Literature Review
Rare flu complication rose in recent years
03/07/25 at 03:00 AMRare flu complication rose in recent years Medscape; by Heidi Splete; 3/4/25 Reports of children in the United States with influenza-associated encephalopathy or encephalitis (IAE) increased from none during the 2020-2021 flu season to a preliminary 14% for the 2024-2025 season, based on a new analysis from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). IAE involves a range of neurologic syndromes triggered by flu infection of the respiratory tract, with diagnosis based on brain lesions detectable on imaging, wrote Amara Fazal, MD, and colleagues at the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. A series of anecdotal reports of pediatric cases with IAE in January 2025 prompted the CDC’s investigation; the findings were published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).
Annual pancake supper raises 6k for United Hospice Service
03/07/25 at 03:00 AMAnnual pancake supper raises 6k for United Hospice ServiceThumbnet.net; by Chambray Anaman; 3/5/25 The Bown City Interact Club proudly presented a check for $6,200 to United Hospice Service of Aspire Rural Health System following the success of their 35th Annual Hospice Pancake Supper. The event, held in partnership with the Brown City Rotary Club, welcomed approximately 200 attendees, all coming together in support of compassionate end-of-life care.
Unity Hospice and Palliative Care, with over 30 years experience, broadens services to southern Wisconsin
03/07/25 at 03:00 AMUnity Hospice and Palliative Care, with over 30 years experience, broadens services to southern Wisconsin EIN Presswire; by Unity Hospice and Palliative Care; 3/6/25 Unity Hospice and Palliative Care is expanding its services to Southern Wisconsin, bringing decades of expertise in delivering personalized, heartfelt care and support to individuals and families facing life-limiting illnesses. The new location will serve patients in Kenosha, Milwaukee, and Racine counties, ensuring greater access to high-quality hospice and palliative care. "For over 30 years, Unity Hospice and Palliative Care has provided expert, compassionate support to patients and families," said Michael Klein, CEO of Unity Hospice and Palliative Care. "Expanding to Southern Wisconsin allows us to bring that same commitment to even more communities, ensuring that individuals facing serious illness receive the personalized care they deserve."
The twofold challenge of an older population — and how systems are adapting
03/07/25 at 03:00 AMThe twofold challenge of an older population — and how systems are adapting Becker's Hospital Review; by Kelly Gooch and Kristin Kuchno; 2/21/25 In less than a decade, older Americans are projected to outnumber children for the first time in U.S. history, sparking conversations about the need for age-friendly healthcare. At the same time, declining birth rates and longer life expectancies — half of babies born in 2020 are expected to live past 100 years — pose potential workforce challenges. Becker's connected with four health system leaders to explore the challenges this demographic shift presents and how they are preparing to address it. [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]
Executive Personnel Changes - 3/7/25
03/07/25 at 03:00 AMExecutive Personnel Changes - 3/7/25
Local teen helps patients at the end of life preserve memories
03/07/25 at 03:00 AMLocal teen helps patients at the end of life preserve memories 10 Tampa Bay YouTube channel; 3/6/25 A bittersweet and beautiful story this morning. A local teen is helping patients at the end of life preserve memories to pass on to family. The Lifetime Legacies program through Empath Health can be in the form of a journal or a video, too. ... It's hard to think about, losing a loved one, but this is a great way to celebrate their lived experience. ... While chipping away at Bright Futures Community service hours, Zoe Lazanowski found purpose and passion. ... A volunteer with Suncoast Hospice (a member of Empath Health), Zoe helps interview patients who want to be part of the Lifetime Legacies program. Memories are documented from their childhood, family history, and sharing special stories. "One of my favorite things to ask was what advice they would have for the family ..."
Today's Encouragement: When we deny our stories, they ...
