Literature Review

St. Croix Hospice opens new Eagan location Sun Thisweek Dakota County Tribune, Eagan, MN; by Kara Hildreth; 3/20/25 The new Eagan St. Croix Hospice office opened this week to give support and end-of-life care from personal care teams. St. Croix Hospice team welcomed local businesses and city leaders March 18 to its ribbon cutting at 2121 Cliff Drive, Suite 101. The Eagan team said it looks forward to offering personalized end-of-life care to patients, their families, and caregivers.

Community health workers and technology interventions' impact on palliative support globally Journal of Palliative Medicine; by Alekhya Gunturi, Margarita Pertierra, Irma Elizabeth Huayanay Espinoza, Maya Kavita Ramachandran, Mpho Ratshikana Moloko, Karl A Lorenz; 3/20/25Background: Palliative care has the potential to relieve burdened global health systems but is in short supply in many low-resource settings. Community health workers (CHWs) and digital health tools/telephonic support have the potential to scale scarce palliative care resources and improve outcomes for seriously ill adults in home/community settings.  Conclusions: CHWs and digital health/telephony can improve quality of life, health care use, and caregiver support. Most research focuses on physical and psychological aspects of care instead of cultural aspects of care. Future research is needed to explore culturally tailored interventions in minority populations and low- and middle-income countries, as well as investigate emerging remote technologies to allow for scaling palliative care into home/community settings.Editor's note: Pair this with Hospice community responds to proposed DEA telehealth prescribing rule, posted 3/21/25.

Writer survey: 42% of c-suite say Gen AI is tearing their companies apart Inside AI News, San Francisco, CA; by Staff; 3/19/25 Writer, a generative AI platform for the enterprise, today announced the release of its 2025 AI Survey: “Generative AI Adoption in the Enterprise.” The study, conducted in partnership with independent research firm Workplace Intelligence, is intended to provide a lens into the experiences of knowledge workers and C-suite executives actively using AI in the workplace.

Trump’s first 60 days: The impact on the home health industry Home Health News; by Audrie Martin; 3/20/25 Tax, immigration and diversity, equity and inclusion policies are some of the top-of-mind regulatory concerns for home health agencies in 2025. The first 60 days of the Trump Administration and their impact on the home health care industry were highlighted during a webinar hosted by the Polsinelli Law Firm on Thursday. National Alliance for Care at Home CEO Steve Landers and Home Care Association of America (HCAOA) CEO Jason Lee joined representatives from Polsinelli to discuss potential Medicaid cuts, the importance of extending telehealth services, and the need for workforce expansion. The webinar also explored how executive orders and administrative actions are affecting home care and hospice services. [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

Utah funeral home is first in state to offer "human composting" as a green alternative to traditional burials Salt Lake City Weekly, Salt Lake City, UT; by Aimee L. Cook; 3/19/25 ... Jason and Shayneh Starks, who opened [Starks Funeral Parlor in Millcreek] in 2005, offer their clients an innovative and environmentally conscious option—natural organic reduction (NOR), often called human composting. This process transforms the deceased into nutrient-rich soil over a period of 8 to 12 weeks. While the concept may sound unconventional to some, it's gaining traction with families in Utah and beyond, ... "We're seeing a lot of interest from environmentally conscious individuals who want a natural, meaningful way to return to the earth," observed Shayneh Starks, who has worked in funeral services since 1995. Natural organic reduction has already been legalized in states like Washington, Oregon and California, but Utah has yet to officially approve this process.  Currently, Starks Funeral Parlor assists families who wish to choose this option by transferring remains out of state to Seattle, ensuring that those who value NOR have access to it.

Introducing our new President and CEO, Dan Ayres: Coastal Hospice welcomes experienced hospice leader Coastal Hospice, Salisbury, MD; Press Release; 3/21/25 The Coastal Hospice Board of Directors is pleased to announce Dan Ayres to serve as the next President and Chief Executive Officer of Coastal Hospice, effective April 2025. We are excited to welcome Dan to the Coastal Hospice family, including our dedicated staff, volunteers, leadership, and medical professionals. ...  “Ayres is a respected hospice leader, and we’re thrilled to welcome him to the Coastal Hospice team,” said Coastal Hospice Board Chair Morgan Fisher. “His strategic vision, proven record of operational excellence, and sheer passion for this work make him the perfect fit to guide Coastal Hospice effectively.” The Board also extends its deepest gratitude to Ann Lovely, RN, BSN, CHPN, for her outstanding leadership and dedication as Interim President and CEO during this critical period. Her contributions have been invaluable ...

