Literature Review

UnitedHealth Group, Amedisys to offload sites to BrightSpring, Pennant GroupMcKnight's Home Care; by Liza Berger; 5/2/25UnitedHealth Group and Amedisys this week entered into agreements to divest certain care, home health and hospice care centers to affiliates of home care firms BrightSpring Health Services and The Pennant Group, according to an 8-K filing dated Thursday. The divestitures are contingent on the completion of UnitedHealth’s acquisition of Amedisys. The acquisition, which has been in the works since 2023, has been beset by federal antitrust scrutiny. Earlier this month, court documents revealed that a lawsuit filed by the United States Justice Department to block the acquisition is set for mediation on Aug. 18.

What not to say to patients with serious illnesses Medscape; by Lambeth Hochwald; 4/30/25 Robert Den, MD, a radiation oncologist in Philadelphia, constantly reminds himself that while he’s in the ‘cancer world’ every minute of the day, his patients aren’t. “As oncologists, we may be meeting with the third patient that day with a newly diagnosed metastatic cancer, but for this individual, this is their first time hearing news like this,” Den told Medscape Medical News. That’s just one reason Den says words matter. ... [He identifies] "Five Things Docs Shouldn't Say" ...

Private equity in health careAMA Journal of Ethics; 5/25One way private equity differs from other for-profit investments is by aiming to maximize profitability while minimizing long-term holdings in such investments. Valuation for private equity acquisitions in health care has grown to over 150 billion dollars since 2020, and expansion continues. One reason private equity investment in the health sector deserves close ethical attention is that private equity firms are, generally, not interested in managing patient panels, clinician personnel, or making service delivery streams work for patients. Another reason is that influx of private equity investment in health care tends to consolidate markets for health services, undermining competition and driving up costs for patients. This theme issue considers which criteria should be used to determine whether, when, and for whom buying and selling of private equity in health care stands up to ethical, clinical, and legal scrutiny and considers how to better guide and regulate private equity transactions in health care.Publisher's note: This entire journal issue (14 articles) focuses on the role of private equity in health care.

Hunterdon Health Auxiliary’s Splash of Sparkle raises $47,000 for Hunterdon Hospice Hunterdon Health, Flemington, NJ; Press Release; 4/22/25 On April 6th, the Hunterdon Health Auxiliary brought together supporters of Hunterdon Hospice for its signature event, Splash of Sparkle, held at Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club. Guests gathered for an afternoon filled with bubbly, brunch, and giving back—raising $47,000 to support compassionate end-of-life care for patients and families across our region. ... One of the most meaningful moments of the afternoon came when Jean Hewens, a longtime friend of hospice, shared her family’s journey. Her husband, Dr. Jeremy Hewens, was a beloved family physician with Hunterdon Family Medicine at Delaware Valley for many years. ...

NPHI opens 10th Annual Summit in Las Vegas, celebrating a decade of impact National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI)m Washington, DC; Press Release; 4/29/25The 10th Annual Summit of the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) officially kicks off this morning, April 29, at the Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas. This milestone Summit, themed “A Decade of Impact,” brings together hospice and palliative care leaders from across the nation to celebrate ten years of remarkable achievements and to explore the innovative strategies that will drive the future of high-quality, community-based care. ... Key topics include advancing policy solutions to prevent fraud and abuse in hospice, harnessing artificial intelligence to improve care, exploring international hospice, elevating outreach and communications, and strengthening the quality and consistency of services across the board. During the summit, NPHI will also debut a newly developed Cancer Clinical Provider Guide—designed to help members deliver the highest standards of cancer care. ... “As we mark a decade of impact, this summit is not only a time to reflect on the extraordinary progress we’ve made, but an opportunity to be forward thinking and anticipating what comes next,” said Tom Koutsoumpas, NPHI CEO. [NPHI is a sponsor of our newsletter.]

Covenant Health transaction a growth engine for VITAS Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 4/28/25 Vitas Healthcare’s 2024 purchase of Covenant Health and Community Services is helping to drive the company’s growth. VITAS acquired Covenant last year for $85 million. The transaction included Covenant’s hospice assets and marked an important milestone for VITAS, including its entry into the assisted living space and in the Alabama market while expanding its geographic footprint across Florida. 

Health sector answers Trump's call for deregulation ideas Modern Healthcare; by Bridget Early; 4/29/25 The Trump administration wants the healthcare industry to recommend rules and regulations to toss. Trade groups representing hospitals, health insurance companies and others have ideas. The White House, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and other parts of the federal government are seeking suggestions to guide President Donald Trump's campaign to radically restructure and diminish the federal government. ... CMS included a request for information in Medicare payment rules the agency proposed this month. Comments are due June 10.

