Literature Review

Kalos Health shutters amid Medicaid changes Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 10/29/25 Kalos Health Inc. is closing amid changes to Medicaid reimbursement. The change could challenge access to home-based services for chronically ill adults in western New York. The nonprofit provided health insurance coverage across six counties in New York through a Medicaid managed long-term care (MLTC) plan. Since 2014, the plan has coordinated with regional health care providers to serve adults with chronic illness and health disabilities. Kalos Health is part of The Hospice and Palliative Care Group (HPCG), an organization that provides administrative services. Other providers in the group include Niagara Hospice, Liberty Home Care, Hospice of Orleans and The Niagara Hospice Alliance.  

Palliative care legislation exploding at state level, but policy gaps remain, study reveals McKnights Home Care: by Adam Healy; 10/27/25 States are becoming increasingly focused on palliative care. Since 2009, the number of palliative care-related bills introduced at the state level has grown at a rapid pace, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open. ... Of the 819 bills introduced between 2009 and 2023, roughly 30% were eventually passed into law. ... Bills related to palliative care quality and public awareness bills were the most likely to pass, it found. Meanwhile, relatively few bills governing palliative care workforce, clinical skill building and patient rights passed during the study period.

Improving end-of-life care: Making hospice and home support accessible Cure; by Maureen Canavan and Dr. Kerin Adelson; 10/22/25 Maureen Canavan and Dr. Kerin Adelson, healthcare executive, chief quality and value officer, and professor of Breast Medical Oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center, sat down with us to discuss critical issues in end-of-life care. In this interview, they explore the urgent need for policy and system-level changes to improve access to hospice and supportive home care, highlighting how current reimbursement structures often fail to meet the needs of patients and families at the end of life. Canavan is an epidemiologist at Yale Cancer Outcomes, Public Policy, and Effectiveness Research Center (COPPER) and affiliated faculty at Yale Institute for Global Health.

Providing service and support at every stage of illness: Palliative nurses improve quality of lifeCleveland Clinic; 10/28/25In palliative nursing, delivering compassionate, high-quality care to people facing terminal or chronic illnesses is a responsibility, and a privilege. Nurses like Marina Sargin, BSN, RN, who specialize in the field, explain it as humbling, rewarding and purposeful... Different from hospice care, which is end-of-life care for those who have less than six months to live, palliative care can benefit people of any age, at any stage of illness, and for however long it is warranted.

WHO strengthens palliative care across the eastern Mediterranean to improve quality of life fundsforNGOs; Press Release; 10/29/25 The Seventy-second session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean marked a historic step forward for health systems in the Region, as Member States endorsed resolution EM/RC72/R.4 on palliative care. The decision represents a transformative commitment to support individuals living with life-limiting illnesses, chronic conditions, and frailty, ensuring that care extends beyond treatment to dignity and compassion. ... [While] 2.4 million people in the Region need palliative care each year, less than 1% currently receive it. ... The resolution calls for countries to integrate palliative care into national health strategies, guarantee access to essential medicines such as oral opioids, and incorporate palliative care education into health professional training.

Granite VNA President and CEO Beth Slepian will retire June 2026 The Laconia Daily Sun, Concord, NH; Press Release; 10/28/25 New Hampshire home health and hospice agency Granite VNA recently announces President and CEO Beth Slepian will retire, effective June 12, 2026. Granite VNA has initiated a nationwide search for a president and CEO to succeed Slepian. Slepian joined Granite VNA in 2013 and was named president and CEO in 2015. ... While navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, the agency, which was then known as Concord Regional VNA, completed a merger with Central NH VNA & Hospice and the formation of Granite VNA.

Local organization offers guidance for grieving during the holidaysKKCO11 Grand Junction, CO; by Bella Demosthenous; 10/24/25HopeWest provides resources and advice for those struggling with loss during the festive season. HopeWest, a local organization that specializes in helping people grieve, shares advice on how to navigate the holidays while battling grief. “My encouragement is to show self-compassion for yourself first and foremost. It’s not an easy thing to do outside of grief,” said Jodi Molina Lopez, HopeWest youth counselor.

10 smart questions to ask before hiring an IT services company DesignRush; by Sergio Oliveira; 10/28/25 A first-hand guide for CEOs on how to vet IT vendors, avoid scope traps, and ensure accountability beyond the pitch. ... Every IT partner looks capable during a pitch — that’s their job. The challenge is separating an agency's confidence from day-to-day reality. I’ve learned that asking the right questions early is the only way to find out how potential agencies will handle change, protect uptime, and keep you in control of your own data. 

Headwaters Hospice and Palliative Care appoints James Bisom as new CEO CityBuzz; Press Release; 10/29/25Headwaters Hospice and Palliative Care [in Helena, Montana] has announced the appointment of James Bisom, MHA, as its new Chief Executive Officer. With over 14 years of healthcare leadership experience, Bisom assumes leadership of the veteran-owned healthcare provider with a clear mission to advance quality of life, dignity, and comfort for patients and families throughout Montana. ... Throughout his career, he has championed strategic initiatives that improved patient safety, expanded access to specialized services, and enhanced overall care delivery.

[United Kingdom] New end-of-life checklist designed to remove stress in time of crisis Independent; by Aine Fox; 10/27/25 Marie Curie has published an end-of-life checklist to encourage the public to think about their end-of-life care. The list, curated by clinicians, covers everything from wills to wakes and what we might want to happen to pets and social media accounts when we die. The document features five categories, including legal and money matters, people, pets and things important to me, an advance care plan, my funeral, a wake or celebration of life, and making and leaving behind memories. Editor's Note: To download USA Advance Directives for each state, visit (1) CaringInfo (set up by NHPCO 15+ years ago), A Program of the National Alliance for Care at Home, or (2) AARP's Find Advance Directives Forms by State (uses CaringInfo's form, but more user-friendly navigation).

Knowing what must be done does away with fear. ~ Rosa Parks

AHA responds to OSTP request on AI policies for health care American Hospital Association; by Ashley Thompson, AHA Senior Vice President, Public Policy Analysis and Development; 10/27/25 ... On behalf of our nearly 5,000 member hospitals, health systems and other health care organizations, our clinician partners — including more than 270,000 affiliated physicians, 2 million nurses and other caregivers — and the 43,000 health care leaders who belong to our professional membership groups, the American Hospital Association (AHA) appreciates the opportunity to provide comment on the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) request for information (RFI) regarding regulatory reform on artificial intelligence (AI). ... [Our] members have urged that policy frameworks strike the appropriate balance of flexibility to enable innovation while ensuring patient safety. The AHA offers four categories of recommendations to maximize the potential for AI to improve care, accelerate innovation and support the health care workforce.