Literature Review

Top regrets people have in their final days Family Minded; by Owen Chase; updated on 9/17/25 ... When doctors and nurses spend time at the bedside, they listen to regrets that cut through small talk and trends. These regrets tell us that the things we don’t do often weigh more than the mistakes we make. 

An organ donor saved my life. But fear of unlikely botched donations hurts others.  USA Today; by Kaitlyn Wells; 9/18/25 As someone who is alive today because of an organ donation, I was alarmed by the news that Donate Life America, a nonprofit that oversees a national registry of organ donors, saw a 700% increase in donor registration withdrawals since July. That startling drop in donors followed reporting by The New York Times offering horrifying details of how in extremely rare instances, teams rushed to secure organs from patients who still showed a flicker of life. 

Friday isn't the end of the week; it's the beginning of your weekend. ~ Unknown

Wound care marketing can create confusion around hospice relatedness Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 9/16/25 Hospices provide wound care to many patients, but confusion can arise over questions of relatedness to the terminal illness. The goals of palliative wound care include primarily symptom management, comfort and dignity, but it does not always focus on healing the injury, a 2023 study indicated. This differs from general wound care, which does target healing. Palliative wound care is essential for hospice patients and most of the time should be considered related to the patient’s terminal condition, according to Felicia Walz, director of hospice quality for Colorado-based provider HopeWest. “Providing wound care to hospice patients is always appropriate,” Walz told Hospice News.

CMS launches landmark $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program CMS Newsroom - Rural Health; Press Release; 9/15/25 Today [9/15], the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) unveiled details on how states can apply to receive funding from the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program created under the Working Families Tax Cuts Act to strengthen health care across rural America. This unprecedented investment is designed to empower states to transform the existing rural health care infrastructure and build sustainable health care systems that expand access, enhance quality of care, and improve outcomes for patients. ... The Rural Health Transformation Program invites all 50 states to apply for funding to address each state’s specific rural health challenges. 

Transforming healthcare: A conversation with Rita E. Numerof Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); pod/videocast by Chris Comeaux with Rita E. Numerof; 9/17/25 Are we headed for a healthcare train wreck?  The warning signs are flashing: skyrocketing premiums, looming Medicaid cuts, significant reductions in home health funding, and major insurers experiencing substantial stock losses.  These aren't isolated issues but symptoms of fundamental structural flaws in our healthcare system. Rita E. Numerof, co-founder and president of Numerof & Associates, returns to TCNtalks with a powerful analysis of the healthcare industry's trajectory and a bold vision for transformative change.  As an "equal opportunity critic" with over 30 years of experience spanning the entire healthcare ecosystem, Numerof offers a uniquely comprehensive perspective on why our current system is failing and what must change. 

Health systems should empower their primary care physicians to deliver better palliative and end-of-life care Medscape - Family Medicine; by Edward L. Burns, MD, MA; 9/17/25 Primary care physicians (PCPs) play a pivotal role in managing the overall well-being of their patients. However, when it comes to palliative and end-of-life care, many health systems do not train or empower their PCPs to manage this important part of their patients’ lives. ... By systematically training PCPs in palliative care principles and communication skills, health systems can simultaneously deliver significantly higher quality, patient-centered care that aligns with families’ values and wishes, while reducing unnecessary hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and aggressive interventions that may not align with patients’ wishes. 

How a novel coaching intervention is building resilience and hope in adolescents and young adults with advanced cancer: A conversation with Abby R. Rosenberg, MD, MS, MA The ASCO Post; by Jo Cavaloo; 9/15/25 Each year, nearly 90,000 adolescents and young adults (AYAs; aged 15–39) are diagnosed with cancer, and approximately 9,300 die of the disease. ... AYAs are at increased risk for developing adverse long-term side effects from cancer and/or its treatment, including chronic conditions, secondary cancers, infertility, poor psychosocial health, and financial toxicity. ... The findings from a recent randomized phase III clinical trial investigating a novel resilience coaching intervention for AYA patients with advanced cancer are showing promising results in improving feelings of resilience and hope, as well as longer-term improvement in quality of life for these patients. ... In a wide-ranging interview with The ASCO Post, Dr. Rosenberg discussed the psychosocial impact of cancer on AYA cancer survivors, the results of the PRISM-AC study, and how AYA survivors are able to cope with having a terminal prognosis.

Nonprofit hospice consolidation ‘intensifying’Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 9/16/25As of the second quarter in 2025, nonprofit deals represented 33% of hospice and home health transactions, The Braff Group reported. Half of these hospice assets were picked up by nonprofit buyers, meaning that half of the market is choosing to sell to for-profit companies, Kulik explained.

Low-cost respite service offered North Central News, Phoenix, AZ; by NCN Staff; 9/17/25 A new program is bringing together Arizona State University students and Hospice of the Valley to provide support to families caring for a person with dementia at home or in a facility. RISE — Respite In Student Engagement is a unique partnership between ASU and Hospice of the Valley’s Supportive Care for Dementia program. RISE connects students with families to provide affordable respite for caregivers and meaningful engagement for the person living with dementia in their home or in a facility. The rate is $20 per hour and families pay the student directly. RISE students are not employees or contractors for ASU or Hospice of the Valley. All students are background checked, and ASU students who join RISE receive evidence-based dementia training from the Dementia Care and Education Campus in Phoenix.

Medicare cuts & tech gaps drive home health nurse exodus Access Newswire - Regulatory; by Black Book Survey; 9/16/25 Black Book Research today released 2025 survey findings from U.S. home health executives, finance leaders, and clinical directors showing that technology inefficiencies are a primary driver of nurse attrition. Respondents also warn that proposed Medicare home health payment reductions totaling 6.4% over 2026-2027 will intensify workforce pressure unless agencies can invest in modern IT.Key 2025 Survey Findings (U.S. Home Health & Hospice):

UnitedHealth expands in North Carolina with $3B deal Triad Business Journal - Health Care; by Zac Ezzone; 9/15/25 UnitedHealth is making a major move in the home care space in North Carolina. UnitedHealth gains 20 Amedisys N.C. facilities, including five in the Triad. One of the largest healthcare companies in the US has grown its footprint in North Carolina through a multibillion dollar deal. United Health Group Inc. has completed a $3.3 billion acquisition of Amedisys, which operates home health and hospice sites throughout the country. The deal closed.

Hosparus Health breaks ground on region’s first standalone hospice care center Hosparus Health; Press Release; 9/16/25 Hosparus Health proudly announces the groundbreaking of its new Hospice Care Center, the region’s first and only standalone inpatient hospice facility, following the successful achievement of its $9.2 million fundraising goal by raising nearly $9.6 million to launch construction. The Hospice Care Center is a critical expansion of compassionate end-of-life care for families across the region. Designed to serve patients with complex needs in a peaceful, homelike setting, the nearly 30,000-square-foot facility will offer 21 private patient suites, family gathering spaces, a chapel, and serene gardens for quiet reflection. “When families can no longer care for a loved one at home, this facility will offer a supportive space that blends expert care with dignity and comfort,” said David W. Cook, President and CEO of Hosparus Health.