Literature Review
AAHPM 2026 Award Winners
11/10/25 at 03:00 AMAAHPM 2026 Award WinnersAAHPM press release; 11/7/25Congratulations to all of 2026 award winners!
Hospice executive highlights Medicare benefits during National Hospice and Palliative Care Month
11/10/25 at 03:00 AMHospice executive highlights Medicare benefits during National Hospice and Palliative Care Month ABC-WWSB, Sarasota, FL; by Thad Randazzo and Summer Smith; 11/5/25 November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month, a time to discuss the benefits of hospice care and its importance to communities. Casey Cuthbert, executive director of Affinity Care Hospice of Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, and DeSoto counties, said people often don’t understand that hospice care is a journey everyone faces. ... Many people don’t realize they have paid into Medicare hospice benefits throughout their working lives, Cuthbert said. Medicare covers hospice services at 100%, including the caregiving team of nurses, aides, social workers, and chaplains.
I've learned that just one person saying to me, ...
11/10/25 at 03:00 AMI've learned that just one person saying to me, 'You've made my day!' makes my day. ~ Andy Rooney
“We See the Whole You”: NPHI celebrates National Hospice and Palliative Care Month
11/09/25 at 03:55 AM“We See the Whole You”: NPHI celebrates National Hospice and Palliative Care Month National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), Washington, DC; Press Release; 11/1/25 The National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), the national voice for nonprofit hospice and advanced illness care, proudly celebrates National Hospice and Palliative Care Month this November by recognizing the impact of care delivered by nonprofit hospice and healthcare providers across the nation. This year’s national theme, “We See the Whole You,” honors the professionals and organizations who care for people as individuals — each with their own stories, values, and hopes — while supporting families through life’s most meaningful and challenging moments. The theme underscores NPHI’s commitment to care that puts people over profits, ensuring every person is treated with dignity, compassion, and respect.
The silent crisis of Gen AI anxiety in the workplace
11/09/25 at 03:50 AMThe silent crisis of Gen AI anxiety in the workplace HR Perspectives; by Dr. Gleb Tsipursky; 10/27/25 The conversation about generative AI (Gen AI) is unavoidable in today’s business landscape. It’s disruptive, transformative, and packed with potential—both thrilling and intimidating. As organizations adopt Gen AI to streamline operations, develop products, or enhance customer interactions, the inevitable side effect among employees is anxiety. Will jobs vanish? Will expectations shift overnight? Can they keep up with the learning curve? These questions aren’t just whispers in the break room; they’re front and center for many teams.
Disney delivers Halloween magic to children’s hospitals
11/09/25 at 03:45 AMDisney delivers Halloween magic to children’s hospitals The Walt Disney Company; Press Release; 10/31/25 ... For years, Disney has joined with the Starlight Children’s Foundation to deliver not-so-scary Halloween cheer to children’s hospitals. Since 2021, Disney’s donations have reached over 80,000 pediatric patients, according to Starlight. ... These visits are a part of Disney’s wider efforts this Halloween to bring joy to kids facing critical illnesses. Last weekend, for the first time ever, Disney, Make-A-Wish, MrBeast, and YouTube hosted some of the world’s top creators at Disneyland Resort to grant wishes for 40 Make-A-Wish kids at the ultimate Halloween experience. ... At Canuck Place Children’s Hospice in Vancouver, Canada, Disney paid a special visit to the kids there, bringing along costumes, stuffies, and books, and half of those items were shared with the Hospice center’s Abbotsford location.
Home health services drive elevated medical costs for UnitedHealth Group
11/09/25 at 03:40 AMHome health services drive elevated medical costs for UnitedHealth Group Home Health Care News; by Morgan Gonzales; 10/28/25 Home health services are touted as cost-saving for payers, and industry stakeholders often advise providers to share data demonstrating these savings with payers and policymakers. The cost-saving nature of home health may not always be evident, however. UnitedHealth Group reported that home health services have contributed to elevated medical cost trends when discussing Medicaid margins on the company’s third-quarter earnings call.
