Literature Review
Dana Trabulsy bill aims to help families get death certificates faster
03/31/25 at 03:00 AMDana Trabulsy bill aims to help families get death certificates faster Florida Politics; by Gabrielle Russon; 3/27/25 'This will solve a problem and be able to help these families move on sooner with the things that they need to do to start healing.'Families whose loved ones die in hospice are often stuck waiting for death certificates because of a backlog. One lawmaker wants to speed up the process to help them get the documents they need. Fort Pierce Republican Rep. Dana Trabulsy is pushing a bill that would allow advanced practice registered nurses providing hospice care to sign death certificates with a physician’s protocol. HB 647 passed its first committee stop Thursday with a 17-0 vote in front of the Health Professions and Programs Subcommittee.
Long-overdue recognition: Vietnam veterans welcomed home at emotional ceremony
03/31/25 at 03:00 AMLong-overdue recognition: Vietnam veterans welcomed home at emotional ceremony Grice Connect; by DeWayne Grice; 3/29/25 A poignant and heartfelt welcome home ceremony was held at Ogeechee Area Hospice, honoring Vietnam veterans from the surrounding communities. The event, filled with emotional tributes and personal stories, aimed to provide long-overdue recognition for the sacrifices made by these veterans. The ceremony, organized by Ogeechee Hospice, the American Legion Post 90, and Georgia Department of Veteran Affairs, brought together veterans, their families, and community members. The atmosphere was one of gratitude and respect, as attendees acknowledged the often-overlooked service of those who served during a tumultuous period in American history.Editor's note: We add this to previous posts,
Home health, hospice location announces closure
03/31/25 at 03:00 AMHome health, hospice location announces closureThe Standard, Excelsior Springs, MO; 3/27/25Excelsior Springs Hospital (ESH) announces the difficult decision to discontinue its Home Health and Hospice Services, effective April 30.This decision comes after a thorough review of operations and an assessment of ways to best allocate resources to meet the evolving healthcare needs of our community.“Our priority has always been to provide high-quality care to our patients,” said ESH Chief Executive Officer Kristen DeHart.
Palliative care in home health: Misconceptions and market opportunities
03/31/25 at 03:00 AMPalliative care in home health: Misconceptions and market opportunities Home Health Care News; by Joyce Famakinwa; 3/28/25 While palliative care remains an uncommon offering among home-based health care providers, forward-thinking providers have recognized a growing market demand and are strategically expanding their service offerings to include palliative care solutions. Expanding service lines to include palliative care can help home-based care providers stand out from their peers, industry insiders told Home Health Care News. However, a significant knowledge gap is slowing the adoption of palliative care within the home health community. Home health care clinicians, patients and caregivers all report insufficient knowledge of palliative care, according to a recent study conducted by Columbia Nursing research and published in the Journal Home Healthcare Now. [Continue reading ...]
Honoring a young girl’s love of nature on her final day
03/31/25 at 03:00 AMHonoring a young girl’s love of nature on her final dayMayo Clinic News Network; by Mayo Clinic Staff; 3/27/25 On a Saturday evening in September of 2024, Mae Helgeson arrived at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, her small body reeling from the trauma of a life-threatening accident. Although she was intubated and sedated, it didn't take long for the care team to learn what made this little girl special. ... "I often ask parents to tell me about their child. Is there anything you think is important or that I should know about your family?" says Paige Dighton, one of the Child Life specialists who partnered with Mae's family. "This allows them to share the special things — those unique qualities that make them a family. You learn more than just what's in their chart." ... It was only a couple of days later that Mae's family was faced with the devastating decision they'd hoped to avoid. ... The question shifted from "Can we save her?" to "How do we say goodbye?" Following their lead, the team began focusing on end-of-life care. "Dr. Schiltz gave us the space to think and process our emotions — it didn't feel rushed," says Matt.
Today's Encouragement: "Is the spring coming?" he said. "What is it like?" ...
03/31/25 at 03:00 AM"Is the spring coming?" he said. "What is it like?" ... "It is the sun shining on the rain and the rain falling on the sunshine." ~ Frances Hodgson Burnett, author, The Secret Garden
When medicine meets theater
03/31/25 at 03:00 AMWhen medicine meets theater The Ticker; by Craig Manning; 3/30/25 Munson Healthcare’s newest partner is going to surprise you. Last year, a pair of physicians at Munson set out to help their colleagues improve at one of the most stubbornly difficult parts of the healthcare profession: delivering bad news to patients. That goal led Munson to strike up a partnership with Old Town Playhouse, melding medicine and theater for an innovative course that gives doctors a chance to practice difficult conversations. The doctors play themselves, informing patients about challenging or terminal diagnoses. The Playhouse actors play the patients, reacting differently depending on how their physician approaches the conversation.