03/07/25 at 03:00 AMWhen we deny our stories, they define us. When we own our stories, we get to write a brave new beginning. ~ Brené Brown
1 in 7 Medicaid users go to nursing home after cancer diagnosis, study finds
03/07/25 at 03:00 AM1 in 7 Medicaid users go to nursing home after cancer diagnosis, study finds McKnights Long-Term Care News; by Kristen Fischer; 3/5/25 One in 7 Medicaid beneficiaries received care at a nursing home after they were newly diagnosed with cancer, a new study finds. People who went to nursing homes were more likely to be white or Black, and dual-eligible for Medicaid and Medicare, compared to those who did not use nursing homes and primarily had short nursing home stays. The study was published Tuesday [3/4] in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. ... Investigators examined data from 338,767 Medicaid beneficiaries spanning 45 states who were newly diagnosed with cancer and were diagnosed with cancer in 2017 or 2018. ... The most prevalent cancer types associated with short and long stays were lung, breast and hematological. The high number of people who are dual-eligible and going to nursing homes after a cancer diagnosis is an important policy issue, the authors wrote.
HHS scraps transparency practices for policymaking
03/07/25 at 03:00 AMHHS scraps transparency practices for policymaking Modern Healthcare; by Bridget Early; 2/28/25The Health and Human Services Department is abandoning a Nixon-era practice that offered transparency into federal policymaking in a move that limits the public and the healthcare sector's ability to influence government actions. Instead, HHS intends to comply with the bare-minimum requirements of the Administrative Procedures Act of 1946, or APA, and only engage in the traditional notice-and-comment process as expressly dictated by that law, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wrote in a policy statement published Friday [2/27]. HHS had followed the now-defunct guidelines for 54 years.
The 8 new rules of IT leadership — and what they replace
03/07/25 at 03:00 AMThe 8 new rules of IT leadership — and what they replaceCIO; by Mary K. Pratt; 3/3/25 The technology landscape is rapidly evolving — so too is the way IT chiefs should lead their organizations. Here’s which old rules of IT leadership are no longer relevant and what has replaced them. ... Here, veteran CIOs, researchers, and advisers share the changes they’re seeing, offering a look at the new rules of IT leadership along with the old ones they’ve replaced.
Lifelong ISU fan receiving hospice care attends Cyclone basketball game
03/07/25 at 02:30 AMLifelong ISU fan receiving hospice care attends Cyclone basketball game CBS KCCI News-8 YouTube channel, Des Moines, IO; 3/24/25 A care home in Boone worked to get a lifelong Iowa State fan to what might be her final men's basketball game tonight. Beverly Adrian is receiving hospice care. She is 79, but turns 80 at the end of the month. Her last wish was to attend an Iowa State event, and since she is such a huge sports fan, the workers at the home she lives in thought this game would be perfect. And as you can see, it was an emotional night for her. "Oh, awesome!" "Very good!" "I've been crying since I walked in." ...
A hospice for kids: Grinnell family eyes Iowa City for state's first pediatric hospice
03/07/25 at 02:00 AMA hospice for kids: Grinnell family eyes Iowa City for state's first pediatric hospice Des Moines Register, Des Moines, IA; by Richard Hakes; 3/6/25 A Grinnell couple’s dream to help other families after they lost their young son to a rare disease took a big step forward in Iowa City just a few days ago. Shanna and Curtis Sieck’s non-profit called Mason’s Light House has signed a contract for land just west of the Johnson County Historic Poor Farm as the initial step toward building Iowa’s first pediatric hospice. Named in honor of their son, the facility is expected to be only the fourth in the United States. ... Mason’s Light House would accept up to seven children for both hospice and respite care, provide family suites and be fully staffed with a pediatric palliative care team of nurses, social workers, therapists and other specialists in the field. There would be no cost to patients and their families who use it.
Palliative care clinicians goals-of-care notes more extensive than other providers’ documentation
03/07/25 at 02:00 AMPalliative care clinicians goals-of-care notes more extensive than other providers’ documentation Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 3/5/25 A team of researchers has developed a standardized goals-of-care note to document patient wishes in the electronic medical record. Many patients do not experience goals-of-care conversations in a timely manner. But even among those who have, their wishes can get lost if they are not documented. The standardized note created by a research team from the Regenstrief Institute, the Indiana University School of Medicine and Indiana University Health can help health care providers be aware of and access patients’ goals of care, according to lead investigator Dr. Alexia Torke. ... The research on the note was published in the American Journal of Medicine.
Hospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation announces 2025 Emerging Leader Award recipients
03/06/25 at 03:10 AMHospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation announces 2025 Emerging Leader Award recipients Hospice & Palliative Nurses Foundation; Press Release; 12/9/24The Hospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation (HPNF) is thrilled to announce the 30 outstanding recipients of the 2025 Emerging Leader Award! These exceptional hospice and palliative care nurses represent the future of the field, having demonstrated remarkable leadership, innovation, and dedication early in their careers. … Please join HPNF in congratulating these inspiring trailblazers of the 2025 Emerging Leaders Award!
Amid huge growth in Southern Nevada’s hospice industry, lawmaker pushes for more oversight
03/06/25 at 03:00 AMAmid huge growth in Southern Nevada’s hospice industry, lawmaker pushes for more oversight The Nevada Independent; by Tabitha Mueller; 3/5/25 The number of licensed hospice providers in Southern Nevada jumped by more than 350 percent since 2020 — a proliferation combined with minimal industry regulation that health care experts warn harms patients and leads to fraud. To address the issue, Assm. Rebecca Edgeworth (R-Las Vegas) is sponsoring AB161, which is scheduled for a hearing Wednesday. The measure, Edgeworth said, is a way to “raise the bar” for hospice providers and protect patients. “In the last few years, there has been this horrendous influx of charlatans and flimflam artists,” Edgeworth told The Nevada Independent.
Faith Home Health and Hospice continues HCH services
03/06/25 at 03:00 AMFaith Home Health and Hospice continues HCH servicesThe Holton Recorder, Holton, KS; by Brian Sanders; 3/5/25 Last September, Holton Community Hospital announced that it would close its award-winning home health and hospice department by the end of the year. Enter Kansas City-based Faith Home Health and Hospice, which has been working with staff from the HCH home health and hospice department since November to ensure that those services continue for those in the Jackson County area who need them. Faith chief executive officer Bev Kimzey, noting that her firm is under contract with HCH to purchase the department, saw taking over management of the department and continuing those services in this area — especially with HCH’s home health and hospice staff intact — as “a win-win.”
Concerning new data on female physician suicide
03/06/25 at 03:00 AMConcerning new data on female physician suicide Medscape Medical News; by Pauline Anderson; 2/28/25 Suicide rates for female physicians in the United States between 2017-2021 were 47% higher than for women in the general population, results of a retrospective cohort study showed. Unlike their female counterparts, male physicians had a lower rate for suicide relative to the general male population, investigators found. “The results indicate we need added multimodal and comprehensive suicide prevention specific for physicians,” lead study author Hirsh Makhija, MS, postgraduate researcher, Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, told Medscape Medical News. ... The findings were published online on February 26 in JAMA Psychiatry.
Central Coast VNA & Hospice expands registered nursing services in Monterey
03/06/25 at 03:00 AMCentral Coast VNA & Hospice expands registered nursing services in Monterey Buzz; 3/5/25 Central Coast VNA & Hospice is significantly expanding its registered nursing care services in Monterey, providing residents with increased access to high-quality, personalized healthcare delivered directly in their homes. … Key expanded services include advanced care planning, which helps patients and families make informed medical decisions, and a palliative care program focused on relieving symptoms and reducing stress for patients with serious illnesses. The organization also offers specialty programs targeting specific health conditions such as cardiac care, diabetic care, and orthopedic support.
