Literature Review

'Labor of love:' Longtime Hospice of Dubuque leader retires Telegraph Herald, Dubuque, IA; by Elizabeth Kelsey; 7/8/26 When Lavonne Noel was hired as financial coordinator for Hospice of Dubuque in 1990, she was simply looking for a part-time job while she raised her young children. Little did the Dubuque resident know that she would spend the next 36 years working for the local nonprofit, including 15 as its executive director. Noel retired recently from Hospice of Dubuque after a career she described as “the greatest privilege of my professional life.” ... Hospice of Dubuque Financial Director Jackie Brehm is currently serving as interim executive director while officials conduct a search for Noel’s permanent replacement. Noel has every confidence Hospice of Dubuque will continue to thrive under new leadership.

Silverado announces leadership transition as Wayne Sanner assumes role of Chief Executive Officer and President FDL Reporter, Irvine, CA; Press Release; 7/9/26 Silverado enters a new chapter as Wayne Sanner assumes leadership, building on founder Loren Shook’s legacy of innovation and compassionate care. ... Effective July 1, 2026, Wayne Sanner assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer and President of Silverado. At the same time, founder Loren Shook transitioned to the role of Chairman of the Board, Executive Chairman, and Founder, where he will continue full time to support the culture and development of Silverado while providing strategic guidance and helping shape Silverado’s future.

Big Bend Health announced as parent company of Big Bend Hospice, reflecting expanded continuum of care across North Florida Big Bend Health; Press Release; 7/9/26 Big Bend Hospice, North Florida’s trusted nonprofit leader in end-of-life care for more than 40 years, today announced the formal introduction of Big Bend Health as its parent company; a strategic brand evolution that reflects the organization’s growing continuum of care while reinforcing Big Bend Hospice as its primary and most recognized service. Big Bend Health, formerly known as Seven Oaks Health, unifies Big Bend Hospice and its related healthcare services under one cohesive continuum of care. While the parent name will be used primarily for formal and legal purposes, the community will continue to see Big Bend Hospice as the forward-facing brand and the cornerstone of compassionate end-of-life care.

The meaning of TIME HSJ Online; by Todd Grimes; 7/8/26 I would argue that when it comes right down to it, all any of us have is TIME. What we choose to do with the TIME we are given is up to each of us as individuals. Some days we might wish for TIME to speed up - yet on others we might wish for TIME to slow down. Most of us have even had moments - here and there - that we wish could stand still. ... It was about 50 months ago - lying in my hospital bed - when I learned of my pancreatic cancer diagnosis. ... TIME has become more a state of being and less about where the hands on a clock might be positioned. ...

Straight from the source: DOJ, OIG, and CMS on fraud and abuse enforcement in 2026 and beyond Mondaq | Legal 500 | Intelligence; by Lorel Writh and Lisa Re; 7/7/26  The American Health Law Association (AHLA) Conference wrapped up today, and its closing general session brought together three federal enforcers: Kim Brandt, Deputy Administrator and COO of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Susan Gillin, Assistant Inspector General for Legal Affairs at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); and Brenna Jenny, Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Fraud Section. AHLA CEO David Cade moderated. Across the hour, the panel previewed how the three agencies intend to coordinate fraud and abuse enforcement in 2026 and beyond, emphasizing interagency collaboration, a shift from chasing improper payments to preventing them, and the connection between program integrity and affordability.

Frazier Healthcare Partners announces definitive agreement to acquire MatrixCare WKOW-17 ABC | Businenss Wire; Press Release; 7/7/26 Frazier Healthcare Partners ("Frazier"), a private equity firm focused exclusively on the healthcare industry, today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire MatrixCare (the “Company”) from Resmed (NYSE & ASX: RMD). MatrixCare is a leading provider of cloud-based EHR software purpose-built for out-of-hospital care settings, including skilled nursing, senior living, home health, hospice, and life plan communities. ... The transaction includes MatrixCare and related software offerings historically sold under the MatrixCare brand, including Healthcare First, Citus, and home health and hospice solutions.