Compassus, Providence JV gains ground after concerns
03/31/25 at 03:00 AMCompassus, Providence JV gains ground after concerns Home Health Care News; by Audrie Martin; 3/28/25 In February, Providence, a not-for-profit health system serving the Western U.S., and Compassus, a national provider of integrated home-based care services, completed the first phase of a joint venture (JV) focused on home health, hospice and community-based palliative care. However, Providence employees expressed concerns regarding cost-cutting measures and staffing issues. Specifically, critics of the JV voiced concerns that the deal would result in cost-cutting measures, increased staff workloads and reduced patient services. Compassus senior vice president and chief marketing and communications officer, Kathleen Winn, told Home Health Care News that partnerships like Compassus’s JV with Providence greatly benefit hospitals and health systems by allowing patients to move from an inpatient environment to home-based care and avoiding readmissions through careful monitoring. [Continue reading ...]
Hosparus celebrates social workers' impact on healing
03/31/25 at 02:00 AMHosparus celebrates social workers' impact on healingCorydon Democrat; 3/26/25 Hosparus Health Southern Indiana offers comprehensive grief support services to help individuals heal from loss in a caring and understanding environment. While recognizing National Social Work Month, Hosparus celebrates the compassionate guidance of its social workers and grief counselors who support individuals and families during their most difficult moments. Editor's note: Today's the last day of March as Social Worker month. You still have time to thank your all-important social workers. For more, see our post Social Media Toolkit for Social Work Month 2025. And, appreciation and recognition is not limited to the month of March. It needs to be alive and well all year long.
Hospital workers share 26 deathbed regrets they’ve heard that changed their lives
03/31/25 at 02:00 AMHospital workers share 26 deathbed regrets they’ve heard that changed their lives Boredpanda; by Ruta Zumbrickaite; 3/28/25 While painful, regret can also be a motivator for learning and growth, encouraging us to avoid repeating past mistakes and make better decisions in the future. We guess that’s why self-help author Debbie Ford once said, “Pain can be our greatest teacher.” Someone on the web asked hospital workers, “What regrets do you hear from dying patients?”, and folks who’ve been there in people’s last moments shared the words that hit them the hardest. Here’s a list of some of their most profound responses.
Evaluation of the Medicare Advantage Value-Based Insurance Design model test: 2020 to 2023
03/31/25 at 02:00 AMEvaluation of the Medicare Advantage Value-Based Insurance Design model test: 2020 to 2023 RAND Health Care, prepared for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation Under Research, Measurement, Assessment, Design, and Analysis Contract Number 75FCMC19D0093, Order Number 75FCMC20F0001; by Christine Eibner, Dmitry Khodyakov, Erin A. Taylor, Denis Agniel, Rebecca Anhang Price, Julia Bandini, Marika Booth, Lane F. Burgette, Christine Buttorff, Catherine C. Cohen, Stephanie Dellva, Michael Dworsky, Natalie C. Ernecoff, Alice Y. Kim, Julie Lai, Monique Martineau, Nabeel Qureshi, Afshin Rastegar, Max Rubinstein, Daniel Schwam, Joan M. Teno, Anagha Tolpadi, Shiyuan Zhang; March 2025 This report presents RAND researchers’ findings from their evaluation of the Medicare Advantage (MA) Value-Based Insurance Design (VBID) Model test for 2020 through 2023, initiated by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (Innovation Center). The VBID Model allows participating MA parent organizations (POs) to offer supplemental benefits, financial and nonfinancial incentives to beneficiaries, hospice benefits (the Medicare Hospice Benefit, Palliative Care, Transitional Concurrent Care, and Hospice Supplemental Benefits), and Wellness and Health Care Planning through their MA plans.
Disparities in end-of-life symptom burden linked to complex interplay among wealth, health, and social support
03/30/25 at 03:55 AMDisparities in end-of-life symptom burden linked to complex interplay among wealth, health, and social supportJAMA Network Open; by Peter A. Boling; 3/25On average, US health care spending in the last year of life alone was $80,000, with 12% ($9,500) being out of pocket and mostly incurred before the final 6 months. This problem worsened in the past decade when the nonspecific diagnosis of failure to thrive was removed as a condition eligible for hospice care and more stringent definitions were applied for dementia, which became the next bubble as the hospice balloon was squeezed. Hospice care is a means of reducing symptom burden, but the Medicare payment model discourages prolonged enrollment during slowly progressing advanced chronic illness and effectively limits funding of social support during hospice care, which is particularly problematic for patients with cognitive and functional impairment and for their friends and families. Considering suffering as a medical condition warranting treatment rather than a social problem requiring support services might help with the evolution of a Medicare policy that might provide a more graduated approach to end-of-life care.
