Literature Review

UnitedHealth Group's year of DOJ probes, layoffs and backlash Modern Healthcare; by Lauren Berryman; 2/24/25 UnitedHealth Group has faced an unprecedented past year, navigating events that have tested its finances, operations and reputation. Here is a timeline of key events during the company’s past 12 months. [Click here and scroll down to the timeline with links to Modern Healthcare's articles through the year.]

Hospitals may buckle under 'tsunami' of patients Modern Healthcare; by Alex Kacik; 2/25/25 Health systems are treating sicker patients, straining already full emergency departments and inpatient units. Many health systems are struggling to keep up with the increasingly complex healthcare needs of an aging population, leading to overcrowded emergency rooms and delays in care. Providers are ramping up strategies to treat patients more efficiently and keep those who aren't as sick out of emergency departments. These strategies are critical as capacity wanes and providers face a potential decline in federal healthcare funding, executives said. Health systems are revamping patient admission and discharge processes; bolstering virtual, home and urgent care offerings; expanding clinician recruitment efforts and adding observation beds. But providers are concerned they won't be able to act quickly enough to meet the growing demand for care.

Local veterans to be honored at pinning ceremonies Call & Times, East Providence, RI; by John Baker, Pawtucket Times; 2/26/25 It never gets old for Christine Miller. Whenever she places a commemorative pin on a Vietnam War veteran and sees their reaction to it, it warms her heart, sometimes even bringing her to tears. That’s one of the best parts of her job as Beacon Hospice Care Community Engagement Coordinator, which later filtered into her becoming the president of the Rhode Island Hospice Veterans Partnership, which she herself founded. Miller, a Pawtucket resident, announced recently that, with Vietnam War Veterans Day coming up on Saturday, March 29, she will conduct a few [pinning ceremonies] ... Editor's note: Access to the full article may be limited. Pair this with today's post, National Vietnam War Veterans Day, March 29, 2025. 

7 hospital closures in 2025 Becker's Hospital CFO Report; by Madeline Ashley; 2/25/25 ... Following a trend of 25 hospital closures reported on by Becker's in 2024, many facilities are being forced to close their doors due to changing community needs, rising operational costs and evolving care models. Becker's has reported on seven hospital and emergency department closures in 2025:

The journey to elite leadership  with Mike Harbour Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast by Chris Comeaux; 2/26/25 In this episode of the Anatomy of Leadership podcast, Chris Comeaux and Mike Harbour explore the themes of leadership, personal growth, and the essence of elite leadership.  Mike shares his insights on perseverance, self-mastery, and evaluating experiences to foster growth.  They discuss the concept of elite leadership, emphasizing the need for integrity, vision, and empowerment in leadership roles. The conversation culminates in practical advice for aspiring leaders on developing traits contributing to elite leadership.  Then, it highlights Mike’s unique upcoming Elite Leadership Summit in Colorado in April, which aims to foster growth and connection among leaders in a unique and picturesque setting. Join us; many leadership pearls of wisdom are packed into this episode. 

National Vietnam War Veterans Day, March 29, 2025U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; by Crystal Peruski; 2/18/25 The Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017 designates March 29 as National Vietnam War Veterans Day. The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration honors all Veterans who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces at any time from November 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975, regardless of location. To learn more about the Vietnam War Commemoration, visit 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War Commemoration | Vietnam War Commemoration. Editor's note: Mark your calendars. Engage your volunteers who serve veterans. How might this intersect with your intergenerational employees and volunteers? Note that 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the end of the war. For support specific to hospice and grief care:

[England] Hospices receive multi-million pound boost to improve facilities Department of Health and Social Care, United Kingdom; by HM Treasury an Stephen Kinnock MP; 2/26/25Hospices will begin receiving £25 million for facility upgrades and refurbishments from today as part of the biggest investment into hospices in a generation. The cash will be distributed immediately for the 2024/25 financial year, with a further £75 million to follow from April. More than 170 hospices across the country will receive funding, including those run by Marie Curie and Sue Ryder, as well as independent hospices like Zoe’s Place in Liverpool. ... Minister for Care Stephen Kinnock said:  "This is the largest investment in a generation to help transform hospice facilities across England. ..."

