Literature Review

[Australia] Defining the symptoms of personality and behaviour changes in brain tumour patients and their impact on caregiversSupportive Care in Cancer; by Emma McDougall, Haryana M Dhillon, Karin Piil, Lauren J Breen, Anna K Nowak, Sara Nordentoft, Sine Kjærgaard, Georgia K B Halkett; 10/25This study highlights the nuances and complexity in conceptualising personality changes in patients with a brain tumour and the grief, isolation, and safety concerns experienced by carers. Brain tumour-related aggression was identified as a significant concern by both healthcare professionals and carers, lacking clinical guidelines internationally for managing violence and aggression in this population. Future research is required to test interventions and support for safeguarding and risk management for patients and their family members.

Using natural language processing to assess goals-of-care conversations for patients with cancerJCO Clinical Cancer Informatics; by Melissa K Greene, Gloria Broadwater, Donna Niedzwiecki, Thomas W LeBlanc, Jessica E Ma, David J Casarett, Brittany A Davidson; 10/25This is a retrospective review of patients at a single US center who died with cancer between 2018 and 2022, and had documented GOC [goals of care] notes in the last 12 months of life. Eight GOC components were identified: current understanding of illness, information preferences, prognostic disclosure, goals, fears, acceptable function, trade-offs, and family involvement. The most common GOC component addressed was family involvement (75.0%) and the least common was fears (21.1%). Only 5.4% had all eight components documented. More comprehensive GOC notes were associated with lower rates of aggressive EOL care; 73.2% received aggressive care when 0/8 components were documented, compared with 56.8% and 50.3% with six or seven components discussed, respectively.

[France] End-of-life sedation and spousal grief: Exploring bereavement narratives with and without continuous deep sedationPalliative Care & Social Practice; by Livia Sani, Yasmine Chemrouk, Marthe Ducos, Pascal Gauthier, Marie-Frédérique Bacqué; 10/25This study explored how bereavement experiences differ based on the use of CDSUD [Continuous Deep Sedation Until Death]. Spouses whose partners received CDSUD often reported emotional disruption and unresolved grief, while those without CDSUD described greater relational continuity and a more gradual farewell. Across both groups, the quality of communication, emotional preparedness, and involvement in end-of-life decisions shaped the grieving process. These findings emphasize the emotional complexity of CDSUD, particularly when implemented suddenly or without sufficient explanation. Palliative care teams should prioritize transparent, timely discussions about sedation options and provide tailored emotional support throughout the dying process.

Hospice to deliver meals for homebound patients' Thanksgiving: Program volunteers will deliver over 700 Thanksgiving Day dinners on Nov. 27. Pike County Courier, Scranton, PA; 11/12/25 Hospice of the Sacred Heart will again spread the spirit of gratitude and compassion this holiday season through its annual Thanksgiving Program, taking place on Thanksgiving morning, Thursday, Nov. 27. This is the program’s 20th year. Each year, staff and volunteers come together to prepare, package, and deliver traditional Thanksgiving meals to Hospice of the Sacred Heart patients receiving care at home, along with their families. Over 700 meals are expected to be delivered. ... Diane Baldi, CEO, Hospice of the Sacred Heart said, “This program allows us to bring comfort, care, and a sense of togetherness to our patients and their families on one of the most meaningful days of the year.”

Atlantic Area Chamber Ambassadors visit with Hospice of the Midwest AARP - Atlantic News Telegraph; Jenn Nichols; 11/13/25 The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors met with staff from Hospice of the Midwest [based in Guthrie Center, Iowa] on Thursday, Nov. 6, to learn more about the compassionate services they provide, and the important role volunteers play in supporting patients and families. Editor's Note: What ongoing relationships do you continue to foster with leaders of your service areas? Hospice of the Midwest in Guthrie Center, Iowa provides this great example.

Estimating the number of services & patients receiving specialized palliative care globally in 2025 Journal of Pain and Symptom Management; by Stephen R. Connor PhD, Eduardo Garralda MA, Vilma A. Tripodoro MD, PhD, Carlos Centeno MD, PhD; November 2025 Issue In 2025, the estimated number of specialized palliative care service delivery teams worldwide reached approximately 33,700 - representing a 35.6% increase from the 25,000 identified in 2017. Service delivery expanded across all WHO regions. The estimated number of patients served rose from almost 7 million in 2017 to approximately 10.4 million in 2025. This figure represents roughly 14% of the total global need for palliative care. ...Despite notable growth in service availability, significant disparities persist, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. 

A doctor’s mystery cancer gives her a new medical educationMedscape; by Kelly Curtin-Hallinan; 11/7/25At some point, every doctor becomes a patient. For many physicians, experiencing serious illness and treatment is humbling, eye-opening, and, in the end, transformative. Dr. Patient is a Medscape series telling these stories... I don’t look like a cancer patient. I didn’t have chemotherapy. I didn’t lose my hair. It’s not obvious to anyone, if they don’t see my enormous abdominal scar, that something crazy has happened to me. To this day, my prognosis is unknown...Publisher's note: Consider how being a hospice patient or family member changes the quality of hospice care you provide...

Executive Personnel Changes - 11/14/25

November is stressful. It's suddenly freezing. You have tons of deadlines, parties and shopping to do, and everyone is panicking, and it's dark all the time.

Enhabit's strategic momentum and 2025 financial performance: A post-pandemic playbook for healthcare resilience AI Invest; by AI Agent Eli Grant; 11/11/25Overview:

Inside Compassus’ 2-pronged plan to expand Providence joint venture Home Health Care News; by Morgan Gonzales; 11/11/25 The joint venture between Compassus and not-for-profit health system Providence is set to expand through two key growth tactics. ... For the first pillar, the joint venture aims to expand through multiple sources within Providence, including case management, discharge planning, hospital-based clinicians and Providence’s ambulatory environment. ... Its second growth strategy looks outside of the Providence ecosystem for referrals, whether from long-term care facilities, skilled nursing facilities or physicians working directly with patients. 

New guidance offered for responsible AI use in health care - American Heart Association Science Advisory American Heart Association; by Newsroom; 11/10/25 Published in the Association’s flagship journal, Circulation, the advisory, “Pragmatic Approaches to the Evaluation and Monitoring of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare,” introduces a pragmatic, risk-based framework for evaluating and monitoring artificial intelligence (AI) tools in cardiovascular and stroke care. It builds on prior published AI frameworks to identify critical gaps in current practices. 

What is healthspan, and how can you extend yours? MSN - Everyday Health; by Sarah Klein; 11/11/25 Many people want to live as long as possible. But what about living as well as possible? Thats the idea behind extending whats called your healthspan. Healthspan is the length of time you live in good health, able to stay active, independent, and mentally sharp while doing the things you enjoy, ...