Literature Review

The Family CNA Model: Supporting families and improving care for children with medical complexity Mondaq; by Stephanie Anthony, Alixandra Gould, Blair Cantfil, and Jessica Lyons; 6/16/25 Children with medical complexity represent less than 1% of all children in the U.S., but have significant, specialized, and long-term health care needs, accounting for one-third of pediatrics costs in the U.S. ... The Family CNA model trains and reimburses family members—including parents, guardians, siblings, aunts, uncles, and grandparents—to provide certain types of home care for children with medical complexity that would otherwise be provided by a registered nurse (RN), a licensed practical nurse (LPN), or a non-family CNA. This care includes low acuity in-home nursing tasks, such as medication administration, gastronomy tube (G-tube) care, or catheter care. Family CNAs are licensed or certified health care professionals that work in concert with other providers on a child's care team, including RNs and LPNs who provide supervision and perform high-acuity tasks, to support their child's medical needs and activities of daily living at home. The unique benefits of the Family CNA model include: ... [Click on the title's link.]

Dr. Anne Merriman obituary: doctor known as ‘mother of palliative care in Africa’ The Times, London, England; 6/18/25 Dr. Anne Merriman revolutionised palliative and end-of-life care in Africa after developing a cheap form of oral morphine with a Singapore hospital pharmacist. ... Universally known as “Dr. Anne”, she said: “It’s easier than baking a cake.” She developed the pain-controlling recipe after seeing terminally ill patients discharged from hospital because “nothing more could be done for them”. Many died at home in severe and prolonged pain. “A wild, undisciplined schoolgirl” who became a nun and a doctor, Merriman founded the pioneering Hospice Africa Uganda (HAU) in 1993 at the age of 57. Palliative care was largely unknown in Africa when she started her work in Uganda. HAU has treated more than 35,000 patients and trained more than 10,000 healthcare professionals from 37 African countries in the so-called Merriman model. ... Anne Merriman, doctor, was born on May 13, 1935. She died from respiratory failure on May 18, 2025, aged 90.

Short notice, long love: A hospice wedding full of heart Citrus County Chronicle, Inverness, FL; by Mike Arnold; 6/16/25 Brendan Malone and Vanessa Rodriguez made a snap decision that would change their lives – and touch the hearts of everyone around them. The couple were driving up from Estero in the early afternoon of June 5 to visit Malone’s father, Michael “Big Mike” Malone, who had recently moved into Citrus Health and Rehab in Inverness and was also receiving care from Vitas Hospice. [Already engaged,] ... they made the decision to get married the next morning, at Citrus Health and Rehab. There were no tuxedo fittings, no cake tastings, no invitations sent. There was no time. There were flowers, guests, toasts, bubbles – and love. And “Big Mike” had a front row seat. Brendan Malone didn’t want to get married without the man who had been his biggest supporter by his side. ... What followed was a whirlwind of compassion, planning, and action from the staff at the nursing facility and the local hospice team. Within hours, they coordinated decorations, arranged courtyard seating, and made sure Michael could be present in his wheelchair for the ceremony.

Winning with whiskers: A new approach to salesTeleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast by Chris Comeaux with Dawn Landry; 6/18/25In this engaging conversation, Chris Comeaux and Dawn F. Landry explore the intricacies of leadership, emphasizing the importance of curiosity, self-awareness, and empathy.  Dawn shares her journey in business development and her unique approach to understanding personality traits through her book, Winning with Whiskers [A Business Fable About Overcoming Obstacles by Knowing Yourself & Others]. Their discussion highlights the significance of building strong relationships and navigating friction in professional settings, ultimately advocating for a more authentic and empathetic leadership style.  Dawn discusses the importance of self-awareness, understanding personal strengths, and the dynamics of building effective relationships in both personal and professional settings.

The skills and habits aspiring CEOs need to build Harvard Business Review (HBR) - Leadership; by Vasundhara Sawhney; 6/12/25 It’s no secret that today’s business environment is volatile and unpredictable. ... CEOs have a fresh set of challenges that the standard management playbook is ill-equipped to address. As a result, many are heading for the exit. According to one survey of U.S. companies, nearly 2,000 CEOs announced their departures in 2024—the highest total on record. At the same time, executive recruiters report that fewer people are interested in, or ready to, replace these exiting CEOs. ... [We] reached out to three experts ... [and] specifically asked: What skills and behaviors should aspiring CEOs prioritize on building now to thrive in an increasingly complex world? And how can organizations support them in building these skills? Here are their answers, edited for clarity. ...

