Literature Review

Home care workers could be a secret to savings, value-based care Modern Healthcare; by Diane Eastabrook; 5/20/25 ... About 3.9 million workers provide personal care services, such as bathing, toileting, grooming and meal preparation to patients in their homes, according to the Labor Department. While those workers don’t typically provide medical services, they often spend more time with patients than healthcare providers and can offer valuable insight into patients' conditions, said Kristen Wheeler, executive director of home care for the National Alliance for Care at Home. “They will be the first to recognize when something has changed. These caregivers can report back and are a critical part of the healthcare team," Wheeler said. ... That can lead to faster — and less costly — care. The Labor Department estimates the U.S. will need another 800,000 home care workers over the next decade as the population ages. 

The Mentorship Model: Cultivating resilience and leadership in palliative care pharmacy Pharmacy Times; by Alana Hippensteele; 5/22/25 Key Takeaways

[United Kingdom] Hospice cuts staff and beds to secure its future BBC News, Yorkshire, UK; by Alex Moss; 5/23/25A hospice in Huddersfield has announced it has made 19 staff redundant and reduced the number of inpatient beds in order to save its future. The Kirkwood provides end-of-life care to about 2,000 patients each year but its chief executive Michael Crowther said it had faced a "perfect storm" of rising operational costs over the past few years. ... He said: "This has been the single hardest decision we have ever had to make." Another nine staff members have agreed to cut their hours and several others have decided to retire to help reduce the annual costs by £1.7m, the hospice added. ..."As you can imagine, this has been one of the most difficult periods in The Kirkwood's history. ..."Editor's note: Read more--directly from The Kirkwood--at "Securing Our Future Together: A New Way Forward." 

Primary mental health competencies for hospice and palliative medicine physicians: A Delphi studyJournal of Pain and Symptom Management; by Lisa Podgurski, Danielle Chammas, Keri O Brenner, Leah B Rosenberg, Neha G Goyal, Maria I Lapid, Sue E Morris, William F Pirl, Bridget Sumser, Benjamin W Thompson, Lindsey Wright, and Daniel Shalev; 5/20/25  Objectives: To establish and prioritize 'primary mental health competencies' for specialist hospice and palliative medicine physicians using expert consensus methods. Results: The expert panel proposed 68 competencies divided into: (A) psychological foundations of serious illness care, (B) diagnosis and management of mental health disorders in serious illness, and (C) systems-based practice. After first-round voting, 23 competencies were recirculated for a second vote. Following second-round voting, 32 competencies were included in the final list: 7 from part A, 20 from part B, and 5 from part C.

When patients die: A myeloma specialist grieves Medscape; by Manni Mohyuddin, MD; 5/28/25 ... We form such beautiful bonds with patients as we guide them through the highs and lows of treatment. And that is why I struggled so profoundly with the abrupt separation created by a transition of a patient to hospice. How can it be okay for me to be seeing a patient weekly (and sometimes more often) for such a long time and then suddenly never see them again after they transition to hospice? How can we just disappear from their lives at such a critical juncture? I understand that I may not have more chemotherapy to offer, but I at least can offer emotional support, validation, and my friendship. ...Editor's note: Continue reading this powerful commentary. Taking this further, do you have HIPAA compliant systems in place to notify the patient's oncologist or pre-hospice primary physician of the death? 

Hospice propelling growth for publicly traded home-based care companies Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 5/23/25Hospice has emerged as a growth engine for publicly traded home-based care companies, several of which are on the hunt for acquisitions. Hospice has buoyed growth for several companies as they battle home health-related headwinds, including reimbursement pressures. Companies like VITAS Healthcare (NYSE: CHE), which only provide hospice and palliative care, also saw substantial growth. ... VITAS attributes the revenue growth to an 11.9% increase in days-of-care and a geographically weighted average Medicare reimbursement rate increase of approximately 3.2%. Hospice is also fueling growth at Addus Homecare (Nasdaq: ADUS). ... Similar trends exist for other publicly traded companies, including Aveanna Healthcare (Nasdaq: AVAH), Enhabit Inc. (NYSE: EHAB), The Pennant Group (Nasdaq: PNTG) and BrightSpring Health Services (Nasdaq: BTSG).

