Literature Review

Downside risk, upside payment highlight new CMS innovation agendaModern Healthcare; by Bridget Early; 5/13/25The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is rolling out a broad new agenda for its innovation center that could lead to requirements that participants in value-based care programs to take on downside risk, the agency announced ... The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation plan prioritizes shared risk and prospective payments, streamlined quality measurement, artificial intelligence and other technologies, and Medicare Advantage payment models, Director Abe Sutton said in an interview Friday [5/9]. Notably, CMS is walking away from a goal set four years ago to have all fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries under accountable care arrangements by 2030, Sutton said. CMS provided Modern Healthcare an advance look at the new innovation center platform. ... Designing models that require providers to accept at least some downside risk could be the most consequential action stemming from the plan. Subjecting participants to potential financial losses, not just potential benefits, is key to driving cost savings and quality improvement, Sutton said.

[United Kingdom] Wife to walk across island for late husband BBC News; 5/11/25 The wife of a gardener who died of cancer is preparing to walk across the Isle of Wight in his memory. Debs Goodenough will be taking part in the Walk the Wight challenge in aid of the Mountbatten Hospice. She said it was an opportunity to honour her husband Simon, while also supporting the hospice which cared for her and her family. ... Mr. Goodenough was a gardener known for his work on Ventnor Botanical Gardens, but he also created a garden for the hospice. ... Mrs. Goodenough will be walking 26.5miles (42.6km) across the island with her sons Rory and Jake. ... The annual Walk the Wight challenge has been running for 35 years and supports the hospice by raising money for patients and the families it cares for. More than 6,500 people are expected to take part, and Mrs. Goodenough has spent the past three months training for the event. ... "The day Simon died, we had a little walk and it was two miles, and I promised Simon I would support the hospice, and my sons said 'If you want to Walk the Wight we'll do it with you'."

John Whyte, MD, MPH, selected as the AMA’s new CEO American Medical Association (AMA), Chicago, IL; by Staff News Writer; 5/9/25 The AMA Board of Trustees has chosen John Whyte, MD, MPH, a nationally renowned public health advocate, physician executive, corporate strategist and communication expert, as its next executive vice president and CEO. Dr. Whyte ushers in a new era of leadership for the 178-year-old institution amid strong membership growth and a renewed focus on solving challenges that affect physicians and patients. Dr. Whyte’s tenure will begin July 1. Dr. Whyte brings extensive corporate, governmental and clinical experience to his role leading the day-to-day operations of the AMA. A board-certified internal medicine physician for nearly 30 years, Dr. Whyte joins the AMA from WebMD, where he has served as chief medical officer (CMO) since 2018 and helped grow the media company’s strategic partnerships, influence and vision.

We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give. ~ Winston Churchill

Celebrating National Nurses Month with 62 years of nursing excellence: Meet Alma Flowers, hospice nurse Jacksonville News - JAXChamber, Jacksonville, FL; 4/30/25 This month, we are proud to spotlight Ms. Alma Flowers, a dedicated Registered Nurse at Community Hospice & Palliative Care, whose remarkable career spans an impressive 62 years. Alma's journey began at the Brewster Duval School of Nursing in Jacksonville in 1959, marking the start of a lifelong commitment to compassionate care and professional excellence. Alma's career has been a testament to the evolution of nursing, encompassing diverse roles from acute psychiatric units to the compassionate realm of hospice care. Throughout her journey, Alma has adapted to and contributed to advancements in healthcare practices and policies. ... As we celebrate National Nurses Month, we are reminded of nurses' profound impact on patient care, healthcare innovation, and community well-being. Alma Flowers' journey is a testament to the enduring spirit of nursing excellence at Community Hospice & Palliative Care.Editor's note: What a beautiful tribute to Alma, especially when describing her journey as a "testament to the evolution of nursing." Imagine changes ahead for today's student nurses: 62 years from now will be the year 2087. While we struggle to keep up with the current barrage of nursing workforce challenges, we can draw inspiration from Alma's life-long commitments, flexibility, and immeasurable contributions.

DOJ reportedly rejects Amedisys’ divestiture plan as part of UnitedHealth Group deal McKnights Home Care; by Adam Healy; 5/12/25 The Department of Justice reportedly has rejected Amedisys’ plan to divest more than 100 locations in its plan to be acquired by UnitedHealth Group subsidiary Optum, according to CTFN, which tracks mergers and acquisitions. The DOJ decision could spell trouble for the future of Amedisys’ deal with Optum. The Department of Justice reportedly has rejected Amedisys’ plan to divest more than 100 locations in its plan to be acquired by UnitedHealth Group subsidiary Optum, according to CTFN, which tracks mergers and acquisitions. The DOJ decision could spell trouble for the future of Amedisys’ deal with Optum.