Forget perks—leadership starts with asking employees what they need Forbes; by Benjamin Laker; 2/25/25 Employee well-being isn’t just a perk—it’s a business imperative. As organizations struggle with high turnover, burnout, and shifting workforce expectations, leaders must rethink how they engage and support employees. Research consistently shows that investing in well-being leads to measurable gains in productivity, retention, and performance. A recent study published by BMJ Leader examined how a structured, data-driven approach to improving workplace culture can yield transformative results—using the well-being initiative at Royal Free Hospital as a case study. ... The program, which was the focus of the BMJ Leader study, incorporated systematic conversations based on the Joy in Work Framework, identifying key challenges and implementing targeted solutions. Following implementation, workplace satisfaction surged by 76%, highlighting the significant impact of addressing staff concerns directly. Employees became more engaged in organizational initiatives, fostering a culture of active participation rather than passive compliance. 

Baber Hospice Home to close The Messenger, Fort Dodge, IA; by Bill Shea; 2/26/25 The Paula J. Baber Hospice Home will close at the end of next month, but UnityPoint Health — Fort Dodge will continue providing hospice care to patients in their own homes and in long term care facilities. “This is not the end of hospice care,” said Leah Glasgo, the president of UnityPoint Health — Fort Dodge. She said the decision to close the home was driven by the fact that most hospice patients are now cared for in their homes or in long term care facilities. “We are committed to meeting patients where they want to be and they want to be at home,” she said. As the number of hospice patients being served at home or in care facilities grew, the number of those patients in the Baber home dropped.

Palliative care’s most disruptive forces in 2025 Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 2/25/25 Palliative care providers are taking varied routes to address the most disruptive forces they are encountering this year, rising to challenges that have been persistent across the sector. Mounting workforce pressures mark the most significant of concerns for palliative care providers, according to Dr. Martha Twaddle, The Waud Family Medical Directorship’s palliative medicine and supportive care clinical professor of medicine at Northwestern Medicine. The nation lacks a sufficient supply of palliative care professionals amid a swelling population of seriously ill patients, driving up demand. Current reimbursement streams are challenging the staffing issues even further, Twaddle stated. ... Workforce shortages and lack of sustainable reimbursement are indeed the largest obstacles to palliative care growth, according to Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC) CEO Brynn Bowman.

The thing about Black history is that the truth is so much more complex than anything you could make up. ~ Henry Louis GatesHonoring Black History Month 2025

Kerry Hamilton is no longer CEO of Alive Hospice Nashville Business Journal; by Nikki Ross; 2/25/25Alive Hospice is once again looking for a new leader. ... Just over six months after taking the helm Kerry Hamilton is no longer CEO of Alive Hospice [Nashville, TN]. Hamilton, who was named CEO in June, is the one who initiated the split  ... [The full article is behind a paywall.]

‘Global problem’: Numerous factors, biases contribute to overtreatment at end of life Healio; by Josh Friedman; 2/26/25 Nathan I. Cherny, MD, has worked all around the world. At every stop — from Australia to Israel, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in between — he has seen people with cancer receive overly aggressive treatment at the end of life. ... In a review published in ESMO Open, Cherny and a cohort of multinational colleagues highlighted numerous reasons why overtreatment occurs among patients approaching the end of life, ... They listed more than 20 contributing factors, including desire for control of the cancer, denial and anger, family pressure and hope preservation. The two factors that contribute most to overtreatment are optimism bias and the “counterphobic determination to treat,” which involves clinicians having a difficult time introducing the suggestion of palliative care revert to offering further treatments, Cherny said. ... Responsibility for decisions does not need to fall solely on oncologists, Cherny added. Palliative care physicians, social workers, chaplains and others can be part of a team to assist patients with their choices. ... The number of patients who are overtreated differs at each institution. “Each institution has its own culture of care,” Cherny said. Editor's note: This article puts forth significant insights for all palliative and hospice clinicians, interdisciplinary teams, and palliative/hospice executive leaders. Apply Cherny's to your referral sources: "Each institution has its own culture of care." Apply these findings to your own palliative and hospice services.