Literature Review

NIH grant funding losses, by stateBecker's Hospital Review; by Mackenzie Bean; 6/19/25National Institutes of Health grant terminations have hit some states dramatically harder than others, with just three accounting for more than two-thirds of all rescinded funding this year, according to a June 17 report from Grant Watch... Massachusetts, New York and North Carolina absorbed more than 68% of these cuts, driven by significant funding losses at prominent research institutions such as Boston-based Harvard Medical School and Columbia University Health Sciences in New York City... Below is a state-by-state breakdown of NIH grant funding losses, offering a snapshot of where grant terminations are being felt the most.

Rewriting the narrative around death: My Death Plan’s mission to redefine legacyUSA Today; by Connie Etemadi; 6/22/25Death is one of the few certainties in life, yet it remains one of the most uncomfortable topics to discuss. The mere mention of it can feel morbid, taboo, or prematurely grim, something to be ignored until it’s looming. Dawn Norman, a seasoned attorney and the founder of My Death Plan, believes death shouldn’t be something to avoid, fear, or delay thinking about. It must be thoughtfully embraced as a natural part of life that deserves just as much attention as any other form of life planning.

Addressing financial toxicity for patients and families facing serious illnessCAPC position statement; 6/23/25The U.S. is reaching a point of crisis in health care affordability. People living with serious illness in the U.S. are not only navigating complex medical conditions—they’re also facing overwhelming financial hardship. A new position statement from CAPC highlights that the prevalence of financial distress for patients and caregivers can climb as high as 53%, depending on diagnosis. The consequences of financial toxicity are staggering, manifesting in medical debt, low credit scores, and bankruptcy. Financial toxicity can also lead to delayed treatment, skipped medications, or other cost-related coping mechanisms that worsen health outcomes and increasing costs for hospitals and payers alike. CAPC’s new position statement outlines eight recommendations that can ease hardship for patients and caregivers, while improving financial stability for hospitals.Guest Editor's Note, Ira Byock: The importance of CAPC’s new position statement cannot be overstated. This report highlights one of the most difficult problems seriously ill patients and families encounter and goes further to provide tangible ways to diminish the impacts of financial toxicity to patients and the healthcare system. Key actions include routine financial screening and availability of trained financial navigators. The value of this statement extends well beyond palliative care; it should be considered must reading for leaders of hospitals, cancer centers, heart failure programs, and dementia treatment centers.

[Premier's tonight!] NPHI proud to announce its partnership on the upcoming documentary for PBS, Caregiving, from Executive Producer Bradley Cooper National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), Washington, DC; 5/19/25 The National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) is proud to announce its partnership on the upcoming PBS documentary Caregiving, a powerful new film executive produced by Academy Award-nominated actor, director, and producer Bradley Cooper. Created in collaboration with Cooper’s production company, Lea Pictures, as well as WETA Washington, D.C., and Ark Media, Caregiving will shine a national spotlight on the often unseen yet essential work of caregivers across the country. NPHI is honored to serve as a national partner on this important project. Narrated by Uzo Aduba (The Residence, Orange Is the New Black) and directed by Chris Durrance, Caregiving intertwines deeply personal stories of caregivers with the untold history of the American care system. The documentary examines how caregivers—often family members, friends, and frontline professionals—navigate the immense challenges and unseen achievements of their roles.

National Alliance for Care at Home responds to Kennedy and Dr. Oz announcement on health insurance reform pledge National Alliance for Care at Home press release; 6/23/25“The Alliance welcomes today’s announcement made by Secretary Kennedy and CMS Administrator Dr. Oz regarding commitments from major health insurers to streamline prior authorization practices, including implementing enhanced digital interoperability standards and reducing administrative barriers,” said Dr. Steve Landers, CEO for the Alliance. “If these promises are fully kept, this could be a meaningful step toward addressing longstanding barriers that have delayed access to critical care at home for patients who need it.”