Northwell celebrates newly endowed chairs and professors
11/09/25 at 03:35 AMNorthwell celebrates newly endowed chairs and professorsBusinessWire.com, New Hyde Park, NY; Press Release; 11/3/25 Northwell Health announced recipients of nine endowments, including several inaugural chairs and professorships in specialty areas including biomedical sciences, nursing, geriatrics and palliative care, psychiatry research and cardiovascular and thoracic surgery. ... Generous donors gave more than $18 million this year in endowed gifts ... The inaugural recipients of newly endowed chairs and professorships [include]: ...
HBO’s ‘The Pitt’ inspires viewers to consider organ donation, end-of-life planning
11/09/25 at 03:30 AMHBO’s ‘The Pitt’ inspires viewers to consider organ donation, end-of-life planning WBOG Country 101.3; by Ozzy; 10/28/25 A University of Southern California study reveals HBO’s Emmy-winning The Pitt motivates viewers toward organ donation and end-of-life preparations. Research examining two multi-episode storylines shows 26.9% of surveyed audiences sought organ donation information while 17.2% shared donation details with others. The organ donation narrative particularly resonated with Black viewers, a demographic overrepresented on transplant waiting lists yet underrepresented as donors. Concerning end-of-life planning, 38.8% of viewers pursued additional information and 15.3% distributed relevant resources.Editor's Note: The Pitt's storyline involving organ donation is from Season 1, Episode 6, titled' 12:00 P.M."
Living with dementia report emphasizes that even those with advanced disease have stories to share
11/09/25 at 03:25 AMLiving with dementia report emphasizes that even those with advanced disease have stories to share JAMA Medical News; by Rita Rubin, MA; 10/31/25 As the average age of the US population has risen, so has the number of people living with Alzheimer disease and related dementias. And yet, dementia is still a highly stigmatized condition, a new collection of essays published by the Hastings Center for Bioethics points out. Clinicians, caregivers, and loved ones could improve the lives of the more than 7 million people in the US who are living with dementia if they only recognized that such individuals still have their own stories to tell, even when they can’t express themselves the same way they did before their symptoms appeared. Editor's Note: Even in the last weeks and days of life, when dementia has advanced, the person’s life-story is still present—woven into photographs, cherished objects, and small details of their surroundings. In Memory Care Centers and long-term facilities, these clues invite us to listen differently. Board-certified music therapists—not performers or volunteer entertainers, but clinicians skilled in attunement—use music to enter a person’s story and give moments of faithful, sensitive companionship. Supporting family members in remembering and storytelling not only honors the person but also informs truly personalized care through those final, quiet hours.
Health Talk: National Care at Home Month
11/09/25 at 03:20 AMHealth Talk: National Care at Home Month Rutland Herald, Rutland, VT; by Nicole Moran; 11/1/25 Throughout the month of November, VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region (VNAHSR) will join organizations across the nation in recognizing and celebrating National Care at Home Month.Editor's Note: This article demonstrates great community outreach and education through local new outlets and national observances. For more visit our post, "November 2025 Healthcare Observances," and our ongoing Healthcare Observances webpage for additional dates.
November 2025 Healthcare Observances
11/09/25 at 03:15 AMNovember 2025 Healthcare ObservancesHospice & Palliative Care Today; by Joy Berger; 10/29/25Ongoing, visit our Healthcare Observances webpage for additional dates
Coming soon: VITAS Healthcare Hospice care in Pinellas County
11/09/25 at 03:15 AMComing soon: VITAS Healthcare Hospice care in Pinellas County South Florida Hospital News and Healthcare Report; by cfelixcpa; 10/29/25 Beginning Nov. 3, residents of Pinellas County will have improved access to quality end-of-life care through VITAS Healthcare, ... VITAS will accept hospice-eligible referrals for patients in Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Tarpon Springs and surrounding communities. According to research, only 61% of Medicare decedents in Florida access the Medicare Hospice Benefit—meaning many patients and families miss out on the medical, emotional and spiritual support available near the end of life.