Building an ethical culture: Leadership’s role in corporate integrity The Wall Street Journal; by Lori Pressler, Michael Rossen and Miira Velia; 5/7/25 Built from the top down, a strong ethical culture can help mitigate risk by weaving ethics into decision-making at every level. Much of the time, a single moment or lapse in judgment does not precipitate a crisis. Instead, corporate scandals tend to spring from systemic failures in corporate culture, specifically around ethics. However, within many organizations, ethics are often discussed in theoretical terms—lofty yet nebulous aspirations or nice-to-haves. ... Given its potential for harm, organizations may not be giving ethical risk the attention it deserves, particularly from the top down. 

How DispatchHealth’s CEO plans to change the face of in-home careModern Healthcare; by Diane Eastabrook; 5/7/25DispatchHealth CEO Jennifer Webster said the company is eyeing new markets and care models after its acquisition of hospital-at-home provider Medically Home is complete. Denver-based DispatchHealth announced a definitive agreement in mid-March to acquire Boston-based Medically Home. Webster said the deal is still on track to close in a couple of months, but there is a lot of work to be done first. That includes integrating operations and technology, as well as senior leadership.

Decoding the 2026 Proposed Hospice RuleCHAPcast podcast;by Jennifer Kennedy, Kim Skehan; 5/6/25Join CHAP’s Jennifer Kennedy and Kim Skehan as they break down the fiscal year 2026 proposed hospice rule.

Frederick Health Hospice hires new director Longview News-Journal, Frederick, MD; by Frederick Health; 5/7/25 Frederick Health Hospice is excited to announce that Korey Cobb has joined the nonprofit organization as its new Director, only the third director since the hospice was founded in 1980. Frederick Health Hospice has served the Frederick community as a non-profit agency for more than four decades. The organization was one of the earliest hospices formed in the U.S. and has been providing compassionate care for patients since before the Medicare Hospice Benefit was made permanent by Congress in 1986. Heather Kirby, Vice President of Integrated Care Delivery & Chief Population Health Officer at Frederick Health, helped lead the search committee ... [and described,] "Korey prides himself on creating a positive team culture, a strong sense of community involvement, and volunteerism. ..."

[United Kingdom] Assisted dying bill: further protections for nurses proposed Nursing Times, London, UK; by Edd Church, source Roger Harris, House of Commons; 5/7/25 No nurse who declines to aid in assisted dying procedures will be at risk of “any detriment” to their careers under a new amendment to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, the MP behind the draft legislation has claimed. Kim Leadbeater, MP for Spen Valley, announced earlier this week that she would be proposing to extend the “opt-out” provisions in her bill for healthcare workers who work in settings where assisted dying may take place. Ms. Leadbeater said, in a statement released this week, that she understood that “not all people working in and around” healthcare would want to participate in the provision of assisted dying. "Nobody will be at risk of any detriment to their careers if, for any reason at all, they chose not to take part." The bill currently already states that healthcare professionals can conscientiously object to taking part and that employers “must not” subject employees to detriment for exercising this right.

Visiting Nurses Foundation awards over $23K in scholarships to future health care professionals The Chronicle, Centralia, WA; Press Release; 5/7/25  The Visiting Nurses Foundation will award a total of $23,250 of its annual scholarship awards to support local students pursuing careers in health care. These scholarships are a reflection of the foundation's ongoing mission to fund education and assistance for Home Health and Hospice patients and their families. Each scholarship recipient demonstrated not only academic excellence but a deep sense of purpose, a desire to care for others, strengthen communities and make a lasting impact in the lives of patients and families, according to a Visiting Nurses Foundation news release.

Navian Hawaii receives $400K grant Pacific Business News - Health Care, O'ahu, HI; by Christina O'Connor; 5/8/25Hospice and palliative care services nonprofit Navian Hawaii, formerly known as Hospice Hawaii, recently received a $400,000 grant from the Zilber Family Foundation to expand its palliative care program. The Honolulu-based nonprofit said on Wednesday the program features personalized care plans focused on improving quality of life for individuals with serious illnesses. It addresses physical symptoms, as well as emotional distress and planning for next steps, and includes access to nurses, physicians and social workers. This donation follows a $4.3 million gift from the Weinman Foundation earlier this year. That funding is going toward growing residential care. [The full article is behind a payall.]