Literature Review

Hospice of the Valley launches living will campaignAhwatukee Foothills News, by Lin Sue Flood; 1/23/24National research shows that only about a third of Americans have created a living will or advance healthcare directive. ... Three nonprofit organizations — Mercy Care, Hospice of the Valley and Contexture — are launching a community education campaign to ensure that Arizonans’ wishes are honored. ... Choose Your Person is an awareness campaign urging all adults to choose someone to be their healthcare power of attorney. 

Great things in business are never done by one person; they’re done by a team of people. – Steve Jobs

Norwell hospice honors Weymouth nurse, 99, with a Nightingale pin. "I felt so proud!" The Patriot Ledger, by Sue Scheible; 1/23/24Retired nurse Betty Beecher of Weymouth, nearing 100, describes receiving a Nightingale pin from the NVNA and Hospice, where she now is a patient.

Don’t stop dreamin’ turns nursing home residents’ dreams into realityiAdvanceSeniorCare, by Paige Cerulli; 1/22/24The nonprofit now works to fulfill dreams for residents of all Quality Life Services homes, as well as for patients of Three Rivers Hospice. “There is one employee at all ten locations, including Three Rivers Hospice, that represents Don’t Stop Dream’ as a Dream Ambassador,” explains [Paula] Elder. “They are responsible for learning about our residents and patients’ needs and dreams, and submitting them for request. Most dreams are typically granted to our residents and patients after research is completed to ensure their safety, travel arrangements (if necessary), and staffing is available.”

Myotonic dystrophy type 1: palliative care guidelinesBMJ Supportive & Palliative Care, by Derek Willis, Tracey Willis, Claire Bassie, Gail Eglon, Emma-Jayne Ashley, and Chris Turner; 1/22/24Palliative care for adults with neuromuscular conditions is an emerging field. Previous guidelines regarding myotonic dystrophy and palliative care have only mentioned end-of-life care and little else. The following guidelines have been written using national experts as a description of best practice as part of the Dystrophia Myotonica National Care Guidelines Consortium.Requires subscription or purchase

Inside a $300M push to save failing hospitalsModern Healthcare, by Kara Hartnett; 1/19/24When Madera Community Hospital declared bankruptcy and suddenly closed its doors a year ago, an agricultural community of 68,000 Californians lost its sole source of emergency and specialty care.

Cervical cancer increasing in women in their 30s and 40s, new report finds NBC News, by Liz Szabo; 1/20/24Among women in their 30s and early 40s, incidence has been edging upward. Diagnosis of cervical cancer among women ages 30 to 44 rose almost 2% a year from 2012 to 2019.

Race, ethnicity, and cancer type influence which patients access hospice careOncology Nurse Advisor, by Jennifer Larson; 1/19/24... [A] researcher from a comprehensive cancer center in North Carolina conducted a clinical literature review to investigate research outcomes of hospice use in the United States. ... A total of 17 quantitative studies, published between 2017 and 2023, was included in this review. Notable differences by cancer type were found. ... The analysis also showed disparities in hospice use by race and ethnicity.

Riding off with a legacyNext Avenue, by Kate St. Vincent Vogl; 1/22/24A story about women breaking barriers was bigger than my dying friend and me. I promised to see it through. ...  And in the fall of 2019, from her hospice bed, my friend handed over her whole manuscript. ... Turned out the founder of the Women's International Motorcycle Association (WIMA) also encouraged her followers to say yes — to motorcycle riding. And the thrill of independence. [Her dying wish is published: Iron Horse Cowgirls - Louise Scherbyn and the Women Motorcyclists of the 1930s and 1940s.]

Cancer statistics, 2024American Cancer Society, by Rebecca L. Siegel MPH, Angela N. Giaquinto MSPH, and Ahmedin Jemal DVM, PhD; 1/17/2024In this article, we provide the estimated numbers of new cancer cases and deaths in 2024 in the United States nationally and for each state, as well as a comprehensive overview of cancer occurrence based on up-to-date population-based data for cancer incidence and mortality through 2020 and 2021, respectively.

January 2024 MedPAC and MACPAC Data Book: Beneficiaries Dually Eligible for Medicare and MedicaidMedPAC; 1/22/24View and download the Data Book

Pressing questions about rural telehealth access and investments put innovation in dangerMcKnights Long-Term Care News, by Kimberly Marselas; 1/22/24Proven healthcare technologies can help improve patient care and boost staff confidence, but in many rural areas, one major impediment remains: lack of high-speed internet.

Hospice investors to watch in 2024Hospice News, by Jim Parker; 1/19/24Though the number of hospice M&A deals plummeted in 2023 compared to prior years, deals are still being made, and the industry may see a rebound in 2024.