The Alliance celebrates National Care at Home Month 2025
11/09/25 at 03:05 AMThe Alliance celebrates National Care at Home Month 2025 National Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC; Press Release; 10/31/25November marks the start of National Care at Home Month, an annual observance created to honor the valuable contributions of home care providers nationwide and inspire outreach to communities, media, and policymakers. ... The Alliance encourages individuals and organizations to participate in its annual Social Media Action Day on Friday, November 7, using the hashtags #CareatHomeMonth and #OneVoiceforCareatHome. Alliance members also have access to a range of other National Care at Home Month outreach resources. For more information on planning for and receiving care at home, visit the Alliance’s free consumer resource, CaringInfo.org. Editor's Note: For more information, visit "November 2025 Healthcare Observances" and our newsletter's ongoing "Healthcare Observances" (under the "Resources" tab on our website).
Today's Encouragement - True wealth
11/09/25 at 03:00 AMA man's true wealth is the good he does in the world. ~Khalil Gibran
Hospice Research Information 11/1/25
11/09/25 at 03:00 AMHospice Research Information 11/1/25
Sunday newsletters
11/09/25 at 03:00 AMSunday newsletters focus on headlines and top read stories of the last week (in order) - enjoy!
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit. ~Aristotle
11/08/25 at 03:55 AMWe are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit. ~Aristotle
What matters about what matters most
11/08/25 at 03:45 AMWhat matters about what matters mostJAMA Network Open; by Mary E. Tinetti, Brenda S. Nettles; 10/25The authors note that “Identifying what matters is essential for providing person-centered care, guiding clinical visits, tailoring care plans, and providing a starting point to foster further patient engagement.” These are lofty expectations of a single, simple question ["what matters most?"]. While the what matters question alone cannot guide care planning or tailor interventions, it can serve as a starting point for ongoing conversations about patient health goals and care preferences. These priorities, in turn, can guide patient-centered decision-making and care. The question also provides an opportunity to get to know the patients we care for as individuals. That, in itself, is an invaluable gift reminiscent of a period when clinicians had more time with patients and cared for them over years.
Evaluating the frequency, quality, and timing of advance care planning among patients with metastatic breast cancer
11/08/25 at 03:40 AMEvaluating the frequency, quality, and timing of advance care planning among patients with metastatic breast cancerJCO Oncology Practice; by Charlotte Linton Early, KyungSu Kim, Xianming Tan, Emily Miller Ray; 10/25We identified a cohort of 1,112 patients with MBC [metastatic breast cancer] with a median age of 62 years and time since MBC diagnosis of 1.4 years. ACP [advance care planning] was generally low ... and only 11% of patients ... had an ACP note. Within ACP notes, documentation of key elements of serious illness communication was low: 23% for prognosis, 41% for metastatic diagnosis, 18% for non-curative treatment goals, 51% for patient values, 50% for treatment options, and 69% for treatment decisions. Notes by inpatient clinicians had higher quality (44%) when compared to outpatient oncologists (14%), outpatient palliative care providers (3%), and primary care providers (5%...). The low frequency, poor quality, and late delivery of advance care planning and documentation among patients with metastatic breast cancer represent a gap in cancer care quality.
Effectiveness of a telephonic Aging Brain Care Model for Medicaid Home and Community Services for dementia patients and their caregivers
11/08/25 at 03:35 AMEffectiveness of a telephonic Aging Brain Care Model for Medicaid Home and Community Services for dementia patients and their caregiversJournal of the American Geriatrics Society; by Malaz A Boustani, Steven R Counsell, Anthony Perkins, Abdelfattah Alhader, Kathryn I Frank, Diana P Summanwar, Karen L Fortuna; 10/25The primary purpose of the present study was the implementation and evaluation of the ABC Community program, a community-based and telephonically administered version of the Aging Brain Care model delivered by Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) staff. This study employed a ... design with ... the main outcome measure being the total score of the Health Aging Brain Care (HABC) Monitor at 3- and 6-month follow-up. The HABC Monitor has demonstrated excellent reliability and validity in monitoring and measuring the burden of dementia symptoms and the quality of life and stress of the informal caregivers. Approximately 46% of informal caregivers who had at least mild burden at baseline had no such burden at 6 months, and 92% of those who had no stress at baseline remained burden-free at 6 months. Conclusion: The ABC community program might be a scalable collaborative dementia care model targeting socially vulnerable people living with dementia.