Medical interpreters’ experiences with patients who are near end-of-life and their family members
03/30/25 at 03:50 AMMedical interpreters’ experiences with patients who are near end-of-life and their family membersJournal of Pain and Symptom Management; by Joycelyn Howard, Alexia M. Torke, Susan E. Hickman, Greg Sachs, Sylk Sotto-Santiago, James E. Slaven, Denise Robinson; 3/25In 2019 the United States Census Bureau reported 8% of the United States Population “speak English less than very well”. Ensuring individuals with a non-English language preference (NELP), previously referred to as limited English proficiency, have equitable access to healthcare includes providing high quality interpreter services. Although self-efficacy for interpreting EOL [end of life]conversations is generally high, interpreters desire education about EOL care. Interventions are also needed to address the high emotional toll of interpreting EOL conversations. Education and training about EOL care may help them to not only convey information accurately but also cope with emotional nuances characteristic of these significant conversations, ultimately elevating the quality of care for patients and family members in vulnerable and important moments.
Daughter embraces mom’s hospice journey
03/30/25 at 03:45 AMDaughter embraces mom’s hospice journey City Sun Times, Phoenix, AZ; by Lin Sue Flood; 3/25/25 As a nurse, Robin Benton is used to caring for people who are ill. But it’s different when your mother is the one who is sick. Her mom, Charlotte Brewer, a former nurse herself, has multiple myeloma, a rare type of blood cancer. In March 2024, the 80-year-old Valley resident decided to stop curative treatments in favor of comfort care with Hospice of the Valley, where she worked for over 10 years, before retiring in 2007. ... Charlotte’s Hospice of the Valley nurse, Kelly Langston, admires the way the family is living this stage of life with great intention, creating new ways to deepen their love for each other. “They came up with an idea for a hug shirt,” shared Kelly. “Everyone in the family painted their arms then took turns hugging each other — stamping an imprint of encircled arms on the shirts. It’s a way to feel each other’s hugs even when they aren’t together.” [Continue reading ...]
Medicare and 24-hour in-home hospice care: Is it covered?
03/30/25 at 03:40 AMMedicare and 24-hour in-home hospice care: Is it covered?Healthline; Medically reviewed by Shilpa Amin, MD, CAQ, FAAFP and written by Mandy French; 3/25/25... Medicare offers hospice coverage for beneficiaries. However, there are certain eligibilities and guidelines that they must meet. ...
National Alliance’s Scott Levy: Hospices need ‘regulatory relief’ to protect ‘sacred benefit’
03/30/25 at 03:35 AMNational Alliance’s Scott Levy: Hospices need ‘regulatory relief’ to protect ‘sacred benefit’ Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 3/21/25 The hospice industry is undergoing a transformative period of rising demand and regulatory changes. Providers of all sizes and types are facing mounting operational challenges and financial strains with limited recourse to voice their collective concerns to legislators. This is according to Scott Levy, chief government affairs officer at National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance). Levy stepped into the role earlier this year after holding a similar position at Amedisys. He has been involved in government relations, public policy, advocacy and law for more than 20 years. Levy recently sat down with Hospice News to discuss the array of regulatory and legislative evolutions on the horizon in hospice care delivery. .[Continue reading ...]
[Austria] Influence of prior knowledge and experience on willingness to pay for home hospice services: a contingent valuation study
03/30/25 at 03:30 AM[Austria] Influence of prior knowledge and experience on willingness to pay for home hospice services: a contingent valuation study International Journal of Health Economics and Management; Caroline Steigenberger, Andrea M Leiter, Uwe Siebert, Claudia Schusterschitz, Magdalena Flatscher-Thoeni; 3/25/25 Home hospice services contribute to dying in dignity by addressing medical and social needs at the end of life. ... We aim to quantify the benefits of home hospice services to society using society's monetary valuation and examine the influence of prior knowledge and experience on willingness to pay for home hospice services. A nationwide cross-sectional contingent valuation study was conducted in Austria. ... The two-part regression analysis showed a statistically significant positive impact on the probability of having a positive willingness to pay by prior knowledge of home hospice services, prior donations, and the wish of not dying alone. [Continue reading ...]Editor's note: Pair this research from Austria with today's USA post, "Medicare and 24-hour in-home hospice care: Is it covered?" Too often, we take for granted our Hospice Medicare payment system. Some choose to misuse it in ways that lead to fraud. This research reinforces openess to hospice services per "prior knowledge of home hospice services, prior donations, and the wish of not dying alone."
