Literature Review
Health care in the USA: money has become the mission
10/24/25 at 03:00 AMHealth 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.
Executive Personnel Changes - 10/24/25
10/24/25 at 03:00 AMExecutive Personnel Changes - 10/24/25
‘I Prayed for Him’: Faith, Mystery, and Meaning in Medicine
10/23/25 at 03:05 AM‘I Prayed for Him’: Faith, Mystery, and Meaning in MedicineMedscape; by Eric Spitznagel;10/15/25Harold Koenig, MD, remembers the first time he didn’t just talk about spirituality with a patient but let it shape his care... Koenig found himself doing something unusual. “I prayed for him every day and told him I was praying for him,” he said. “This meant a lot to him.” Although he had prayed for patients in the past, Koenig never admitted as much openly in a hospital setting... Doctors are starting to talk openly about that spiritual dimension of their work.
Hospice exec evaluates possible ‘path forward’ for MA hospice carve-in
10/23/25 at 03:05 AMHospice 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.
Survey update during government shutdown - REVISED Guidance, 10/21/2025
10/23/25 at 03:00 AMSurvey update during government shutdown - REVISED Guidance, 10/21/2025CHAP blog; 10/21/25CMS posted and update to the memo, Contingency Plans – State Survey & Certification Activities in the Event of Federal Government Shutdown (QSO- 26-01-ALL-Revised) on 10/21/2025 that provides updates to state survey activity during the ongoing federal government shutdown. The revised guidance appears in red text. CMS has instructed CHAP that our survey activity is unaffected, and we will conduct our survey accreditation business as usual.
Providence, Humana partner on data exchange for value-based care
10/23/25 at 03:00 AMProvidence, 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?
CAPC and the National Kidney Foundation partner on The Case for Palliative Care in Kidney Care
10/23/25 at 03:00 AMCAPC and the National Kidney Foundation partner on The Case for Palliative Care in Kidney CareCAPC blog; 10/8/25New publication underscores how palliative care can improve outcomes for patients with advanced kidney disease. The CAPC and the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) have released a new publication, The Case for Palliative Care in Kidney Care, which emphasizes the critical need to integrate palliative care services into the treatment of patients with advanced kidney disease.
Why doctors hesitate to say ‘I'm sorry’ after errors
10/23/25 at 03:00 AMWhy doctors hesitate to say ‘I'm sorry’ after errorsMedscape; by Paolo Spriano; 10/17/25Apologies are commonly defined as “a regretful acknowledgment of an offense or failure; a formal, public statement of regret.” In healthcare, apologies offered with honesty and transparency are an essential part of addressing medical errors. An effective apology acknowledges what happened, accepts responsibility, and expresses sincere regret for the patient’s suffering. When done properly, an apology can have profound healing effects for everyone involved. For clinicians, it can help ease feelings of guilt and shame; for patients, it can foster forgiveness and form the basis for reconciliation.
The 4 Ms with Dr. Khai Nguyen
10/23/25 at 03:00 AMThe 4 Ms with Dr. Khai NguyenTeleios Collaborative Network - TCNtalks podcast; by Chris Comeaux, Khai Nguyen; 10/22/25In this episode of TCNtalks, host Chris Comeaux welcomes Dr. Khai Nguyen, a geriatrician and age-friendly care champion for care-at-home with CHAP. They discuss the 4Ms framework for age-friendly care, which includes what matters, mentation, medications, and mobility.
How Optum’s Amedisys deal could shake up the hospice market
10/23/25 at 03:00 AMHow 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.
Raising the bar in healthcare leadership training
10/23/25 at 03:00 AMRaising the bar in healthcare leadership trainingUConn Today; by Barbara O’Neill; 10/21/25“Clinical leadership training is vital to launching the next generation of our health care workforce,” says Raquel Manley, DMD, faculty and alum of the Urban Service Track/AHEC Scholars (UST/AS) Program, located on the UConn Health campus in Farmington. “Effective health care is based upon clear communication, conflict resolution, and teamwork for the health and well-being of our patients and community members. In my experience as an Urban Health/AHEC Scholar, coach, and faculty, I have found that today’s students are often very brilliant academically and in social settings but need coaching and counseling on leadership skills once they enter the workforce.” So why is this the case?
Today's Encouragment - Victor Frankl
10/23/25 at 03:00 AMWhen a person can’t find a deep sense of meaning, they distract themselves with pleasure. ~Viktor Frankl
55% of healthcare executives plan to change roles within 3 years: Survey
10/23/25 at 03:00 AM55% of healthcare executives plan to change roles within 3 years: SurveyBecker's Hospital Review; by Kristin Kuchno; 10/17/25More than half of healthcare executives plan to leave their roles within the next three years, according to a report from LHH, an executive search firm. Here are six more things to know from two 2025 surveys...
