Literature Review

To be seventy years young is sometimes far more cheerful and hopeful than to be forty years old. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes

Trends and disparities in left ventricular failure mortality in The United States: A 1999-2020 analysisJournal of Cardiac Failure; by Abdalhakim Shubietah, Hasan Munshi, Emmanuel Olumuyide, Muath Baniowda, Abdallah Hussein, Mohammad Alqadi, Qutaiba Qafisheh, Majd Oweidat, Omar Hamadi, Mohammad O Abdelhafez; 1/26 Left ventricular failure (LVF) is a significant cause of cardiovascular mortality in the United States. Despite advances in heart failure management, mortality rates have shown a notable increase over time, particularly in recent years. This study examines trends and disparities in LVF-related mortality using data from the CDC WONDER database from 1999 to 2020. LVF-related mortality has increased significantly over the past two decades, particularly after 2010, highlighting a growing public health concern. Disparities persist across sex, race, age groups, urbanization, and geographic regions. The high burden of deaths outside medical facilities suggests a need for enhanced outpatient and palliative care strategies.

Palliative care utilization and timing for patients undergoing solid organ transplantation in a large multicenter cohortTransplantation; by Matthew W Kenaston, Ryan Baldeo, Tyler K Murphy; 1/26Palliative care ... referrals in transplant programs are infrequent, often reactive, and the benefits remain unclear. We retrospectively studied 12,676 heart, liver, lung, and kidney transplants across 3 Mayo Clinic sites (2018-2024). PC encounters were classified as pretransplant (≤1 y before admission), peritransplant (during hospitalization), or posttransplant (≤1 y after discharge). Only 8.3% engaged PC, with patterns varying by organ and timing. Timing of inpatient consultation showed a strong positive correlation with hospital length of stay, and pretransplant PC coincided with higher rates of goals-of-care discussions and fewer hospital interventions. Adapting screening criteria to focus on high-risk recipients, PC was associated with fewer short-term readmissions for heart and lung recipients.

A qualitative study with patients, care-partners, clinicians, and bioethicists to identify ethical considerations of artificial intelligence tools in palliative carePalliative Medicine; by John Y. Rhee, Paul Miller, Zachary Tentor, Amanda Reich, Alexi A. Wright, Charlotta Lindvall; 1/26The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine has surged. Given the sensitive nature of palliative care, it is crucial to apply AI tools in a patient-centered and ethical manner. From the interviews we extracted five main themes: (1) Primacy of the doctor-patient relationship over AI performance; (2) Humans have intuition and nuance that AI lacks; (3) Agreement about the importance of oversight of AI tools; (4) New AI technologies should include a process for patient education; and (5) AI increases efficiency, scalability, and a more unified approach to serious illness. When building and implementing AI-based tools, we recommend: establishing oversight committees; reflecting on the unique contributions of humans to care; proactively educating patients and contextualizing the tools; and ensuring data use is restricted to clinical care.

Saturday newsletters focus on headlines and research - enjoy!

Relearning the world through grief-informed case formulation: A critique of prolonged grief disorder Journal of Humanistic Psychology; by Eleonora Ramsby Herrera, PhD; 1/31/26 Drawing on existential and humanistic frameworks, this review article critically examines the diagnosis of prolonged grief disorder and questions the usefulness of reducing grieving to a fixed set of symptoms and timelines. ... Rather than viewing grief as a disorder to be treated, the article advocates for understanding it as a natural and potentially transformative human response and argues for integrating grief into the bereaved person’s life story as a way to relearn the world.

Medical Aid in Dying: A narrative review of the recent academic literature in the United States Cureus; by Holland Kaplan, Soraira Pacheco, Keziah M. Thomas, Christopher L. Ulmschneider, Anjiya Sulaiman, Chandni Lotwala, Derek Dawes, Issa A. Hanna, Courtney Nguyen, Caroline G. Snider, Gabriel M. Aisenberg; 2/23/26 ... To assess how academic discourse may shape public opinion and policy in the United States, we conducted a narrative review of the literature published between 2020 and 2024. Articles were categorized as supportive, opposing, or neutral, and patterns were examined across authorship, disciplinary focus, and target populations. ... Authorship discipline strongly influenced position, with legal journals disproportionately supportive and religious journals more frequently opposed. Arguments favoring MAiD emphasized autonomy and relief of suffering, whereas opposing articles highlighted risks to vulnerable populations and potential harm. 

Medicare, Medicaid, and Children's Health Insurance Programs: Nationwide Temporary Moratoria on enrollment of durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) supplier medical supply companies Federal Register; by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; 2/27/26 Summary: This notice announces the imposition of a 6-month nationwide moratorium on the Medicare enrollment of DMEPOS supplier medical supply companies. Background: ... Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Pub. L. 111-148), as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-152) (collectively known as the Affordable Care Act), Congress provided the Secretary with new tools and resources to combat fraud, waste, and abuse in Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

Forbes: 2026 America's best large employers and America's best midsize employers Forbes; by Rachel Rabkin Peachman; 2/10/26 ... The annual rankings were based primarily on survey responses from more than 217,000 employees working at companies within the U.S. that employ more than 1,000 people. ... As with all Forbes lists, companies pay no fee to participate or be selected. ... [Healthcare organizations listed in the top 50 organizations include the following, with rankings among all industries: ...]

The end of an era: LHC Group’s journey as a public company concludes NewsCase.com | Financial Intelligence; by Angelina; 2/21/26 A significant chapter in the healthcare market has closed. LHC Group, a specialist in home health and hospice care, is no longer traded as an independent public entity. Its acquisition by Optum, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, was finalized three years ago, marking the complete integration of the company into the larger corporate structure. This move prompts a broader look at the implications for the home care industry’s future.

Social Media Watch 2/24/26