Literature Review

Enhabit's strategic positioning and 2026 pricing outlook: Navigating regulatory headwinds with valuation resilienceAInvest; by Charles Hayes; 12/10/25 ... Conclusion: Enhabit's strategic initiatives-rooted in efficiency, innovation, and diversification-demonstrate a proactive approach to mitigating 2026's regulatory challenges. By reducing visit intensity, renegotiating payer contracts, and expanding hospice services, the company is positioning itself to maintain profitability even under a 6.4% Medicare cut. Its strong balance sheet and disciplined cost structure further reinforce valuation resilience.Editor's Note: Am I reading this correctly? Leading interventions are "reducing visit intensity" paired with "expanding hospice services"? I understand the importance of maintaining profitabilty. However, what is the core purpose? Examining Enhabit Hospice quality scores on the National Hospice Locator (data from CMS), the first 5 Enhabit hospices that populated had quality scores of 68/100, 60/100, 60/100, 58/100, and 41/100. The national average is 67/100. What kind of care would you want for your family member? For yourself?

Connecting communities across the globe: Atlas protocol Palliative Care and Social Practice; by Rebecca Newell, Juan Esteban Correa-Morales, Vilma A Tripodoro, Steven Vanderstichelen, Ghauri Aggarwal, Samar Aoun, Erin Das, Farah Demachkieh, James Downar, Silvia Librada, Julieanne Hilbers, Julie Lapenskie, Emmanuel Luyirika, Saif Mohammed, Masanori Mori, Ekkapop Sittiwantana, Libby Sallnow; 12/4/25 ... Eighteen global experts contributed to developing and validating the survey, with 14 of 15 items meeting the Content Validity Index threshold.  ... This protocol addresses a critical gap in Public Health Palliative Care literature by providing an inclusive and participatory method to map the compassionate community's landscape. The resulting data will promote visibility, partnerships and future research, supporting greater recognition of global compassionate communities and their contributions to primary palliative care.

AARP: 55 percent of family caregivers use tech to coordinate care McKnights Home Care; by Donna Shryer; 12/9/25 Technology adoption is surging on both sides of the caregiving equation. AARP estimates there are about 63 million unpaid caregivers nationwide, and among those caregivers age 50 and older, 55% now use one or more digital tools to manage routines, coordinate care or track health. Among all adults age 50+ (unpaid caregivers and care recipients), 78% say they rely on technology to stay connected with friends and family, according to AARP’s newly released 2026 Tech Trends and Adults 50-Plus report.

Prison hospice: From the inmate hospice volunteers’ perspective – a “snapshot” by Barry R. Ashpole ehospice; by Barry R. Ashpole; 12/6/25 ... [In the words of a prison inmate]: "... When they brought in a hospice, it gave us an avenue to take care of each other. In order to get in here, they’re pretty sick. They’re dyin’. ... All you’re doin’ is makin’ their passing easier. We hold their hands. We pray. And we bathe ‘em. We feed ‘em, ... We take care of all the things that they need. And when that patient has a family, his family is allowed to come back in here to the hospice. When I started hospice, I thought it would be about what I can give to the patient, what I could do for that patient to make ‘em feel better. But when you do what you do, the feeling that you get back from them, you can’t even describe it."

VITAS Hospice Services faces serious data breach investigation Investors Hangout; by Evelyn Baker; 12/9/25 ... In a significant turn of events, VITAS Hospice Services, LLC, the largest for-profit hospice chain in the United States, is facing scrutiny due to a massive data breach. Recent investigations revealed that sensitive information of 319,177 patients was compromised, raising concerns over data security and patient privacy. As investigations continue, more details about the breach are emerging, prompting calls for accountability from the company.

AI ‘griefbots’ resurrect dead loved ones — healthy or harmful? Medscape; by Maya Ordonez; 12/5/25 Justin Harrison’s mother passed away in 2022, but he still speaks with her every week. While his mother was still alive, Harrison recreated her virtually using generative artificial intelligence (AI) trained on videos, audio recordings, text messages, and basic information about her. This virtual persona, or “versona,” interacts with him and speaks much in the same way his mother did. He calls her after small wins, such as running a mile, or difficult times, such as when he’s sick. ... Editor's Note: Griefbots may offer comfort, yet they raise deep ethical concerns. These AI recreations are not our loved ones but rather are algorithmic replicas shaped by incomplete data. They make assumptions. They risk distorting what was real, blurring death’s finality, and commercializing our most vulnerable moments. As guardians of grief care and human dignity, we must ask: In using AI to “resurrect” the dead, do we honor memory or jeopardize it? First, do no harm. As this technology expands, we must protect the dignity of the deceased and the integrity of the bereaved. 