Hospital - and private equity – affiliated specialty physicians negotiate higher prices than independent physicians
10/23/25 at 03:00 AMHospital - and private equity – affiliated specialty physicians negotiate higher prices than independent physiciansHealth Affairs; by Alexander P. Philips, Nandita Radhakrishnan, Christopher M. Whaley, Yashaswini Singh; 10/25Hospital and private equity (PE) consolidation in health care is altering the physician practice landscape, with more than three-quarters of physicians employed by these corporate entities as of 2023. We examined practice affiliation patterns for specialist physicians and those patterns’ association with commercial prices for cardiology and gastroenterology services... Hospital-affiliated specialists negotiated prices that were 16.3 percent higher for cardiology procedures and 20.7 percent higher for gastroenterology procedures compared with specialists in independent practices. PE-affiliated specialists negotiated prices that were 6.0 percent higher for cardiology and 10.0 percent higher for gastroenterology procedures.
Why the infusion market is shifting to at-home care
10/22/25 at 03:10 AMWhy the infusion market is shifting to at-home care Modern Healthcare; by Diane Eastabrook; 10/21/25Key Takeaways
Why caring for a parent is hard for doctors
10/22/25 at 03:00 AMWhy caring for a parent is hard for doctors MedPage Today's KevinMD.com; by Barbara Sparacino, MD; 10/19/25 I can sit with patients and families and talk about hospice, dementia, or end-of-life care without hesitation. Years of training as a physician and geriatric psychiatrist have prepared me for those conversations. But when my own parent needed care, all that training suddenly felt useless. Medical knowledge didn’t shield me from fear or guilt. It didn’t stop the second-guessing that came with every decision. It didn’t help me navigate the family disagreements about “what Mom would have wanted.” In that moment, I wasn’t the physician. I was the daughter, and that was far more complicated. Why caring for our parents feels different ...
Wrinkles should merely indicate ...
10/22/25 at 03:00 AMWrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been. ~ Mark Twain
Patients with advanced cancer often receive treatments that conflict with their goals
10/22/25 at 03:00 AMPatients with advanced cancer often receive treatments that conflict with their goals Healio; by Josh Friedman; 10/20/25 Many patients with advanced cancer who prefer treatment that prioritizes quality of life receive therapies focused on preserving it. A retrospective analysis showed nearly 40% of individuals with advanced cancer who preferred treatment that improved their comfort felt clinicians gave them therapies meant to increase longevity.
The power of music, art, and pet therapy in hospice care
10/22/25 at 03:00 AMThe power of music, art, and pet therapy in hospice care 607NewsNow, Ithaca, NY; by Maddie Cavataio; 10/10/25 Hospice care isn’t only about easing physical pain, it’s also about nurturing the mind and spirit. Creative and alternative therapies like music, art, and pet therapy are helping patients find comfort, connection, and moments of joy during one of life’s most challenging times. Music therapy can have a profound effect on mood, memory, and relaxation. ... Art therapy provides another outlet for self-expression. ... Pet therapy adds yet another dimension of comfort. ... Many patients light up when a friendly animal visits, offering unconditional love and a welcome distraction from medical routines. ... These holistic therapies remind us that hospice care is about living fully, right up to the end.
How to talk to your loved ones about end of life wishes
10/22/25 at 03:00 AMHow to talk to your loved ones about end of life wishes Those Nerdy Girls; by Rebecca Raskin-Wish; 10/17/25 It’s important to have discussions about what you want the end of your time on earth to look like and have a healthcare proxy and an advance directive in place. When my sister and I were teenagers, my mom sat us down, and in a potentially more dramatic fashion than the moment called for, she said, “Girls, my death could happen any moment, and we need to talk about it.” ...
Study: Nearly two-thirds of nursing home residents were exposed to med combos linked to potential drug-drug interactions
10/22/25 at 03:00 AMStudy: Nearly two-thirds of nursing home residents were exposed to med combos linked to potential drug-drug interactions McKnights Long-Term Care News; by Foster Stubbs; 10/17/25 About 62% of nursing home residents experienced one or more drug-drug interactions (DDI) between 2018 and 2020, according to an October study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. Researchers examined 485,251 Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries 66 years or older living in nursing homes with observable Medicare Part D prescription drug data. Data were drawn from Medicare claims linked to Minimum Data Set 3.0 clinical assessments.
Should an AI copy of you help decide if you live or die? Doctors share top concerns of AI surrogates aiding life-or-death decisions.
10/22/25 at 03:00 AMShould an AI copy of you help decide if you live or die? Doctors share top concerns of AI surrogates aiding life-or-death decisions. Ars Technica; by Ashley Belanger; 10/20/25 For more than a decade, researchers have wondered whether artificial intelligence could help predict what incapacitated patients might want when doctors must make life-or-death decisions on their behalf. It remains one of the most high-stakes questions in health care AI today. But as AI improves, some experts increasingly see it as inevitable that digital “clones” of patients could one day aid family members, doctors, and ethics boards in making end-of-life decisions that are aligned with a patient’s values and goals.
An age-old fear grows more common: ‘I’m going to die alone’
10/22/25 at 03:00 AMAn age-old fear grows more common: ‘I’m going to die alone’ Miami Herald; by Judith Graham, Kaiser Health News; 10/17/25 This summer, at dinner with her best friend, Jacki Barden raised an uncomfortable topic: the possibility that she might die alone. “I have no children, no husband, no siblings,” Barden remembered saying. “Who’s going to hold my hand while I die?” ... It’s something that many older adults who live alone — a growing population, more than 16 million strong in 2023 — wonder about. ... More than 15 million people 55 or older don’t have a spouse or biological children; nearly 2 million have no family members at all.