Literature Review

Choice Health at Home completes acquisition of Family Tree Private Care WL US FM 98.3, Tyler, TX; Press Release, EINPresswire.com; 1/17/25 Choice Health at Home (“Choice”), a leading multi-state provider of home health, hospice, personal care, and rehabilitation services, is proud to announce the acquisition of Family Tree Private Care (“Family Tree”), one of the largest private care operators in the United States. This transaction further establishes Choice Health at Home as a premier operator offering a comprehensive continuum of care, including private care, to patients across Texas, Colorado, and the Southwestern U.S. “This is a transformative moment for Choice Health at Home,” said David Jackson, CEO of Choice. ... "The addition of Devotion Hospice allows us to expand our hospice services and reinforces our commitment to provide quality care to our nation’s 5th largest metro population (Houston, TX).” ... Daniel Gottschalk, CEO of Family Tree, shared his enthusiasm for the merger ... 

Lobbying groups unite to form US Cannabis Roundtable MJBiz; by MJBizDaily Staff; 1/16/25 The National Cannabis Roundtable and the U.S. Cannabis Council – two large lobbying groups that advocate on behalf of the state-regulated marijuana industry in Washington, D.C. – are merging to form the US Cannabis Roundtable. The unified group represents marijuana multistate operators such as Cresco Labs, Curaleaf Holdings, Green Thumb Industries, Trulieve Cannabis Corp. and Verano Holdings as well as single-state operators, according to a [recent] news release. 

[Irelan] How digital storytelling can support families of very ill children RTE, Ireland; by Veronica Lambert and Razieh Safarifard; 1/17/25 Imagine a family gathered around a young child's bed at home or in the hospital, facing the heart-wrenching reality that their time together is limited. The moments they share now - the stories told, songs sung, laughter, and tears - are more precious than ever. But how can these memories be preserved, not just for the present but for a lifetime? Memory-making activities provide a way to capture these moments, offering comfort during and after their journey through palliative care. In Ireland, the need for such interventions is growing, as more children live with life-threatening conditions and families often find themselves without adequate support in these difficult times. Our new project addresses this gap with a digital storytelling memory-making programme tailored to the unique cultural and practical needs of Irish families.

ACS Annual Report: Cancer mortality continues to drop despite rising incidence in women; rates of new diagnoses under 65 higher in women than menAmerican Cancer Society press release; 1/16/25The American Cancer Society (ACS) today released Cancer Statistics, 2025, the organization’s annual report on cancer facts and trends. The new findings show the cancer mortality rate declined by 34% from 1991 to 2022 in the United States, averting approximately 4.5 million deaths. However, this steady progress is jeopardized by increasing incidence for many cancer types, especially among women and younger adults, shifting the burden of disease. For example, incidence rates in women 50-64 years of age have surpassed those in men, and rates in women under 50 are now 82% higher than their male counterparts, up from 51% in 2002. This pattern includes lung cancer, which is now higher in women than in men among people younger than 65 years. These important findings are published today in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, alongside its consumer-friendly companion, Cancer Facts & Figures 2025, available on cancer.org.

Why trust-based leadership is key to thriving in the Intelligent Age World Economic Forum; by Belen Garijo; 1/17/25 The recent arrival of artificial intelligence (AI) and our growing ability to harness the power of data and digital technology has propelled our world from the Industrial Age into a new Intelligent Age. This new epoch will be unlike any other in history. By bringing together our physical, biological and digital realities, the Intelligent Age will fundamentally alter how people live and work, and how products are developed and made. It will affect the skillsets employees in many professions require, while redefining how private and public organizations collaborate. ... 

Building a smarter long-term care system in New York The National Law Review; by Adam Herbst of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP - Healthcare Law Blog; 1/10/25 New York State has a long-standing commitment to supporting its most vulnerable populations through Medicaid-funded services for older adults and those requiring long-term care. However, rising costs and an increasingly complex healthcare landscape have created challenges that demand innovative solutions.  ... The Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) offers a clear path forward. This model has consistently demonstrated its ability to reduce healthcare costs while enhancing patient outcomes by integrating medical, social, and behavioral health services under one umbrella. ... Despite these clear benefits, New York has not approved a new PACE program since 2011, leaving this proven model underutilized in the state.

NPHI welcomes Robin Shultz as Vice President for Member Programs and Engagement National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), Washington, DC; Press Release; 1/8/25The National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) is proud to welcome Robin Shultz, LCSW, ACC, ACHP-SW, to the team as Vice President for Member Programs and Engagement. With her proven track record of leadership and a passion for innovation, Robin’s expertise is set to deepen connections among our members and drive meaningful engagement at all levels. Robin brings significant experience in hospice and palliative care to NPHI. ... In her new role with NPHI, Robin will focus on strengthening member engagement, ensuring active participation across forums, and fostering deeper inclusion for member staff at all levels. Her efforts will build on NPHI’s mission to advance the work of nonprofit hospice providers, empowering them to deliver exceptional care and services to their communities.

Guidelines for evaluating, diagnosing, and disclosing dementia published by Alzheimer’s Association Practical Neurology; 1/14/25 The Diagnostic Evaluation, Testing, Counseling, and Disclosure Clinical Practice Guideline (DETeCD-ADRD CPG) Workgroup, convened and funded by the Alzheimer’s Association, has developed new recommendations for clinicians to use when evaluating patients with possible Alzheimer disease (AD) or AD and related dementias (ADRD). An executive summary of the recommendations for use in primary care and other practice settings was published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia, along with a companion article summarizing specific guidance for specialists. The Workgroup included representatives from  primary, specialty, subspecialty, long-term, and palliative care disciplines as well as the fields of health economics and bioethics.  Editor's note: Click for open access to the Alzheimer's Association clinical practice guidelines ..., executive summary of recommendations for primary care. 

Cancer prevention, screening averted several million more deaths than treatment over 45 yearsJAMA; Samantha Anderer; 1/25In the US, cancer prevention and screening have saved more lives from 5 types of cancer combined than treatment advances over the past 45 years, according to a modeling study published in JAMA Oncology. An estimated 5.9 million breast, cervical, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancer deaths were avoided from 1975 to 2020 due to prevention, screening, and treatment efforts, but prevention and screening alone were responsible for averting about 4.8 million—4 out of 5—of those deaths. Still, the authors acknowledged that in all cancer types studied, less than half of total cancer deaths were averted, and they recommended increased investment in prevention and screening strategies.

California wildfires and healthcare: Compiled articlesCompiled from various news sources; 1/9/25Click on links below to go to the source articles.

Researchers compared hospital early warning scores for clinical deterioration—Here’s what they learnedJAMA Network; Roy Perlis, MD, MSc; Jennifer Abbasi; 1/24This conversation is part of a series of interviews in which JAMA Network editors and expert guests explore issues surrounding the rapidly evolving intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and medicine. Arecent head-to-head study at Yale New Haven Health System compared 6 different early warning scores designed to recognize clinical deterioration in hospitalized patients, including 3 proprietary AI tools. Among the best was the National Early Warning Score (NEWS), a publicly available non-AI tool, while the Epic Deterioration Index “was one of the worst” of the batch, the authors reported in October in JAMA Network Open.

Do It Anyway by Mother Teresa / Kent M. KeithPeople are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered; forgive them anyway.If you do good, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; do good anyway...

You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching, Love like you'll never be hurt, Sing like there's nobody listening, And live like it's heaven on earth. ~ William W. Purkey