CMS will not resume implementation of Hospice SFP in 2025
03/30/25 at 03:25 AMCMS will not resume implementation of Hospice SFP in 2025 Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 3/25/25 A federal court has ordered a stay on litigation intended to block the hospice Special Focus Program (SFP) after the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) pledged that it would not resume implementation during 2025. The crux of a lawsuit filed by hospice organizations against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the criteria that the agency uses to select hospices for the new Special Focus Program (SFP). [Continue reading ...]
Hospice Care and Community Center, Cleveland: First look
03/30/25 at 03:20 AMHospice Care and Community Center, Cleveland: First look Healthcare Design; by Tracey Walker; 3/24/25 Hospice of the Western Reserve (Cleveland), a provider of end-of-life palliative care, caregiver support, and bereavement services, chose a lakefront setting for its new Hospice Care and Community Center. Scheduled to open in 2025, the center will provide critical services, create a more efficient care environment, and support the evolving healthcare needs of Northern Ohio. Designed by architecture and interior design firm E4H Environments for Health Architecture (Williston Vt.), the facility will replace the existing Hospice House on the adjacent property, which has served the community for nearly 30 years. [Continue reading for "Interior design strategies" ...]
Community health workers and technology interventions' impact on palliative support globally
03/30/25 at 03:15 AMCommunity health workers and technology interventions' impact on palliative support globally Journal of Palliative Medicine; by Alekhya Gunturi, Margarita Pertierra, Irma Elizabeth Huayanay Espinoza, Maya Kavita Ramachandran, Mpho Ratshikana Moloko, Karl A Lorenz; 3/20/25Background: Palliative care has the potential to relieve burdened global health systems but is in short supply in many low-resource settings. Community health workers (CHWs) and digital health tools/telephonic support have the potential to scale scarce palliative care resources and improve outcomes for seriously ill adults in home/community settings. Conclusions: CHWs and digital health/telephony can improve quality of life, health care use, and caregiver support. Most research focuses on physical and psychological aspects of care instead of cultural aspects of care. Future research is needed to explore culturally tailored interventions in minority populations and low- and middle-income countries, as well as investigate emerging remote technologies to allow for scaling palliative care into home/community settings.Editor's note: Pair this with Hospice community responds to proposed DEA telehealth prescribing rule, posted 3/21/25.
‘Disturbing’ outlook: Hospices’ top regulatory concerns in 2025
03/30/25 at 03:10 AM‘Disturbing’ outlook: Hospices’ top regulatory concerns in 2025 Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 3/20/25 Telehealth policies and program integrity concerns represent two of the leading regulatory issues on hospices’ radar this year. Regulatory changes and increasing oversight were the second-most cited concerns among nearly a quarter (21%) of 112 hospice professionals who participated in this year’s Outlook Survey by Hospice News and Homecare Homebase. Challenges around staffing and improved public awareness also topped the list of providers’ concerns. This is the third piece of this three-part Hospice News series that explores the significant regulatory challenges facing hospice providers in 2025.
Today's Encouragement
03/30/25 at 03:00 AMI share with you the agony of your grief, by Howard Thurman in "Meditations of the Heart" I share with you the agony of your grief, The anguish of your heart finds echo in my own... This I do in quiet ways, that on your lonely path you may not walk alone.Click the link above to read the full poem.
Family Hospice welcomes Charles Hall as new Chief Executive Officer
03/30/25 at 03:00 AMFamily Hospice welcomes Charles Hall as new Chief Executive Officer EIN Presswire, Atlanta, GA; by BPR International; 3/11/25Family Hospice is pleased to announce the appointment of Charles (Charlie) Hall as its new Chief Executive Officer. With a distinguished career in healthcare leadership, Hall brings a wealth of experience in driving organizational growth, operational excellence, and strategic innovation to Family Hospice. “We are thrilled to welcome Charlie to Family Hospice,” said Mark Kimsey, chairman of the board and founder of Family Hospice. “His proven track record of leadership, team development, and strategic growth will be instrumental as we continue to expand our mission of providing compassionate, high-quality hospice care to the communities we serve.” "I am honored to join Family Hospice and to work alongside such a skilled and dedicated team,” said Hall. [Continue reading ...]
Sunday newsletters
03/30/25 at 03:00 AMSunday newsletters focus on headlines and top read stories of the last week (in order) - enjoy!