Professor teaches student physicians how to use art to connect with end-of-life patients Thomasville Times-Enterprise, Moultrie, GA; by Staff Reports; 4/23/25Richard Curtis of Thomasville teaches art classes at Thomas University, but he’s also an end-of-life doula who volunteers with patients through Archbold Hospice, integrating his artistic skills into his volunteer work. Earlier this month, Curtis showcased his blend of art, medical care, and human interaction during a session of the Medical Humanities course at PCOM South Georgia. Led by faculty member Thomas Last, PhD, the course aims to help student physicians transcend the science of medicine. “The Medical Humanities course supports students’ growth into humanistic, socially conscious physicians by providing reflective opportunities and meaningful experiences that deepen their understanding of diverse patient perspectives,” Dr. Last said.Editor's note: Do you dismiss this? Does it seem too "out there"? For stronger context, Sandra Bertman, PhD, FT pioneered Arts Medicine with medical students and other healthcare clinicians. For most of her career, Bertman was Professor of Humanities in Medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and Graduate School of Nursing, where she founded and directed the Program of Medical Humanities and Arts in Healthcare. (More personally, I've been blessed to know Sandra as my colleague and friend.) Dr. Bertman was awarded the Robert F. Kennedy Award for Social Justice (2018). Her primary publications include ...

Top story this week last year - 5/5/24Measuring decision aid effectiveness for end-of-life care: A systematic reviewPEC Innovation; M. Courtney Hughes, Erin Vernon, Chinenye Egwuonwu, Oluwatoyosi Afolabi; 4/24A total of 715 articles were initially identified, with 43 meeting the inclusion criteria. Outcome measures identified included decisional conflict, less aggressive care desired, knowledge improvements, communication improvements, tool satisfaction, patient anxiety and well-being, and less aggressive care action completed. The majority of studies reported positive outcomes especially when the decision aid development included International Patient Decision Aid Standards.Publisher's note: Also by these co-authors, please see The effectiveness of community-based palliative care program components: A systematic review (Age and Ageing, 2023) and Measuring effectiveness in community-based palliative care programs: A systematic review (Social Science & Medicine, 2022).

CMS releases HOPE Guidance Manual (V. 1.01) and TablesCenters for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); by CMS; 4/22/25On April 22, 2025, CMS released the HOPE Guidance Manual (V. 1.01) and connected tables. Providers can use v1.01 for HOPE planning, as this is considered final before HOPE implementation. Also note that earlier this month, the final HOPE data specs have also been released, helping software developers to finalize their HOPE software for testing in the coming months.

Preferences for communication about prognosis among children with cancer, parents, and oncologistsJAMA Network Open; Caroline Christianson, MD; Calliope Reeves; Harmony Farner, MA; Shoshana Mehler, BA; Tara M. Brinkman, PhD; Justin N. Baker, MD; Pamela Hinds, PhD, RN; Jennifer W. Mack, MD, MPH; Erica C. Kaye, MD, MPH; 4/25Should oncologists elicit communication preferences from patients with pediatric cancer and their parents before disclosing prognosis? In this study, patients, parents, and oncologists recommended preemptive elicitation of communication preferences with the goal of improving alignment of prognostic disclosure with patient and caregiver communication needs, thereby enhancing quality of care. These findings demonstrate that patients and caregivers are open to discussing prognostic communication preferences, and that oncologists also recognize the potential value in this communication approach, even as they rarely engage in it. 

Quality measure considerations for pediatric palliative and end-of-life careAmerican Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine; Hannah Hommes, MSN, RN; Diane Forsyth, PhD, RN; April Rowe Neal, PhD, RN; 3/25 There is an emerging need to provide high-quality pediatric palliative care and end-of-life care to children, adolescents, and young adults with life-limiting illnesses. The aim of this literature review was to explore current quality measures utilized in pediatric palliative care and end-of-life care among pediatric patients with life-limiting illnesses within the conceptual framework of Comfort Theory. Emergent themes among quality measures were categorized into 7 domains: (a) Alleviation of distressing symptoms, (b) Structures and processes of care, (c) Health care utilization, (d) Location of death and bereavement care, (e) Patient and family experiences, (f) Psychological and spiritual care, and (g) Cultural, ethical, and legal considerations. These domains support the physical, psychospiritual, sociocultural, and environmental contexts of Comfort Theory. Quality measure research, development, and standardization should focus within the 7 domains identified for the promotion of comfort, equity, and accessible care.

Designing and developing interprofessional learning experiences in palliative care: A collaborative workshop approachPalliative Medicine Reports; Carolyn Kezar, Justine McGiboney, Michael D. Barnett, Richard Taylor, Rebecca Edwards, Ella H. Bowman, Elizabeth McAlister, Moneka A. Thompson, Tara Schapmire, Chao-Hui Sylvia Huang; 4/25Team-based care is vital in palliative care, but there is limited interprofessional education (IPE) among health care providers, leading to siloed learning. We aimed to design, implement, and evaluate an Interprofessional Education Exchange (IPEX) Death and Dying workshop to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and improve participants’ comfort with palliative care competencies. The primary findings of our study support our initial goal of creating an effective and engaging learning experience, as demonstrated by the significant increase in comfort levels across all interprofessional competency domains. The use of a case-based, interdisciplinary approach to PC [palliative care] education was particularly impactful, with improvements of up to 50% in some areas. Notably, 96% of learners agreed that working with peers from other disciplines enhanced their education, suggesting that early collaboration can improve communication and team-based care in clinical practice.