 Former Skowhegan nonprofit director seeks early end to probation for thefts CentralMaine.com, Skowhegan, ME; by Jake Freudber; 7/8/26 Jason Gayne has paid the $70,000 in restitution owed to the Skowhegan Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Hospice Volunteers of Somerset County. ... Gayne has completed hundreds of hours of community service, well beyond what he was ordered to do. He has focused on providing for his family. And he has never violated the conditions of his probation. ... Now Superior Court Chief Justice Robert E. Mullen will determine whether to approve Gayne’s request for an early end to his probation. Gayne’s request, if granted, would effectively shave two years from the term included in his sentence.

What’s broken in American healthcare—and how to fix it | part one Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast by Chris Comeaux with Dr. Don Berwick; 7/8/26What if the greatest challenge facing American healthcare isn’t a lack of innovation—but a system that rewards the wrong incentives? In this compelling new episode of TCNtalks / Anatomy of Leadership, Chris Comeaux sits down with Dr. Don Berwick—former Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), co-founder of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), and one of the most respected voices in healthcare quality—to discuss the forces shaping healthcare today and what leaders can do to change its future.

CMS’ proposed Palliative Care Benefit: What we know so far CHAP - Community Health Accreditation Partner; free webinar to be presented by Dr. Jennifer Kennedy and Dr. Mary Lynn McPherson; to be presented 7/15/26 CMS recently released the FY 2027 Hospice proposed rule and the CY 2027 Home Health proposed rule, both of which address community-based palliative care. Join CHAP for a review of CMS's proposed changes, including new requests for feedback, clarification on the provision of skilled palliative care services under existing Medicare home health benefits, and planned future guidance on covered palliative care services. We'll also discuss how CMS distinguishes palliative care from hospice care and its role in supporting patients with serious illness who continue to receive life-prolonging treatment. 

Allina Health hospice workers hold one-day strike KARE-11 NBC, Minneapolis, MN; by Heidi Wigdahl; 7/6/26 On Monday [7/6], Allina Health hospice workers held a one-day strike as they fight for a first contract. A group of about 65 hospice nurses at Allina, who are members of SEIU Healthcare Minnesota & Iowa, voted in support of a strike at the end of June. Allina Health said the strike does not include nurses at Allina's hospitals and clinics but ones working in homes, skilled nursing facilities and assisted living facilities within the Twin Cities' greater metro area.

Addressing the emotional and psychologic toll of a cancer diagnosis Cancer Therapy Advisor; by Sabrina Martinez, MS and Jason L. Harris; 7/7/26 Patients with cancer experience distress not only from receiving a jarring diagnosis, but also a treatment regimen that can be difficult and debilitating, additional challenges to relationships that might be fraught already, significant financial stress, and the reality of death. Many also experience thoughts of fear of recurrence, stress, depression, anxiety, self-consciousness, and loneliness. The mental and emotional burden of cancer can be as difficult as enduring the disease itself. We spoke with oncologists and experts in psycho-oncology to get their perspectives on delivering “bad” news, working with loved ones and caregivers, resources for those involved in the patient’s cancer journey, and survivorship issues that should be addressed.

After Nebraska sanctions and federal charges, Iowa nurse surrenders license Iowa Capital Dispatch; by Clark Kauffman; 7/7/26 Almost two years after the State of Nebraska revoked a nurse’s ability to practice there for posing a “significant risk to public safety,” Iowa’s Board of Nursing has agreed to accept the nurse’s surrender of her license to practice in Iowa. The decision by the Iowa board comes after Brandy Wicks, a registered nurse from Treynor, was accused of stealing patient medications from a hospital, a home-hospice program and at least two nursing homes, and after her indictment on 11 federal criminal charges.

[United Kingdom] Hospice hosts wedding for cancer patient in hours BBC News; by Asha Patel; 7/7/26 Hospice staff organized an "unforgettable" wedding in seven hours so a cancer patient could marry her partner of 33 years. Karen and Stephen Glossop, from Eckington in Derbyshire, put their wedding plans on hold after Karen was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year and her health deteriorated. After a conversation with staff at Ashgate Hospice, Chesterfield, where Karen is currently an inpatient, the couple's wishes became a reality, all in the space of a few hours. Karen, 58, and Stephen, 57, exchanged their vows in the hospice's courtyard, which was transformed into the wedding venue, on Thursday, surrounded by family and friends.