Medicare Payment Advisory Commission [MedPAC] releases report to Congress on Medicare Payment Policy Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, Washington, DC; News Release, contact Stephanie Cameron; 3/13/25Today [3/13/25], the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) releases its March 2025 Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment Policy. The report presents MedPAC’s recommendations for updating provider payment rates in fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare for 2026, providing additional resources to acute care hospitals and clinicians who furnish care to Medicare beneficiaries with low incomes, and eliminating certain Medicare coverage limits on stays in freestanding inpatient psychiatric facilities. The report reviews the status of ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs), the Medicare Advantage (MA) program (Medicare Part C), and the Part D prescription drug program (Medicare Part D). ... Fee-for-service payment rate update recommendations. ... MedPAC recommends ... payment reductions relative to current law for hospice providers, skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, and inpatient rehabilitation facilities.  [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

Hospice of Redmond presents a Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day CeremonyCascade Business News; by CBN; 3/18/25... Did you or someone you know serve in the military between 1955 and 1975? Hospice of Redmond would like to thank you for your service. This year marks the 50th anniversary for the end of the Vietnam War. The Scottish American Military Society will present veterans and their spouses with a Vietnam Lapel pin which was established in 2011 by Congress and administered by the DOD. Editor's note: Click here for more about this 50th Anniversary, National Vietnam War Veterans Day, March 29, 2025

Less wealth at death linked to more end-of-life symptoms McKnights Long-Term Care News; by Kristen Fischer; 3/10/25 Older people with less wealth showed a higher burden of symptoms when they approached the end of their lives compared with those who had more wealth, a study found. The report was published in JAMA Network Open on March 6. Investigators looked at data from 8,976 older adults. The team evaluated 12 end-of-life symptoms including difficulty breathing, frequent vomiting, low appetite, difficulty controlling arms and legs, depression, and severe fatigue or exhaustion.Then they correlated symptoms to individuals’ wealth. Wealth was broken into three categories: low wealth was having less than $6,000; medium wealth was having between $6,000 and $120,000; and high wealth was considered having more than $120,000 at the time of death. Of respondents, 22.5% had low wealth, 50.5% had medium wealth and 27.1% had higher wealth. People who had less wealth were more likely to have a higher burden of symptoms compared to those who had more money. Functional impairment, multimorbidity and dementia were factors that affected the association, data revealed.Editor's note: Click here for this important JAMA article, posted in our Saturday Research issue 3/15/25, "Wealth disparities in end-of-life symptom burden among older adults."

End-of-life conversations: ‘When they open the door, you have to go in’ Oncology Nursing News; video by Pattie Jakel, MN, RN, AOCN; 3/13/25Oncology nurses have a unique relationship with patients that allows for difficult but essential end-of-life conversations, says expert Patricia Jakel, MN, RN, AOCN. Jakel, one of the editors in chief of Oncology Nursing News, emphasized that following up with patients and ascertaining what answers and support they need comes with the close bonds that oncology nurses form with patients with cancer. ... [Jakel describes:] We play a really important role. And sometimes patients ask us difficult questions, and we have to be prepared for it. I remember a lovely young patient I had, she had 2 little girls, and she was very sick. And things weren’t going well for her in the hospital, and she just—she looked up at me and she said, "Am I dying today?" And I thought, "She’s opening the door. She needs to have this conversation.” [Click here to hear this nurse describe the gentle interaction that unfolded.]Editor's note: Share this significant, sensitive video/article from Oncology Nursing News with your nurses. What communication education and support do you provide for your nurses? Explore this similar article from Oncology Nursing News, "APPs, Oncologists Work Together for End-of-Life Discussions," 11/2/24.

U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means Hearing Health Subcommittee  “After the Hospital: Ensuring Access to Quality Post-Acute Care” U.S. House of Representatives Documents (Federal Information & News Dispatch, Inc.); by Jonathan D. Fleece, President & CEO Empath Health; 3/11/25 Chairman Buchanan, Ranking Member Doggett, and distinguished Members of the Subcommittee. Thank you for the opportunity to be here today. ... As President and CEO of Empath Health, one of the nation’s largest not-for-profit home-based care organizations, it is an honor and privilege to serve one in five Floridians who need hospice care. ... My commitment to this mission is deeply personal. After losing my first daughter at birth, I dedicated my life’s work to ensuring that no family faces serious illness or loss without the support, dignity, and compassion they deserve. That experience shaped my belief that health care must do more than treat symptoms—it must care for the whole person and those who love them. ... Today, as the leader of Empath Health, I remain committed to advancing that vision—ensuring that patients and families have access to the right care, at the right time, in the place they call home. That is the foundation to my testimony: to speak for the millions of Americans who rely on home-based care and the policies that make it possible. ...

MedPAC 2025 Annual Report ReleasedMedPAC Report; 3/15/25 - sent 3/18/25 @ 3:00 PM ETFor fiscal year 2026, the Congress should eliminate the update to the 2025 Medicare base payment rates for hospice. In 2023, more than 1.7 million Medicare beneficiaries (including more than half of decedents) received hospice services from about 6,500 providers, and Medicare hospice expenditures totaled $25.7 billion. [Click the title's link to download and read MedPAC's most recent Report to Congress - Hospice chapter.]

Within Me, by Albert CamusIn the midst of hate, I found there was,within me, an invincible love.In the midst of tears, I found there was,within me, an invincible smile.Click the link above to read the full poem.