Literature Review

National Health Care Fraud Takedown results in 324 defendants charged in connection with over $14.6 billion in alleged fraud: Largest Justice Department Health Care Fraud Takedown in history, more than doubles prior record of $6 billion Office of Public Affairs - U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC; 6/30/25 The Justice Department today announced the results of its 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, which resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants, including 96 doctors, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and other licensed medical professionals, in 50 federal districts and 12 State Attorneys General’s Offices across the United States, for their alleged participation in various health care fraud schemes involving over $14.6 billion in intended loss. The Takedown involved federal and state law enforcement agencies across the country and represents an unprecedented effort to combat health care fraud schemes that exploit patients and taxpayers.Editor's Note: For cases specific to hospice and palliative care, (1) go to our homepage, (2) ;ogin to your newsletter account, (3) use the search engine at the top of our page, using the key word "fraud". We have posted  204 articles about hospice fraud, since we began this format on 1/1/2024. Ongoing, use this search engine as your first "Go To" resource for targeted, timely information.

Students organize death café to discuss the inevitable Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT; by Brad Thomas; 6/27/25 The annual event gathered more than 50 students and faculty from assorted disciplines for meaningful conversations about death and dying. ... [Student Jillian O'Brien '25] helped organize the second annual Death Café during her final semester at Fairfield. She and her classmates in “End-of-Life Communication,” an interdisciplinary course taught by Michael Pagano, PhD, wished to build on the success of last year’s event by continuing to create a space for meaningful conversation about death and dying. At the event, they led thoughtful table discussions about how their perspectives and ways of communicating about death have evolved.

July is hollyhocks and hammocks, fireworks and vacations, hot and steamy weather, cool and refreshing swims, beach picnics, and vegetables all out of the garden. ~ Jean Hersey

Mindfulness and tai chi improve mood in cancer survivors Medscape, reposted in AAHPM; ed. by Gargi Mukherjee; 6/25/25 Both Mindfulness-Based Cancer Recovery (MBCR) and Tai Chi/Qigong (TCQ) significantly improved mood in survivors of cancer, whether participants selected their preferred program or were randomly assigned to either type of program. MBCR had greater benefits in reducing tension and anger, while TCQ was particularly effective in reducing depression and boosting vigor.

6 healthcare layoffs in 1 weekBecker's Hospital Review; by Madeline Ashley; 6/26/25 Amid ongoing industry shifts, many hospitals and health systems are experiencing significant financial strain, prompting them to make difficult decisions such as laying off employees. Here are the six healthcare instances of layoffs that Becker’s has reported on since June 19:

Local scrap metal company collects cans to raise money for pediatric cancer patients in hospice[OK] FOX 23 News; 6/23/25A local scrap metal company is collecting cans to help raise money for pediatric cancer patients in hospice. In a Facebook post, Johnny's Junk & Scrap Metal Removal LLC asked people in Tulsa and surrounding areas to start saving their cans. "Tulsa and surrounding areas, start saving your cans!" the Facebook post said. "We are collecting and recycling cans for pediatric cancer patients who have entered hospice." Johnny's Junk and Scrap Metal Removal can collect the cans either daily, weekly or monthly, but they say they are doing it once a week for their current customers. Once the cans are collected and turned in, all the money goes directly to the family of the child.

[Italy] Last signs of life: What to expect in final hoursMedscape; by Mirko Riolfi, 6/13/25 (Medscape ran 6/25/25)Caregivers of terminally ill patients often turn to health professionals to learn what to expect in the final weeks, days, and hours of life. Regardless of the underlying cause, many signs and symptoms are similar during this period. Addressing families’ concerns proactively can ease discomfort and anxiety and help prevent crises during hospital stay. Below are the key topics to discuss with caregivers as death approaches a patient.