Providence, Compassus finalize home health joint venture
03/06/25 at 03:00 AMProvidence, Compassus finalize home health joint venture HomeCare, Renton, WA and Brentwood, TN; 3/5/25Providence, a nonprofit health system serving the Western U.S., and Compassus, a national provider of integrated home-based care services, announced they have finalized the first phase of a joint venture for home health, hospice and community-based palliative care in Alaska, Texas and Washington. The new entity will operate under the name Providence at Home with Compassus. In Lubbock, Texas, the Covenant Health hospice program that is part of the Providence family of organizations will be rebranded as Covenant Health at Home with Compassus. Under the agreement, Compassus will manage operations for the joint venture, which will include six home health locations in Alaska and Washington, and five hospice and palliative care locations in Alaska, Texas and Washington.
Today's Encouragement: The greatest mistake you can make is ..,
03/06/25 at 03:00 AMThe greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one. ~ Elbert Hubbard
What's driving change in end-of-life care for February 2025
03/06/25 at 03:00 AMWhat's driving change in end-of-life care for February 2025 Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast by Chris Comeaux; 3/5/25 In this episode, Chris Comeaux and Cordt Kassner, PhD—Publisher of Hospice & Palliative Care Today and CEO/Founder of Hospice Analytics—unpack the latest trends shaping end-of-life care in America. Drawing on extensive experience and data-driven insights, they spotlight key Hospice headlines, research, and podcasts influencing the Hospice sector. … Plus, Cordt delivers a masterclass on Hospice technology, offering practical tools and strategies to enhance care delivery.
A walk in the Bywater was just the medicine I needed
03/06/25 at 03:00 AMA walk in the Bywater was just the medicine I needed NOLA.com, New Orleans, LA; by Danny Heitman; 3/2/25 Last fall, I asked Pico Iyer, a travel writer and spiritual thinker I’ve followed for years, how he keeps a sense of hope in a troubled world. Iyer touched on several points, but his parting comment is the one I remember most vividly. “During the worst days of the pandemic,” Iyer recalled, “I was asked to give a talk to a local hospice organization. At the end, the moderator asked me to offer some advice. I’m sure he was expecting something wise or sonorous or lofty. All I could say was, ‘Take a walk. If the world doesn’t look better after you do, you will almost certainly feel better.'” A few days later, Iyer’s words came back to me as my wife and I took a weekend walk in the Bywater neighborhood of New Orleans. ... Editor's note: Just in time for Mardi Gras, enjoy this inspirational story. Whether at work or at home, find time to use this advice, "Take a walk."
Bird flu: Human cases
03/06/25 at 03:00 AMBird flu: Human casesHospice & Palliative Care Today; 3/5/25Reports of human cases of the H5 bird flu are on the rise. Here are several posts.
Uplift Hospice acquires Star of Texas
03/06/25 at 03:00 AMUplift Hospice acquires Star of Texas Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 3/5/25Uplift Hospice has acquired Star of Texas Hospice. Financial terms were undisclosed. The transaction will bring Uplift’s average daily census up to 450 across three states — Arizona, Nevada and Texas. The two organizations first connected to discuss a potential transaction through a mutual relationship with the M&A advisory firm Agenda Health, according to Uplift Hospice’s CEO Owen Lawrie.
[Scotland, UK] ‘There’s still hope and joy to be had’: Art adds colour to end-of-life hospice care
03/06/25 at 03:00 AM[Scotland, UK] ‘There’s still hope and joy to be had’: Art adds colour to end-of-life hospice care The Sunday Post; by Paul English; 3/2/25 For Alison Couston, hope is as simple as a brush stroke. ... Alison might have been forgiven for abandoning her creative energies following a devastating diagnosis of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) last year. ... Alison’s speech, mobility, balance and co-ordination have been affected in the period since her diagnosis. But rather than giving up, the Glasgow theatre producer is still pushing creative boundaries. ... Now Alison is herself receiving the benefit of artistic practice at a challenging time as a weekly visitor to the art room at the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice in Glasgow’s Bellahouston Park. ... “Because of her diagnosis, she has certain limitations now and we had to work together to overcome those. She has been painting with her non-dominant hand and has embraced a more abstract expressive approach.” ... Alison’s paintings are now being gathered together for a book ... Alison said: “The book was my idea first of all as a way to raise money for the hospice. I thought if I sold my paintings in book form it would encourage more donations.