corrections does not have a formal hospice program, as end-of-life care is provided on a prison-by-prison basis. 

Employee experience trends: What the data says about 2026 Perceptyx; by Zachary Warman, MS, Oliver Lee Bateman, PhD & Bradley Wilson, PhD; 1/16/26 Perceptyx research across 20 million employee survey responses reveals the largest shift in engagement drivers ever recorded: change management and confidence in senior leadership now rank as top drivers, while belonging and feeling valued dropped from their consistent top-two positions. With 4.6% unemployment and a "low-hire-low-fire" market, stable retention numbers may mask a workforce too paralyzed to pursue growth rather than one that's thriving. 

Christmas tree recycling raises £100k for hospice BBC News; Press Release; 1/16/26 A hospice has raised more than £100,000 through its annual Christmas tree recycling scheme, declaring it the most successful year yet. St. Giles Hospice, Lichfield, said 5,425 real trees were collected from people's doorsteps between 10 and13 January as part of its TreeCycle service. Volunteers, hospice staff and local businesses braved the winter weather to pick up trees across Staffordshire, north Birmingham and surrounding areas, stated the charity. The Christmas trees, which lined up would measure nearly seven miles, were being turned into compost by a Lichfield company for agricultural purposes, it added.

What is palliative medicine and why is it so misunderstood? MedPage Today's KevinMD.com; by Patricia M. Fogelman, DNP; 1/16/26 After years of leading palliative medicine departments, as a Fellow of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, I’ve had countless conversations that start the same way. A colleague in the hallway says, “Oh, palliative care—that’s so important. You all are so nice.” Or a hospital administrator tells me, “We wish we could give you more, but resources are tight right now.” Or my personal favorite: “Palliative care is great, but this patient isn’t ready for that yet.” Each time, I smile and nod, but inside I’m thinking: I used to say the same things before I came into palliative medicine, because once upon a time, I also had no idea what we actually do. 

Nurse Honor Guard provides final salute to health care heroes Valley News Live; by Meredith Anderson; 1/16/26 Honor guard ceremonies, which are traditionally reserved for funerals held for military veterans, police officers and firefighters, are becoming more common for another group of frontline workers: nurses. The Georgia Nurse Honor Guard provides tributes to nurses who have died or are in hospice care, offering families a formal recognition of their loved one’s service to the community.

Top news stories from 2025, and predictions for 2026 by Chris Comeaux and Cordt Kassner | Part 2 Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast/video hosted by Chris Comeaux with Cordt Kassner; 1/16/26 In Part 2 of Top News Stories from 2025, and Predictions for 2026, Chris Comeaux and Cordt Kassner look back on their 2025 predictions with honesty and perspective before turning their focus to what lies ahead.  Both agree that 2025 was defined less by disruption and more by incremental movement.  While pressures around staffing, reimbursement, Medicare Advantage, Hospice quality, and AI persisted, many of the anticipated “breaking points” never fully arrived—revealing a year shaped more by steady undercurrents than seismic shifts.

[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. 

Finding solutions: Augusta nurse opens new end-of-life care facility WRDW/WAGT News Stations, Augusta, GA; by Zayna Haliburton; 1/12/26 A hospice nurse is opening Augusta’s first inpatient hospice home, giving families a new option for end-of-life care. Stacia Sirull, a hospice nurse, is opening the Augusta Inpatient Hospice Home. The facility will feature hummingbird decorations throughout. “My sister passed away a couple of years ago. She died in a hospice house in Kentucky and loved humming birds. When I decided to do this I was like we are just going to put humming birds everywhere,” Sirull said. ... The Augusta Inpatient Hospice Home will have six rooms added to the existing building. Sirull said there will always be one bed available for someone who doesn’t have the finances or insurance to cover the stay.

Updated Information Gathering Report for Hospice Quality Reporting Program Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; by Abt Global; 1/9/26 CMS has released the Hospice Quality Reporting Program 2025 Information Gathering Report.  This report provides information from literature reviews and supports an understanding of current trends in hospice care. It includes findings related to hospice use, hospice care delivery, and caregiver support. 

How to build an AI-augmented workforce: The CIO's guide TechTarget; by Kinza Yasar; 1/5/26 As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes industries, forward-thinking CIOs are shifting their strategies from automation-first to augmentation-first. Their goal is to equip employees with AI tools that strengthen their judgment, spark creativity and boost productivity. In an AI-augmented workforce, humans and AI systems work collaboratively, not competitively. Rather than replacing employees, AI is used to enhance human capabilities, automate routine tasks and provide insights that help people make more informed decisions and focus on higher-value work. 

Alliance joins Dr. Oz, CMS leadership, to strengthen program integrity in home health and hospice National Alliance for Care at Home; Press Release; 1/9/26 On January 9, the National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) continued its collaboration with CMS by attending a listening session in Los Angeles, CA, with Dr. Mehmet Oz, Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Kim Brandt, Deputy Administrator Chief Operating Officer, and Director of the Center for Program Integrity for CMS, and Chris Klomp, Deputy Administrator for CMS and Director of the Center for Medicare, to discuss fraud, waste, and abuse in home health and hospice. ... View the full letter for a detailed list of recommendations. 

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. 

Sunday newsletters focus on headlines and top read stories of the last week (in order) - enjoy!