Literature Review

[Brazil] Impact of medical cannabis on the quality of life of cancer patients: A critical reviewJournal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine; by Larissa Gonçalves Correa, Adriana Marcassa Tucci; 9/25This study aimed to review the literature on the impact of medical cannabis (MC) on the quality of life (QoL) of cancer patients. The studies suggest that MC can improve mental health, sleep, appetite, and pain in cancer patients and decrease nausea, vomiting, and the use of other medications, such as opioids. Increased survival time and cognitive function improvements were also observed, with mild or moderate adverse effects. Both tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol (full spectrum) were commonly used, with varied intervention durations.

Poverty, food insecurity, and housing instability among US health care workersJAMA Network; by Anthony Zhong, Chloe Gao, Donald Szlosek, Dang Nguyen, Maelys J. Amat, Russell S. Phillips; 10/22/25The US health workforce faces projected shortages of more than 180 000 physicians and 200 000 registered nurses in the next decade. Burnout, poor working conditions, and inadequate wages have been cited as key drivers of these shortages. However, the prevalence of financial hardship can affect worker retention and job performance. This study evaluated rates of poverty, food insecurity, and housing instability among US health care workers... Rates of financial hardship varied by occupational group. Direct care/support workers reported the highest rates of financial hardship across all measures, including poverty (9.63%), food insecurity (24.50%), and housing instability (13.64%).Publisher's note: An interesting question - do we know these rates among hospice workers?

FSU launches first Clinical Catalyst to unite providers and researchers to solve problemsFlorida State University News; by Kathleen Haughney; 10/21/25FSU held the first ever Clinical Catalyst as part of the 2025 Discovery Days, an event to bring together local clinical providers with researchers to find evidence-based solutions to pressing challenges in health and health care... Topics included mastectomy garments, pregnancy misinformation in social media, pacemaker complications, post-surgery stroke complications, trauma referral from rural areas, ER visits, same-day triage, team-based care, Parkinson’s disease and driving, and end-of-life care.

Health care in the USA: money has become the missionThe Lancet; by Adam Gaffney, Steffie Woolhandler, David U Himmelstein, Danny McCormick; 10/21/25Despite extraordinary scientific and medical resources, the US health-care system underperforms. In this Review we consider the damage wrought by decades of market-based policies that have stimulated profit-seeking by insurers and health-care providers.

The best revenge is not to be like your enemy. ~Marcus Aurelius

Veterans with burdened caregivers more likely to enter nursing homes, study findsMcKnight's Home Care; by Foster Stubbs; 9/30/25Veterans whose family caregivers reported higher emotional burden and depression were more likely to be admitted to nursing homes after three-year follow-ups, according to a September study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.Publisher's note: Perhaps higher emotional burden and depression among family caregivers of veterans occurs in hospice, too.

Hospice & Palliative Care Network of Maryland calls for action on short hospice stays: New issue paper highlights urgent need for earlier access to careHospice & Palliative Care Network of Maryland press release; by Peggy Shimoda; 10/23/25The Hospice & Palliative Care Network of Maryland (HPCNM) has released a new issue paper, “Short Hospice Stays in Maryland: Ensuring Patient-Centered Care at End-of-Life,” revealing that Maryland ranks 46th nationally for hospice length of stay. With a median of just 18 days in 2024, patients and families miss the full benefit of hospice services that promote comfort, dignity, and peace at the end of life... “Short hospice stays are not just a clinical problem—they’re a systems challenge,” said Dr. Jennifer Kennedy, HPCNM Board Member and Chair of the Short Length of Stay Workgroup. “Earlier conversations, coordinated care, and improved discharge practices can help patients receive the care they deserve sooner.”

Hospice exec evaluates possible ‘path forward’ for MA hospice carve-inMcKnight's Newsmakers Podcast; by Liza Berger, Joe Shega; 10/15/25The so-called “carve-in” failed when the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services halted the hospice portion of the Value-Based Insurance Design program last year. And just last month, providers were speaking out against the carve-in to lawmakers at the annual fly-in for the National Alliance for Care at Home. But the two value-based care programs — hospice and MA — are not necessarily incompatible, according to Joe Shega, MD, chief medical officer for hospice provider VITAS Healthcare. As long as all the stakeholders agree about the parameters — that benefits remain intact, that there is no delay in access — there can be a “path forward” for hospice to be part of the MA benefit, he told McKnight’s Home Care in a Newsmakers podcast.

When a person can’t find a deep sense of meaning, they distract themselves with pleasure. ~Viktor Frankl

Providence, Humana partner on data exchange for value-based careBecker's IT Health; by Giles Bruce; 10/20/25Renton, Wash.-based Providence and Humana are collaborating on a new data exchange model to boost value-based care. The 51-hospital system and payer giant say they plan to go live in October with automated member attribution for Humana Medicare Advantage members before expanding into other data exchange functions to reduce administrative burden and elevate clinical decision-making. They hope their efforts will serve as models for providers and payers across the country.Publisher's note: An interesting model for partnering on data exchange. How might hospices pursue similar collaborations?

How Optum’s Amedisys deal could shake up the hospice marketHospice News; by Jim Parker; 10/21/25The acquisition of the home health and hospice provider Amedisys by the insurance mammoth UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) has far-reaching implications for the hospice community. The UnitedHealth Group subsidiary Optum, in June 2023 inked its agreement to acquire Amedisys in an all-cash transaction of $101 per share, or about $3.3 billion. After leaping a series of regulatory hurdles, including a U.S. Justice Department lawsuit, the deal closed in mid-August... The merger likely makes UnitedHealth Group one of the largest hospice providers in the United States.