Literature Review

Research spotlight: characterizing patient perceptions of palliative care in surgical settings Mass General Brigham | Patient Care; by Claire Morton, MD and Zara Cooper, MD, MSc; 5/19/26 ... Question: What did you find? Generally, patients were not familiar with palliative care. If they had heard of it, they often equated it with hospice or end-of-life care, leading to misconceptions about its scope and purpose. However, our observations revealed that patients frequently initiated discussions about concerns relevant to palliative care, such as social or psychological burdens they were experiencing during their visits with surgeons. This indicated an underlying interest in these domains, even if they were not explicitly aware of how palliative care could address them. ...Question: What are the real-world implications, particularly for patients? ...

The future of hospice: how HOPE will transform reimbursement & care | part one Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast hosted by Chris Comeaux with Andrea Hale and Raianne Melton; 5/20/26 In this Part One episode of The Future of Hospice: How HOPE Will Transform Reimbursement & Care, healthcare leaders and hospice professionals, Andrea Hale, CEO of Valley Hospice and Raianne Melton, Director of Clinical Services of Professional Services for Axxess, explore how CMS hospice changes will impact hospice operations, compliance, documentation, and outcomes-based reimbursement models. We take a deep dive into one of the most significant changes facing hospice providers in decades—the implementation of the Hospice Outcomes & Patient Evaluation (HOPE) tool.  

CMS’s nationwide moratorium on new hospice and home health enrollments: operational, transactional, and enforcement risks for existing providers, healthcare organizations, and investorsClark Hill; by Jose Vela Jr.; 5/19/26 ... Key Takeaway: The larger issue may no longer be whether fraud exists within isolated hospice or home health agencies. ... Healthcare organizations, investors, healthcare professionals, and operational leaders affiliated with hospice and home health providers may wish to evaluate ownership structures, pending transactions, enrollment status, billing practices, referral relationships, operational controls, reimbursement exposure, and existing government scrutiny before operational disruptions, payment suspensions, recoupment activity, or enforcement actions arise.

Family Hospice expands compassionate care with new Greenwood, South Carolina location NEWSnet; by EIN Presswire; 5/18/26 Family Hospice is proud to announce the opening of its newest location in Greenwood, South Carolina. This expansion strengthens the organization’s presence across the state and increases access to high-quality hospice services for individuals and families throughout Greenwood and the surrounding communities. The new location builds on Family Hospice’s established presence in the Upstate, including its Greenville and Spartanburg offices.

Dale Clift named new Enhabit CEO post-Kinderhook transactionHospice News; by Jim Parker; 5/18/26Enhabit Inc. has named Dale Clift as its new CEO, succeeding Barbara Jacobsmeyer. The announcement follows closure on Friday of Enhabit’s $1.1 billion acquisition by the private equity firm Kinderhook. The deal took Enhabit off of the New York Stock Exchange as a publicly traded company. Clift brings decades of home health and hospice experience to Enhabit. He previously served as CEO of Trilogy Home Healthcare. He is also the former CEO of Nurse on Call.

Family Hospice expands compassionate care with new Greenwood, South Carolina location EIN Presswire, Greenwood, SC; by Family Hospice, LLC; 5/18/26 Family Hospice is proud to announce the opening of its newest location in Greenwood, South Carolina. ... The new location builds on Family Hospice’s established presence in the Upstate, including its Greenville and Spartanburg offices. As part of the expansion, Greenwood covers Abbeville, Clinton, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Edgefield, Newberry, Saluda, and parts of Anderson, Greenville, Spartanburg, and Aiken counties.

Reader opinion: HCS supports its nurses, programs, by Talee Messenger The Keene Sentinel, Keene, NH; by Talee Messenger; 5/17/26 For over a century, Home Healthcare, Hospice and Community Services has been built on a foundation of nurses committed to meeting patients where they are. From traveling by foot and trolley in the early years to delivering specialized care today, HCS nurses have continued to lead with compassion and innovation. This Nurses Month, we honor that legacy while reaffirming our commitment to supporting the next generation of nurses. Providing care in rural communities requires adaptability, independence, and a deep connection to the people being served. At HCS, we believe meaningful care depends on shared knowledge and continuous learning.

Mayo Clinic and Bayesian Health co-develop new AI-powered solution to expand palliative care access and improve patient outcomes PR Newswire, Rochester, MN and New York , NY; by Bayesian Health; 5/19/26Mayo Clinic and Bayesian Health today announced they have co-developed an artificial intelligence (AI) solution to identify hospitalized patients who may benefit from palliative care earlier in their stay. The solution is designed to support timely consultations, with the objective of improving goal-concordant care for patients with serious illness and reducing non-beneficial readmissions.

A husband’s story of end-of-life care at home MedPage Today's KevinMD.com; by Ron Louie, MD; 11/27/25... When my wife died at home, it wasn’t really a surprise. ... Over the previous few weeks, we had notified her primary care physician’s office of the need for a home hospice referral, but because of some snafu, the correct wording wasn’t used, and the paperwork stalled. ... Years before, we had already obtained a POLST (Portable Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment, our state’s “green form”), signed by a doctor, that made clear my physician wife’s choices in advanced directives: no CPR, tube feedings, or IV treatments. ... Since we didn’t have an active home hospice referral, I knew that firefighters could pronounce her death; my own license had lapsed in retirement. ... The firefighters left, but the police stayed quite awhile until they were cleared by the Medical Examiner’s office. ...Editor's Note: This caregiver story powerfully tells challenges experienced by a retired oncologist/spouse. Calling all leaders who are part of referral and admissions processes, pay attention to the problems caused by delays: firemen, police, and (not named) lack of bereavement care.

Berkshire Health Systems CIO says AI must show measurable results to justify adoption at rural hospitals Complete AI Training | Healthcare; 5/16/26 Berkshire Health Systems CIO William Young demands AI prove its worth through time saved and waste cut-not features. The rural Massachusetts health system pilots AI carefully, measuring outcomes before any wider rollout.  ... Does it save time? Does it cut waste? Does it help a rural hospital system survive?

You should never let your fears prevent you from doing what know is right. ~ Aung San Suu Kyi

Hawai'i Attorney General rejects characterization of Medicaid fraud enforcement and defends state's enforcement record Hawai'i Free Press, Honolulu, HI; by News Release from Department of the Attorney General; 5/14/26The Department of the Attorney General today rejected recent claims that Hawaiʻi “isn’t taking Medicaid fraud seriously,” calling the claims by Vice President J.D. Vance false and unsupported by the record. Since 2021, the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) has secured or helped secure judgments, settlements and recoveries in 25 cases, totaling $14,094,547.91. Last year, the MFCU secured a $30,000 settlement against a Medicaid provider for fraudulent billing. Earlier this year, the MFCU secured another Medicaid fraud settlement in the amount of $208,317.69. The MFCU also filed criminal charges earlier this year against two individuals, one of whom has already pleaded no contest as charged. [Hawai'i Medicaid Fact Sheet] Editor's Note: This article references "Hawaii's Medicaid coverage for palliative care expected to save the state money," which describes, "Hawaii is the first state to include palliative care in its Medicaid plan."