Literature Review

[UK] Groom diagnosed with cancer marries bride in ‘dream wedding’ organized by hospice staff in just 2 days People; by Kimberlee Speakman; 11/14/25 Karl Marsh, who was diagnosed with cancer in May 2024, wed his fiancée, Sarah Wooley, on Sunday, Nov. 9. Their "dream wedding" was put together in 48 hours by the staff at Katharine House Hospice in the U.K., where Marsh was transferred to in October. ... The couple — who first met in 2010 and rekindled their relationship during Christmas 2022 — had initially planned to tie the knot on Nov. 22, but decided to bring their wedding date up after Marsh’s “condition worsened.” 

When health care teams run short, physician burnout rises American Medical Association (AMA); by Sara Berg, MS; 11/4/25 ... Drawing on data from the AMA Organizational Biopsy®, the study reveals that inadequate team staffing was also linked to physicians’ intentions to cut clinical hours or leave their organizations. The findings underscore how sustained workforce shortages and daily understaffing continue to affect morale and retention in medicine long after the acute phase of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Participants included 970 physicians from 15 organizations.

Empath Health leans into value-based care with plans for multi-state expansion Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 11/14/25 Florida-based senior care provider Empath Health is blazing a trail forward in value-based care programs and has plans to expand beyond its home state. The nonprofit’s three-year strategic plan is heavily focused on working with risk- and value-based payers, leveraging its diversified suite of services, according to President and CEO Jonathan Fleece. Empath refers to its continuum of care, much of which is home-based, as its “Full-Life Care Model.”

National Alliance CEO Steve Landers on hospices’ top policy priorities Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 11/6/25Medicare advantage and telehealth are key hospice policy priorities for the National Alliance for Care at Home. On the home health front, the organization is also embroiled in efforts to stave off proposed payment and Medicaid cuts. The Alliance came into being last year with the merger between the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization and the National Association for Home Care & Hospice. Hospice News spoke with Alliance CEO Dr. Steven Landers about how the two legacy organizations are integrating, the hospice public policy landscape and how providers can get involved at a grass roots level.

What matters about what matters mostJAMA Network Open; by Mary E. Tinetti, Brenda S. Nettles; 10/25The authors note that “Identifying what matters is essential for providing person-centered care, guiding clinical visits, tailoring care plans, and providing a starting point to foster further patient engagement.” These are lofty expectations of a single, simple question ["what matters most?"]. While the what matters question alone cannot guide care planning or tailor interventions, it can serve as a starting point for ongoing conversations about patient health goals and care preferences. These priorities, in turn, can guide patient-centered decision-making and care. The question also provides an opportunity to get to know the patients we care for as individuals. That, in itself, is an invaluable gift reminiscent of a period when clinicians had more time with patients and cared for them over years.

Hospice of South Texas appoints Laurie Eder as Chief Executive Officer Press Release Distribution, Victoria, TX; by Hospice of South Texas; 11/5/25Hospice of South Texas® (HOST) has appointed Laurie Eder as Chief Executive Officer after her service as Interim CEO since March 2025. Eder is building on the forty-year legacy of Hospice of South Texas with a focus on compassion and community. ... Her passion for hospice began with her own family's experience with Hospice of South Texas and continues to shape her leadership today.

From good to better with Andrew Molosky Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast hosted by Chris Comeaux with Andrew Molosky; 11/12/25 In this week’s special joint episode of TCNtalks and Anatomy of Leadership, host Chris Comeaux welcomes Andrew Molosky, President and CEO of Chapters Health System.  Together, they explore what it means to lead with perseverance, authenticity, and vision in times of change. Andrew shares powerful insights on cultivating culture, navigating uncertainty, and the role of vulnerability in leadership. 

* Hospice organizations honor veterans Hospice & Palliative Care Today; compiled by Joy Berger; 11/10/25 Hospice programs across the U.S. observe Veterans Day 2025 with special events and recognition programs tailored for veterans in hospice care, focusing on honoring their service and providing supportive, trauma-informed care throughout the organization. These sample examples collectively help ensure Veterans Day 2025 is marked by meaningful recognition and support for veterans in hospice care, grounded in respect for their service and sensitivity to their unique needs.

LifeCare Home Health acquires Infinity Hospice Care Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 11/7/25 LifeCare Home Health in Nevada has acquired Infinity Hospice Care for an undisclosed amount. Infinity serves patients across Nevada and Arizona. Through the deal, LifeCare also obtains a Las Vegas-based inpatient facility. The transaction marks the company’s first entry into the Arizona marketplace. Editor's Note: LifeCare Home Health recently acquired St. Gabriel's Hospice & Palliative Care in Texas. 

Cherish yesterday; dream tomorrow; live today.

Home-delivered nutrition services for older adults under the Older Americans ActJAMA Network Open; Em Balkan, Emily A. Gadbois, Emma L. Tucher, Kimberly P. Bernard, Kali S. Thomas; 9/25... the federal government supports the provision of food to older adults through the Older Americans Act (OAA) Nutrition Program. These funds are used by state and local aging agencies to administer OAA nutrition services primarily through contracts with nonprofit community-based organizations ... [including organizations like] Meals on Wheels (MOW) ... This qualitative study of 54 participants found that home-delivered meals meet the Older Americans Act’s stated goals to (1) reduce hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition; (2) promote socialization; and (3) promote the health and well-being of older adults. In addition, participants said home-delivered meals improved the health, well-being, and finances of their caregivers. The findings also support funding the Older Americans Act Nutrition Program. 

Trends of palliative care utilization for nontraumatic intracerebral hemorrhage: Analysis of the national inpatient sampleJournal of Clinical Neuroscience; by Andrea Loggini, Victor J Del Brutto, Faddi G Saleh Velez, Jonatan Hornik, Denise Battaglini, Shawn S Wallery, Amber Schwertman, Alejandro Hornik, Christos Lazaridis, Adnan I Qureshi; 10/25We investigated the trends and hospital outcome measures associated with the utilization of consultative palliative care (PC) services among patients with nontraumatic intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Of 452,250 ICH cases during the study period, 69,360 (15.3 %) received PC. ... ICH patients receiving PC were older, ...more frequently women, ... White, ... and more likely to be in the highest income quartile ... Conclusions: The use of PC in ICH patients has increased over the past two decades. PC is associated with more efficient healthcare resource utilization and higher odds of discharge to hospice/in-hospital mortality. Disparities in PC utilization persist among underprivileged groups and racial minorities.

Understanding challenges and barriers to quality end-of-life care for patients with hematologic malignancies: A GIMEMA surveyAnnals of Hematology; by Leonardo Potenza, Fabio Efficace, Eleonora Borelli, Paola Fazi, Thomas Baldi, Francesca Tartaglia, Francesco Sparano, Claudio Cartoni, Pasquale Niscola, Claudia Mucciarini, Oreofe Odejide, Eduardo Bruera, Camilla Zimmermann, Marco Vignetti, Mario Luppi, Elena Bandieri; 10/25Patients with hematologic malignancies often receive aggressive end-of-life (EOL) care, which may be partly related to hematologists' discomfort with discontinuing aggressive treatments at EOL. We assessed a cohort of Italian hematological oncologists through a GIMEMA online survey to explore their attitudes toward standard measures of quality EOL care, their opinions on barriers to providing this care, and potential interventions. In conclusion, Italian hematologists find most standard EOL quality measures acceptable, they identify barriers to quality care, and are open to interventions, including early integration of palliative care, to improve patients' EOL care. However, they lack familiarity with GOC [goals of care] and ACP [advance care planning] discussions, highlighting the need for communication skills training.