The shorter way to do many things is to only do one thing at a time. ~ Mozart

Disproportionate impact: Supreme Court narrows disproportionate share hospital reimbursement to Supplemental Security Income cash recipients The National Law Review; by Vinay Kohli, Matthew J. Westbrook, D. Austin Rettew; 5/23/25 The U.S. Supreme Court has issued a significant ruling affecting hospitals that serve low-income Medicare beneficiaries, narrowing the interpretation of the Disproportionate Share Hospital (“DSH”) payment formula. In Advocate Christ Medical Center v. Kennedy, the Court determined that only Medicare patients who were eligible to receive a cash Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”) payment during the month of their hospitalization may be included in the calculation for additional DSH reimbursement. This decision represents a setback for more than 200 hospitals that had advocated for a broader, more inclusive definition of SSI entitlement, potentially reducing the financial support available for treating Medicare’s poorest patients. 

Trend Report: Artificial Intelligence In Health CareHealth Affairs; 5/25/25For our first Insider trend report, we explore the ways that artificial intelligence could impact the health care landscape. The report highlights:

'Dancing With Our Stars' marks 10 years of hospice fundraising in Marquette County My UP News, Marquette, MI; by Schyler Perkins; 5/22/25 Thursday night marked the grand finale of the tenth annual Dancing with Our Stars - Marquette County Style contest. ... "Tonight, people can expect nothing short of epic performances," said event organizer Lindsay Hemmila. The competition, which began in 2012 to raise funds for UP Health & Hospice, has become a cornerstone fundraising event in Marquette County. ... "When we first started off, I remember thinking like, my gosh, if I could raise like $40,000, which is quite huge. And now we're, you know, doubling or in some years tripling that number," Hemmila said. ... One of the most impactful programs funded through the event is the "Make a Memory" program, where hospice staff meet with patients to help fulfill wishes before they pass away. 

"Taps" Bugle Call: USMC Drum & Bugle Corps [YouTube]YouTube, filmed at the National Mall, Washington DC, retrieved from the internet 5/22/25Editor's note: We invite you to start this Memorial Day with this reflective playing of "Taps," with backdrops of the Washington Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, and more. Ongoing, we share with you these resources below for the veterans and their families whom you serve.

Memorial Day: 3:00 pm National Moment of RemembranceUSMilitary.com - A non-government, privately sponsored website; retrieved from the internet 5/22/25The day is not just about looking back but also about engaging with the present and future. It provides an opportunity for communities and individuals across the nation to come together in a shared spirit of remembrance. ... This year, as we commemorate Memorial Day, we invite you to join us in honoring the legacy of our heroes through active participation and thoughtful reflection. ... At 3:00 PM local time on Memorial Day, Americans are encouraged to pause for a moment of silence to remember and honor the fallen. The National Moment of Remembrance is a collective act of unity, acknowledging the sacrifices made for our country. Whether you are at home, at a parade, or spending time with family, take a moment to reflect on the true meaning of the day. This simple yet profound gesture serves as a nationwide expression of gratitude and respect.

Memorial Day Remembrance event Sand Mountain Reporter, Albertville, AL; by Mary Bailey; 5/23/25 The skies parted just enough to give Shepherd's Cove Hospice in Albertville perfect weather for their annual Memorial Day Remembrance event held on the front grounds. This yearly event is a time of solemn reflection and gratitude as they honor the lives of the veterans they had the privilege to serve over the pastt year. Stacy Johnson, Bereavement Director with Shepherd's Cove Hospice welcomed those in attendance to the event. ... The free event honored 73 veterans who were served in Hospice care at the facility. Along with the roll call of veterans, there was also a presentation of colors. Across the front lawn is also 73 white crosses bearing the names of each veteran.