ID# 1904730 Peripheral nerve stimulation, a minimally invasive option for end of life pain management
11/08/25 at 03:30 AMID# 1904730 Peripheral nerve stimulation, a minimally invasive option for end of life pain managementNeuromodulation: Technology at the Neural Interface; by Jeffrey Cao; 10/25Peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) works by delivering targeted electrical pulses to peripheral nerves, which transmit sensory and motor signals between the central nervous system and the body. Integrating peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) into hospice care for cancer patients marks a significant advancement in pain management, focusing on personalized and comprehensive approaches to enhance the quality of life. The reported cases highlight the effectiveness of PNS in targeting specific nerves for pain relief, complementing pharmacological therapies and improving overall patient outcomes. As research continues, PNS holds promise as a key intervention in palliative care ...
State-level variability in location of death of patients with end-stage liver disease
11/08/25 at 03:25 AMState-level variability in location of death of patients with end-stage liver diseaseDigestive Diseases & Sciences; by Julia Meguro, Michael Huber, David Goldberg; 10/25 Although deaths from end-stage liver disease (ESLD) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the United States increasingly occur at home or in hospice, inpatient medical facility deaths remain high. Despite the decrease in in-hospital deaths for all causes, non-White decedents are more likely than White decedents to die in a hospital setting. This study aimed to determine state-level variability in the location of death among patients with ESLD and HCC and to assess racial/ethnic differences in these patterns, focusing on Black, White, and Hispanic/Latino patients. Findings from this study identify states where policies and programs that reduce inpatient deaths for ESLD patients may be most needed. Targeted interventions to improve access to high-quality EOL care for all patients address the national variability of hospice use, especially for those who are Black or African American and in states with high numbers of inpatient deaths and low rates of hospice use, should also be identified and implemented.
Integrated clinical-social care and boundaries of health care
11/08/25 at 03:20 AMIntegrated clinical-social care and boundaries of health careJAMA Health Forum; by Vincent Guilamo-Ramos, Marco Thimm-Kaiser, Adam Benzekri, Kody H. Kinsley; 10/25After a decade of growing momentum, the future role of health care in addressing patients’ health-related social needs (HRSNs) through integrated clinical-social care is uncertain. There is agreement that increasing health care expenditures are a significant burden on the national budget, but there is disagreement over remedies to reduce costs while improving outcomes. We argue that a constructive debate over the role of integrated clinical-social care within health care reforms requires a shared vision for its implementation. We advance this debate by delineating the boundaries of what the health care system, social welfare system, and bridging infrastructure between them can deliver in an integrated clinical-social care paradigm.
Developing medical cannabis competencies-A consensus statement
11/08/25 at 03:15 AMDeveloping medical cannabis competencies-A consensus statementJAMA Network Open; by Yuval Zolotov, Leslie Mendoza Temple, Richard Isralowitz, David A. Gorelick, Rebecca Abraham, Donald I. Abrams, Kyle Barich, Kevin F. Boehnke, Stephen Dahmer, Joseph Friedman, Patricia Frye, Aviad Haramati, Jade Isaac, Mary Lynn Mathre, Marion E. McNabb, Melinda Ring, Ethan B. Russo, Deepika E. Slawek, Brigham R. Temple, Genester S. Wilson-King, Julia H. Arnsten, Mikhail Kogan; 10/25An initial list of 9 competencies was refined and consolidated into 6 core competencies [for the use of medical cannabis]: (1) understand the basics of the endocannabinoid system; (2) describe the main components of the cannabis plant and their biological effects; (3) review the legal and regulatory landscape of cannabis in the US; (4) describe the evidence base for health conditions that are commonly managed with cannabis; (5) understand the potential risks of medical cannabis use; and (6) understand basic clinical management with medical cannabis. Each competency is supported by 2 to 7 subcompetencies, resulting in 26 subcompetencies reflecting granular topics, such as patient safety, vulnerable populations, structural inequities, and interdisciplinary care. These consensus-derived competencies provide a structured, evidence-informed foundation to guide the integration of medical cannabis into undergraduate medical education.