Literature Review

[UK] Key themes and approaches in palliative and end-of-life care education for the general public: A systematic reviewBMC Palliative Care; by Muzeyyen Seckin, Rumandeep Tiwana, David Fry, Cara Bailey; 8/25 These [twenty] studies involved a total of 10,307 participants and identified 16 different educational programmes for the public, volunteers, and lay caregivers. The analysis revealed six main themes: foundational concepts and philosophies, communication and decision-making, planning and preparation, symptom management, end-of-life care practices, and caregiving support. This review highlights the importance of training programmes to improve community involvement in caregiving and enhance the quality of care for individuals with life-limiting conditions. Expanding access to such educational resources can empower more people to contribute confidently to end-of-life care in their communities.

Harvey Max Chochinov, MD PhD - selected publicationsHospice & Palliative Care Today compilation; Cordt Kassner; 9/17/25This week Dr. Chochinov presented "Dignity, personhood and intensive caring: New insights into patient suffering" as part of the McGill University "Lessons in living from the dying" lecture series. The Palliative Care ECHO Project is a 5-year national initiative to cultivate communities of practice and establish continuous professional development among health care providers across Canada who care for patients with life-limiting illness. To highlight a few of his books and  215+ articles:

[Spain] First-ever global ranking of palliative care: 2025 World Map under the new WHO frameworkJournal of Pain & Symptom Management; by Vilma A. Tripodoro, Jesús Fernando López Fidalgo, Juan José Pons, Stephen R. Connor, Eduardo Garralda, Fernanda Bastos, Álvaro Montero, Laura Monzón Llamas, Ana Cristina Béjar, Daniela Suárez, Carlos Centeno; 8/25This study presents the first comprehensive global assessment of PC [palliative care] development, utilising the WHO Conceptual Framework as a multidimensional tool to monitor progress. Results reveal stark inequities: more than half of the global population lives in countries with Emerging or Progressing PC levels, while fewer than one-fifth are in Advanced systems. Despite methodological updates in 2025, the number of Advanced-level countries remains unchanged from 2017, suggesting limited progress. This is consistent with downgrades in countries such as Israel, Spain, Canada, Liechtenstein, Romania, and Mongolia, which may reflect data gaps, methodological shifts, or actual declines.

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

Neil Heinen: We give precious little thought to the meaning of life Madison Magazine, Madison, WI; by Neil Heinen; 9/17/25 An Op-Ed on the importance and profundity of being with a person at the end of their life, and how hospice plays a special role. We don’t think about death enough. How’s that for an opening sentence? ... We’d be considerably better off if we did think about life’s end a little more. The main topic of this column is hospice, which adds a bit of a buffer to the existential angst of contemplating death. ... Being with a person at the end of their life is one of the most profound and loving of life’s many possible experiences. And what brings meaning to a dying person is as varied as life itself. A song, a poem, a pet, a knitting needle and yarn, a recognition of service, stories, pictures, memories, another person who will listen, who cares; the list is long and filled with small acts of kindness so many of us could easily provide.

Americans choosing cremation at historic rates, NFDA report finds National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), Brookfield, WI; Press Release; 9/18/25 Americans are choosing cremation more than ever before, setting a new milestone in funeral service trends for 2025. According to the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) 2025 Cremation & Burial Report, the U.S. cremation rate will reach 63.4% this year, more than double the projected burial rate of 31.6%. These shifting preferences reflect lasting changes in family priorities, funeral profession practices and cultural attitudes. Key 2025 Report Highlights: 

Study finds hospice providers “game” Medicare Payment Cap, but with modest impact on costs Penn LDI - Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics; by Julia Hinkcley, JD; 9/16/25 ... Each year, about half of Medicare beneficiaries who die receive hospice services. A new study by LDI Senior Fellow and Director of Research Norma Coe and her colleague David Rosenkranz shows that some hospice agency decision-making may be intended to increase payments by undercutting the annual revenue cap that Medicare imposes. But this “gaming” of the payment rules creates only modest increases in both hospice enrollment and spending. The study’s findings also support MedPAC’s view that wage index-adjusting the cap could make it more equitable across hospice programs, but the authors caution that the MedPAC proposal to reduce the cap by 20 percent might lead some hospice providers to close, and therefore requires more analysis.

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. 

Morphine shortage impacts Massachusetts patients, hospice care and pharmacies GBH; by Marilyn Schairer; 9/16/25 Pharmacists and hospice care providers in Massachusetts say the industry is experiencing a shortage of morphine, a powerful prescription opioid painkiller. And while the causes of the shortage are unknown, it’s already affecting people who use the drug to treat severe pain, including cancer patients and people in hospice care. “There is a shortage,” said Dina Breger, pharmacy manager at Greater Boston Long Term Care Pharmacy in Walpole. She said it’s been at least a few weeks since the pharmacy was able to get morphine to patients that need it. Guest Editor's Note, by Drew Mihalyo, PharmD: Massachusetts’ morphine shortage highlights a worsening national crisis. These shortages stem from multiple factors—from DEA production quotas (with 2026 levels expected next week) to fragile supply chains and thin profit margins that discourage manufacturing. Without strong pre-arranged access systems, even hospice and cancer patients can be left without essential pain relief. Healthcare is not just about treatment—it’s about preserving dignity for those who need us most. Fixing this requires systemic change: national reserves, better incentives to sustain production, and stronger oversight—transparency in manufacturing, smarter quota setting, and rapid-response mechanisms to ensure patients are never left without care at the end of life.

How does CEO tenure in healthcare compare to other industries? Becker's Hospital Review; by Kristin Kuchno; 9/9/25 The average tenure of healthcare CEOs is slightly shorter than the average across industries, according to a recent report from executive search firm Crist Kolder Associates. Healthcare CEOs serve an average tenure of 7.3 years, compared to 7.5 years across industries. In 2024, the average tenure for healthcare CEOs was 7.6 years, compared to an average of 7.4 years across industries. Crist Kolder’s annual report tracks C-suite turnover among 667 companies in the Fortune 500 and S&P 500, 9.7% of which operate in the healthcare sector. Here are the average CEO tenures across industries included in the report: ...

I have learned that the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person. ~ Andy Rooney

COUNTDOWN: 12 Days Until HOPE Tool Starts, October 1, 2025