Scaling early palliative care in value-based community oncology: A technology-enabled approach American Journal of Managed Care (AJMC); by Biqi Zhang, Samyukta Mullangi, Alphan Kirayoglu, Stephen G. Divers, Julia L. Frydman; 6/18/25 Key Takeaways: 

68% of hospices lack star ratingsHospice News; by Jim Parker; 6/18/25 The proportion of hospices that do not have a star rating from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is growing. CMS introduced the hospice star rating system in 2022 to help patients make informed decisions about which provider to choose. They appear on CMS’ Care Compare website. The scores are based on Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) survey results. Between August 2022 and that same month in 2024, the number of hospices without a star rating rose from 3,912 to 5,086, an average of 68%, according to a new study published in Health Affairs.

MedPAC Report: Medicare Advantage enrollees receive 11% fewer home health visits Home Health Care News; by Morgan Gonzales; 6/13/25 The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission’s (MedPAC) June report to Congress examined home health care use among Medicare Advantage (MA) and traditional Medicare patients and found that MA enrollees receive 11% fewer home health visits compared to Medicare fee-for-service. ... 

Giving full consideration to medical technology during health system mergers and acquisitions Healthcare Business Today; by Nancy Wright; 6/17/25 ... There’s a unique balance to strike in the early stages of an acquisition. On one hand, quality care must be a priority as clinicians continue to treat patients, but of course, the strategic vision should focus on the long-term path that the health system is on. In light of the population around them, their goals as a provider, and their current assets and offers, the new health system needs to take a long, hard look and ask, “What is it we want to become?” A big part of the answer to that question lies in accurately assessing the existing system—highlighting the current staff, technology, equipment, and financial performance—and how it can be leveraged strategically to move towards an ideal future. ...

One half of knowing what you want is knowing what you must give up before you get it. ~ Sidney Howard

Adoray makes annual conduit contribution Star-Observer, St. Croix County, WI; 6/17/25Family Friendly Workplaces (FFW) is pleased to announce that Adoray Home Health & Hospice, a Gold-Level certified Family Friendly Workplace, recently made an annual conduit contribution to the Family Resource Center St. Croix Valley. This meaningful contribution reflects Adoray’s ongoing commitment to supporting families and strengthening the local community. “At the heart of Adoray are caregivers, whether they are mothers, family caregivers, or professional caregivers. We understand the profound importance of walking alongside our community through every step of their caregiving journey,” said Christa Walz, Executive Director of Adoray Home Health & Hospice.

'Just support her': Brittany Maynard's husband says medical aid in dying helped him grieve USA Today; by Madeline Mitchell; 6/15/25 Some patients find comfort in medical aid in dying, which allows individuals with six months or less to live the option to obtain a medicine that can help them die peacefully at a time of their choosing. It's not considered euthanasia – which is when someone administers a lethal drug – because the patient takes the medicine themselves. Medical aid in dying is legal in 11 states and in Washington, DC. “A lot of patients really express this desire to shield family members from the agony of watching them die, and potentially having them witness a really traumatic or a really burdensome death," said Anita Hannig, an anthropologist and author of the book "The Day I Die: The Untold Story of Assisted Dying in America." Some caregivers say medical aid in dying helped in their grieving process, too. One thing (Compassion & Choices’ Jessica) Empeño, (Americans United for Life’s Catie) Kelley and Hannig agree on: When a patient asks to die, it's crucial to ask questions about their pain levels, comfort and mental health. Not every patient can or wants to move to one of the 12 jurisdictions that allow medical aid in dying. Moving can be expensive, and some patients don't have the physical ability or time to move. The best thing caregivers can do, Empeño said, is to advocate for their loved one and plan for their death. Ask questions about what the patient wants when they are dying, like if they want visitors in those final moments and who should make final decisions if the patient can't themselves. Guest Editor’s Note, Mark Cohen: Medical Aid in Dying is not going away. This article makes the point that the things that hospices do best—empathetic listening, asking thoughtful questions to guide patients in their healthcare decision-making—can benefit patients and families on both sides of this policy question. For a related article, see this column by Dan Diaz supporting removal of the sunset provision in California’s End of Life Options Act: “Husband of Brittany Maynard: Let’s make medical aid in dying permanent”; Sacramento Bee, 6/3/2025.

‘Smartest thing I ever did:’ Woman shares how grief counseling helped her through tragedy WGHP, Asheboro, NC; by Brayden Stamps; 6/17/25 Everyone goes through grief at some point in their life and it is important to get help when you need it. Hospice facilities serve families in more ways than just providing their loved ones with a place to stay during their final days. “It was the smartest thing I ever did,” said Darlene Tolbert, a grief counseling client with Hospice of Randolph. Tolbert came to Hospice of Randolph at the recommendation of a friend after she lost her son to suicide.