Literature Review

Seasons Hospice executive director appointed to lead statewide agency Owatonna People's Press; 2/10/25 Seasons Hospice is proud to announce that Kristina Wright-Peterson, current Executive Director, has been selected as the next Executive Director of the Minnesota Network of Hospice and Palliative Care (MNHPC), effective June 1, 2025. MNHPC serves as the leading voice for hospice and palliative care providers across Minnesota, advocating for high-quality, compassionate end-of-life care. Notably, Ms. Wright-Peterson will be the first MNHPC Executive Director with direct experience as a hospice provider—a milestone that underscores the importance of practitioner-led leadership in shaping the future of hospice care. “Seasons Hospice will always hold a special place in my heart,” said Ms. Wright-Peterson. “Even more importantly, it will serve as the benchmark for the high-quality end-of-life care that should be accessible to everyone in our great state.”

100 Women Who Care present $10,325 to CHI Health at Home Hospice Morrison County Record, Coon Rapids, MN; 2/10/25 CHI Health at Home Hospice of Little Falls, MN is proud to announce and celebrate being one of the selected nonprofits from Morrison County 100 Women Who Care to receive the donation of $10,325.00. “Many of our Hospice services are not covered by insurance including the healing touch by our massage therapist and the beautiful music from our music therapist. We are thrilled to have received these funds from 100 Women Who Care to continue to provide very unique services to our Hospice clients.” – Michele Halvorsen; Director of CHI Health at Home Hospice.

Wilton’sTurnover Shop surpasses historic milestone — $1 million in donations to Visiting Nurse & Hospice  Good Morning Wilton, Wilton, CN; by Reader Contributed to GMW; 2/7/25 A legacy of generosity has reached a historic milestone — the Turnover Shop of Wilton has surpassed $1 million in lifetime donations to Waveny LifeCare Network’s Visiting Nurse and Hospice. This extraordinary achievement, 80 years in the making, continues to fuel the Network’s Patient Care Fund, ensuring that home care and hospice services remain accessible to those in need, regardless of financial circumstances. “This milestone is a powerful testament to the impact of community-driven generosity,” Homecare at Waveny Vice President Carol Smith said. ... As two deeply rooted nonprofit organizations, Waveny’s Visiting Nurse & Hospice and the Turnover Shop share a mission of service, dedication and heartfelt support for their community. 

As I held my dying daughter’s hand, what did I feel? Immense pride in a young woman who – despite a lifetime of complex special needs – taught us that perfection comes in many different guises Express Digest - DailyMail.co.uk; 2/7/25 As I held my dying daughter's hand, what did I feel? Immense pride in a young woman who – despite a lifetime of complex special needs – taught us that perfection comes in many different guises. ... There is no doubt that without her, our own lives might have been easier and much less of an emotional roller-coaster – yet they would also have been so much poorer. For she introduced us to the richness of worlds and wonderful people that we might never have encountered without her.  ... Iona showed that life was for living, despite her disabilities and health struggles. She fuelled my compassion, smoothed my sharper edges and gave me courage ...

UnitedHealth Group withdraws motion to dismiss antitrust challenge Competition Policy International; by CPI; 2/8/25 UnitedHealth Group has withdrawn its motion to dismiss the Justice Department’s antitrust lawsuit challenging its proposed acquisition of Amedisys, a home care and hospice provider. According to the , the healthcare giant stated that new information provided by the government in late January rendered its initial motion moot. ... On January 29, the Justice Department responded to the motion by filing a list of 381 service areas where it alleged the acquisition would negatively impact competition. UnitedHealth Group, in its latest filing, acknowledged that this submission “finally identified” the locations in question, leading the company to withdraw its motion.

Kamloops Hospice's Messages of Love Campaign runs all month long Castanet - Kamloops.net, Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada; by Eagle Anderson, 2/9/25 Kamloops residents are being invited to stop by a cafe, grab a cup of coffee and share some positive words as part of Kamloops Hospice’s Messages of Love Campaign, which is running all month. Four local eateries — 5 Bean Brew Bar (Sahali), The Vic, Cafe Motivo, Yew Street — and the Kamloops Hospice will each provide sticky notes, pens and a board for posting. “It’s essentially an awareness campaign,” Kamloops Hospice’s Fund Development Lead Sarah Irvine said. ... Participants are encouraged to write a positive message on each note. They can then keep the note, stick it to a board or give it away. Messages can be written to friends, family, community groups, lost loved ones and even to themselves.