Quality comes from within, with Andrew Reed Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast hosted by Chris Comeaux with Andrew Reed; 12/10/25In our latest crossover episode TCNtalks and Anatomy Of Leadership, Andrew Reed, CEO and Chief Teaching Officer of Multi-View Incorporated, shares his journey as a recording artist with Universal Virgin Music Groups and his experiences in the music industry.  Andrew makes a bold case: profit should follow purpose, not push it around.  When leaders chase “more” at all costs, bad profits appear and training, standards, and trust all erode.  When teams build sustainable systems and teach rigor with heart, margin becomes a reliable barometer rather than the goal. 

Nathan Adelson Hospice Foundation receives $284,000 donation from the Robert Thomas Bigelow Medical Foundation, Inc. Nevada Business; by Nathan Adelson Hospice; 12/8/25 Nathan Adelson Hospice Foundation has been selected to receive a $284,000 donation from the Robert Thomas Bigelow Medical Foundation, Inc. through its grant program. This gift will be used to purchase two new medical transport vans, new overbed lighting for patient rooms and new patio furniture for the patient room patios at the hospice’s in-patient Swenson facility.

Canadian woman approved for assisted suicide instead of getting surgery LifeNews.com; by Steven Ertelt; 12/8/25 A Canadian woman suffering from parathyroid disease has revealed that she is considering assisted suicide because she cannot get the surgery she needs. Jolene Van Alstine, from Saskatchewan, suffers from a rare form of parathyroid disease, which results in extreme bone pain, nausea and vomiting. She requires surgery to remove a remaining parathyroid, but no surgeons in Saskatchewan are able to perform the operation. In order to be referred to another province for the operation, Van Alstine must first be seen by an endocrinologist, yet no Saskatchewan endocrinologists are currently accepting new patients. Van Alstine commented that the pain has become so unbearable that she has applied and been approved for Canada’s euthanasia and assisted suicide programme, with the ending of her life scheduled to take place on 7 January 2026.

Hospice chaplain gets prison for sexual assault at facility in Sacramento County The Sacramento Bee, Sacramento, CA; by Rosalio Ahumada; 12/8/25A judge on Thursday [12/4] sentenced a man who worked as a hospice chaplain last year when he sexually assaulted a woman living in an elder care facility in Sacramento County.  ... [The chaplain] worked for a company that was contracted by care facilities, and the elderly woman was sexually assaulted within a week before the arrest. ... The District Attorney's Office did not include the name of the company or the care facility in the news release.

4 ‘pivot points’ for hospice, palliative care growthHospice News; by Holly Vossel; 12/8/25Hospice and palliative care providers have achieved many successes, but are facing an uncertain outlook as patient populations and the loved ones supporting them grapple with unmet needs. Hospice and palliative care services have driven down health care costs while developing interdisciplinary models that address a wide scope of physical, emotional, spiritual and practical needs, Dr. Ira Byock, palliative care physician, author and advocate, said during a recent GeriPal podcast. However, significant gaps exist in the availability and sustainability of these services under current regulatory frameworks, he indicated. ... [His recently published white paper] outlined four [components] to consider when developing sustainable strategies for hospice and palliative care businesses. These included:

Ask Sheri: Overcoming fear and expressing thanks Lovin' Life; by Sheri Simpson; 12/7/25Dear Sheri, When my mother’s health began to decline, our family found ourselves standing at the edge of something we couldn’t quite prepare for. ... From the very first visit, the hospice team wrapped my mother — and our entire family — in comfort, dignity and compassion. They didn’t just care for her; they cared about her. They learned her favorite songs, listened to her stories, and treated her as the vibrant, funny, loving woman she’d always been. The nurses would hum along when she sang softly, and one even brought her a small, crocheted blanket because she noticed how much mom loved the color lavender. Hospice is not about giving up, it’s about giving more: more peace, more presence, more love. Azorna Hospice helped us see that. ...

Well done is better than well said. ~ Benjamin Franklin