Why one state banned corporate ownership of doctors’ officesModern Healthcare; by Michael McAuliff; 6/13/25As private equity investors and large companies such as Amazon and UnitedHealth Group acquire doctors’ offices at a rapid pace, states are considering tougher measures to stem what one senior legislator described as “relentless” consolidation in the healthcare sector. Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek (D) enacted a statute on Monday to strengthen the Beaver State’s longstanding “corporate practice of medicine” law. The new law effectively bars private equity firms and other companies from controlling physician offices and mandates that doctors own at least 51% of their practices.

More hospitals turning to nurse practitioners. Here’s whyMedscape; by Roni Robbins; 6/13/25The classic definition of a hospitalist as a primary care physician is rapidly evolving and the vast majority of hospital medicine groups today use advanced practice providers ... for adult care, according to the Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM)’s latest industry reports... Physicians and NPs sharing hospitalist responsibilities are learning how to divide their duties, improve their professional relations, and maintain job satisfaction. Medscape Medical News consulted a handful of hospitalists about the pros and cons of the new staffing models.Publisher's note: An interesting article exploring NP roles that similarly applies to hospices.

New online dementia care resources available for assisted living communitiesMcKnight's Senior Living; by Kimberly Bonvissuto;6/20/25Kimberly BonvissutoA growing number of people are living with dementia and receiving services in assisted living communities as well as in homes in the greater community. Although some states have requirements, some assisted living communities and home care settings may lack the formal dementia care standards required to be followed by nursing homes, so a nonprofit group has released a new toolkit of online resources to support people living with dementia and their caregivers. “It always bothered me that we were not paying attention to the growing number of people living with dementia outside of nursing homes,” Richard Mollot, executive director of the Long Term Care Community Coalition, said Tuesday during a webinar introducing the organization’s new Dementia Care in the Community toolkit. “Although the nursing home standards do not apply in assisted living and home care, every individual deserves the quality of care and services they need to live comfortably and with dignity.”

How to prevent delirium by improving sleep for patients with serious illnessCAPC blog; by Jeremy M. Hirst; 6/11/25A palliative care psychiatrist shares eight behavioral interventions to improve sleep—and offers guidance on prescribing pharmacological treatments. Sleep is essential for rest and repair, but for many patients with serious illness, getting quality sleep is a struggle. Poor sleep can compromise functional status and contribute to or exacerbate the risk of delirium—a concern that's both commonly reported by patients and supported by research. As clinicians, we must address sleep to help prevent delirium, as it directly impacts mental clarity, healing, and quality of life. In this blog, I share behavioral interventions I've used to help patients improve sleep and discuss when pharmacological treatments may be appropriate.

MedPAC releases June 2025 report on Medicare and the health care delivery systemMedPAC press release; 6/12/25The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) today releases its June 2025 Report to the Congress: Medicare and the Health Care Delivery System. Each June, as part of its mandate from the Congress, MedPAC reports on issues affecting the Medicare program as well as broader changes in health care delivery and the market for health care services.

As the US ages, a growing movement aims to care for caregiversJAMA Network; by Virginia Hunt; 6/20/25People caring for a family member with special needs such as a disabled child, a convalescing partner, or an aging parent often feel alone—but they aren’t. In fact, up until the COVID-19 pandemic, unpaid family caregivers made up nearly 1 in 5 US adults, or about 53 million people. Experts estimate that this number has since grown. It certainly has for people supporting older adults: between 2011 and 2022, this subset of caregivers increased from 18.2 million to 24.1 million, according to a recent study.

In the passenger seat - The vital role of Certified Child Life Specialists (CCLS) in hospice careIllinois Hospice and Palliative Care Organization podcast; 6/20/25We’re pleased to share the latest episode of In the Passenger Seat, where we explore the vital role of Certified Child Life Specialists (CCLS) in hospice care. In this thoughtful conversation, our guest speakers Rachael Miller and Allison Bush, of Lightways Hospice, share how Child Life professionals help children and families navigate the challenges of serious illness, dying, and grief.[Note: Link downloads this podcast.]