Literature Review

3 strategies to improve care access: McKinsey Becker's Hospital Review; by Kristin Kuchno; 3/3/26 With the U.S. physician shortage projected to surpass 137,000 by 2037, improving patient access cannot rely on pushing physicians to see more patients, according to a Feb. 26 McKinsey article. In McKinsey’s 2025 Physician Survey, 83% of physicians said they have seen patients delay care, with access barriers ranking among the top reasons. ... McKinsey outlines three additional strategies that when implemented together and in sequence — alongside efforts to reduce waste — can improve patient satisfaction and retention.

The measure isn’t wrong. The story is incomplete. McKnights Long-Term Care News; by Steven Littlehale; 2/27/26 Not long ago, I was sitting across from a nursing home leadership team as they stared at a quality measure report that didn’t make sense to them. ... So we did what more facilities should do when a QM score feels off: We stopped looking at the rating and started looking at the math. That’s where the real story surfaced. It wasn’t about poor care, but about exclusions not captured, covariates not fully coded, and pieces of the clinical picture that never made it into the structured data fields the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services reads. 

What Enhabit’s $1.1B acquisition means for the hospice landscape Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 2/24/26 Enhabit Inc. (NYSE: EHAB) has plans to grow its hospice and home health service lines to new levels upon the completion of its recent acquisition by the private equity firm Kinderhook Industries LLC. ... The recently announced $1.1 billion acquisition represents an important milestone in terms of expanding the provider’s patient reach and workforce, according to Barb Jacobsmeyer, president and CEO of Enhabit. ... Enhabit is among the largest hospice and home care companies in the United States, according to Hospice News’ Hospice Top 50 report. ... The timing of the Enhabit transaction comes at a pivotal point in its growth trajectory, according to Joe Widmar, director of the consulting firm West Monroe.

BrightSpring CEO: Hospice, home health have ‘unbelievable runway’ Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 2/27/26 BrightSpring Health Services (Nasdaq: BTSG) is seeing accelerated growth as it works to integrate assets acquired from Amedisys and UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH). The company purchased 107 home health branches from those companies for $239 million. The sale had been contingent on the outcome of the UnitedHealth Group’s own acquisition of Amedisys, which closed in August 2025. Some of the locations formerly belonged to LHC Group, which the insurance giant also acquired. “These assets are very complementary to our existing home health business from a geographic perspective, while also being in the same markets as our hospice locations in many cases,” BrightSpring CEO Jon Rousseau said in an earnings call. 

Do you feel like an emotional sponge? Here’s how to protect your energy and refocus Real Simple; by Nandini Maharaj; 3/1/26 It’s possible to stay compassionate without feeling drained—experts explain how. ... [There's] a difference between healthy forms of distraction—like going for a walk or taking deep breaths—and unhealthy habits. We asked mental health experts about healthy and unhealthy distractions and how to protect your energy when you’re feeling like an emotional sponge.

Mercy Hospital’s outpatient palliative care switches to for-profit model The Durango Herald; by Elizabeth Pond; 3/1/26 Outpatient palliative care through Mercy Hospital is now operating on a for-profit basis under new CommonSpirit Health at Home ownership. Meanwhile, the palliative care program – which offers symptom management for those with serious and terminal illnesses – is facing staff turnover. 

Choices Healthcare CEO Michael Link eyes growth, innovation while staying true to hospice mission LNP | Lancaster Online; by Rachel Curry; 3/1/26 Michael Link always admired the loyalty it took for a long, stable career — in terms of being loyal to the company and vice versa. In October 2025, Link became CEO of Choices Healthcare, the parent company of Hospice & Community Care, where he began working as an IT trainer in 2001. ... For Link, it was quickly apparent that the work he found himself in was meaningful, and staying within the organization afforded him the opportunity to work across all kinds of departments. In 2024, Hospice & Community Care merged with Hospice of Central PA to form Choices Healthcare. Together, they provide care across 11 Pennsylvania counties. The organization also operates the Pathways Center for Grief & Loss in Mount Joy. Much of Link’s new role involves maintaining a strong legacy of care.

March reminds us that progress is a journey—steady, patient, and full of promise.

Farmington man accused of stabbing two women released to hospice after rapid health decline 40/29 News Sunrise, Rogers, AR; by Adam Roberts; 2/25/26 A 74-year-old Farmington man accused of stabbing two women is being sent from jail to hospice care, according to court documents. James Edward Gore was arrested after police say he used scissors and a knife to stab two women on Feb. 9. ... A court filing by Gore’s attorney stated that surgeons had removed a tumor the size of a tennis ball, that he has progressive dementia, and cognitive decline. The filing claimed that when they tried to speak with him in jail, he couldn’t communicate with them and didn’t comprehend what was happening. Gore’s attorney asked the court to reduce the bond and allow him to be released to hospice. ... Gore will be sent to a hospice facility in Springdale with staff who have experience with people in Gore’s position.

Bedford Hospice House to close mid-April, shifts to home-based care WFXR Roanoke, Bedford, VA; by Samantha Trezevant; 2/27/26 Centra announced it will close the Bedford Hospice House on April 15, 2026, citing ongoing financial challenges despite years of community support. In a Facebook post, the nonprofit health system says operating costs at the hospice house have exceeded revenues and donations for several years. This led to what officials described as a difficult but necessary decision. 

When the prognosis shifts: How communication strategies can help patients and families plan for what’s next Cancer Nursing Today; by Monique Nugent, MD, MPH, Gina Mohr, MD, Sarah Anderson, DNP, AGACNP-BC, OCN, WCC, Sarah May, MD; 2/20/26 Monique Nugent, MD, MPH, author of Prescription for Admission and hospitalist at South Shore Health, joined Cancer Nursing Today and Urban Health Today to moderate a collaborative roundtable focused on leading challenging conversations in healthcare settings, including key takeaways and educational insights for oncology nurses. A multidisciplinary panel of experts accompanied Dr. Nugent ... [to discuss] how oncology nurses and other healthcare professionals should approach end-of-life discussions with patients and caregivers and why in-depth planning for these conversations is critical.

Chris Remely: Understanding burial and cremation — part 2 Bozeman Daily Chronicle (BDC); by Chris Remely; 2/21/26 ... Cremation is not new. Records dating back thousands of years indicate that people along the Greek Peninsula were the first to practice cremation. It was primarily done as a practical way to bring the bodies of fallen warriors home to honor them. ... The first cremation in America was performed in 1876 in Pennsylvania. Today, approximately 60 percent of persons who die in the United States choose cremation. What is cremation and how is it performed? ...

Husch Blackwell’s Meg Pekarske: Hospices facing ‘huge pendulum shift' Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 2/27/26 The hospice space has seen waves of regulatory changes in recent years that are affecting sustainable access, according to Meg Pekarske, partner at the law firm Husch Blackwell. Ensuring program integrity and quality will take an overhaul of hospice regulation. Pekarske, a hospice and health care attorney, is retiring with more than 25 years of legal experience, effective March 31. She recently sat down with Hospice News to reflect on the most significant regulatory changes impacting the future scope of hospice care delivery. Greater consideration is needed around a potential revamp of the Medicare Hospice Benefit, Pekarske said.