Access tops list of Americans' healthcare concerns: 4 survey findings Becker's Clinical Leadership; by Erica Carbajal; 2/5/25A quarter of Americans rank healthcare access and affordability as the top public health priority they want government leaders to focus on, according to poll findings from Gallup and Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health. ... Four key findings:

[Germany] Green hospice snails: Dresden bakeries support incurable children Archynewsy; 1/10/25 In Dresden, Germany, a heartwarming campaign is uniting bakeries and communities to support families facing the challenges of life-limiting illnesses in their children. Every February 10th, known as the "Day of Work for the Hospice for Children," participating bakeries offer delectable "green" treats, with a portion of their proceeds contributing to the invaluable work done by local children’s hospices. ... This campaign transcends mere fundraising; it acts as a powerful platform to shed light on the often-overlooked needs of families navigating the complex journey of caring for a child with a life-limiting illness.

After Eaton fire response, a search and rescue team gears up for a future of wildfire DirectRelief; by Talya Meyers; 2/10/25 Like many California volunteer rescuers, Sierra Madre Search and Rescue Team members got their start doing wilderness missions. Now, they’re preparing for a bigger role in an era of more frequent, severe wildfires. When the volunteers on the Sierra Madre Search and Rescue Team look back on the first night’s response to the Eaton Fire, what they remember most is problem-solving, and quickly. ...  “We were building an airplane while we were flying it,” is how operations leader Carolyn Grumm described it. ... For [Rob Klusman, senior paramedic team member], the vast and urgent need came into focus early that evening, when his team went to check on a medically complex patient receiving end-of-life care. ... [Immediately after countless evacuations,] he and his teammates moved into their second, grimmer assignment: Moving through devastated, burned-out neighborhoods, ... to find human remains. ... [Now, on] a larger scale, Klusamn explained, California search and rescue teams are thinking about the escalating severity and frequency of wildfires — and how they can be there to respond.

Medicare's 2025 physician pay cut, explainedBecker's Hospital CFO Report; by Stefanie Asin; 2/5/25 As of Jan. 1, Medicare is paying physicians almost 3% less than last year for services provided to the country's 66 million Medicare patients. The decreased payments aren't a surprise or anything new, as CMS, by law, must keep physician payments budget neutral (cannot raise total Medicare spending by more than $20 million in a year). As a result, since 2020, Medicare has cut physician pay each year ... [Click on the title's link to continue reading these items.]

Chapters Health system names new Executive Director and Chief Development Officer of the Foundation for Chapters Health Foundation Cision PR Web, Temple Terrace, FL; by Chapters Health System; 2/6/25 Chapters Health System ... announced the appointment of Franklin Guerrero as the new Executive Director and Chief Development Officer of the Chapters Health Foundation. Guerrero, accomplished fundraising executive with more than 20 years of experience in developing successful fundraising strategies, previously served as the Vice President of Major and Planned Gifts at Capital Caring Health, a Chapters Health affiliate organization. He also partnered with leadership at organizations such as AARP Foundation, Hispanic Scholarship Fund, Project HOPE, USA for UNHCR and Children International.

Kroger partners with Express Scripts to expand pharmacy services Becker's Hospital Review; by Alexandra Murphy; 2/6/25 Cincinnati-based Kroger Health has reached a new agreement with Express Scripts, the pharmacy benefit services arm of Evernorth, to provide access to prescription medications and health services at the Kroger Family of Pharmacies for Express Scripts Customers. Under the new agreement, the Kroger Family of Pharmacies will resume serving customers in Express Scripts' Medicare Part D and Tricare/Department of Defense plans, according to a Feb. 5 Kroger news release. This comes after Kroger ended its contract with Express Scripts in September of 2022, after months of unsuccessful negotiations over a new agreement.