Big Bend Hospice unveils new mobile medical unit Thursday in Tallahassee[FL] WCTV; by Ava Van Valen and WCTV staff; 6/26/25Big Bend Hospice and its parent organization, Seven Oaks Health, unveiled Thursday their new Seven Oaks Health Care mobile medical unit. Seven Oaks Health said the new medical unit is part of its mission to bring compassionate, expert support to patients and families in our community. “The focus of our mobile unit is really to improve access to end-of-life care and palliative care services throughout our region,” said Chief Medical Officer Debrah Morris. “A lot of people love to come to Leon County, but a lot of people can’t, and many of our patients are homebound, but they have caregivers who can’t drive into Leon County.”

Memorable leadership: What makes certain leaders unforgettableForbes; by Joseph Folkman; 6/26/25Here are the 10 standout leadership behaviors that separate exceptional leaders from the rest:

Inside the Archives: How George Soros Changed End-of-Life Care in AmericaOpen Society Foundations; by Elizabeth Rubin; 6/27/25The Project on Death in America (PDIA) ran from 1994 to 2003, with an ambitious goal: to transform the experience of dying in the U.S. Journalist Elizabeth Rubin spoke with Dr. Kathy Foley, the physician George Soros chose to lead it, to reflect on its impact... Soros’s fundamental belief was simple: Death deserves the same careful attention we give to life... [Dr. Kathy Foley commented] “We had to educate people that palliative care isn’t just about dying, but about supporting patients with serious illnesses and improving their quality of life.”Notable mentions: Kathy Foley, Susan D. Block, Robert ("Bo") A. Burt, Andy Billings, Robert N. Butler, David J. Rothman, Joanne Lynn, Patricia Prem, Ana Dumois, William Zabel, James Tulsky, Tony Back, Bob Arnold, Diane E. Meyer, Center to Advance Palliative Care, R. Sean Morrison, National Palliative Care Research Center, Richard Payne, Angola Prison Project, Lewis Cohen, Judy Nelson, Steve Pantalat, Tammy Quest, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Kornfeld Foundation, Bill Moyers, and On Our Own Terms: Moyers on Dying.

If you feel pain, you are alive. If you feel other people's pain, you are a human being. ~Leo Tolstoy

Bioethicists must push back against assaults on diversity, equity, and inclusionThe American Journal of Bioethics; by Nancy S. Jecker, Arthur Caplan, Vardit Ravitsky, Patrick Smith, Kayhan Parsi, Sandra Soo-Jin Lee, Faith Fletcher, Mildred Cho, Keisha Ray; 6/25Nine leading bioethicists, including Hastings Center President Vardit Ravitsky, call for bioethics to affirm its core commitment to justice and act against the dismantling of diversity, equity, and inclusion. In an editorial published in the American Journal of Bioethics, they highlight the current administration’s broadside attack against diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education, the federal government, and the private sector. “Years of research and data gathering have shown that removing barriers facing marginalized groups improves population health and promotes health justice,” they write.

'Very shocking' | Warner Robins neighbors in shock after elderly couple found dead at their home[GA] 13WMAZ; by Jasamine Lee; 6/26/25A quiet Warner Robins neighborhood is reeling after police say an elderly couple was found dead in what investigators believe was a murder-suicide. According to Warner Robins Police, officers responded to a home on Hillcrest Avenue around 6 p.m. Wednesday for a welfare check. When they arrived, they discovered 88-year-old Robert Moll dead in the backyard from a gunshot wound. Inside the home, his wife, 80-year-old Judy Moll, was also found dead from an apparent gunshot wound... Neighbors said the Molls had been facing serious health issues and that hospice nurses visited the home frequently. Captain Paula Blevins with the Salvation Army said that cases of intimate partner violence often remain hidden. “Intimate partner violence is very heartbreaking, always very heartbreaking,” Blevins said. “It affects more than 12 million people in the United States every year.”Publisher's note: How does your hospice evaluate possible partner violence? How can your hospice prepare - before the fact - to handle such a situation after the fact?