Literature Review
Hearing on “Improving kidney health through better prevention and innovative treatment”
03/29/26 at 03:15 AMHearing on “Improving kidney health through better prevention and innovative treatment” U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health; written testimony fo Dr. Robert Taylor; 3/18/26
Oversight Committee launches investigation into rampant taxpayer fraud in California hospice programs
03/29/26 at 03:10 AMOversight Committee launches investigation into rampant taxpayer fraud in California hospice programs U.S. Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Washington, DC; Press Release; 3/23/26Following alarming reports that California officials failed to properly safeguard federal funds, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) and Oversight Committee Republicans today launched an investigation into rampant taxpayer fraud in California’s hospice programs. ... The Oversight Committee is now requesting documents and communications regarding California’s oversight and internal controls to detect and prevent fraud for its federally funded hospice programs.Editor's Note: CMS Testimony at the Oversight Committee by Kim Brandt, Deputy Administrator & Chief Operating Officer, CMS.
MedPAC: March 2026 Report to Congress
03/29/26 at 03:00 AMMedPAC: March 2026 Report to CongressMedPAC Reports; 3/12/26Medicare Benefit: National health care spending grew rapidly in 2023 and 2024, by 7 percent in each of these years. By 2024, national health care spending totaled $5.3 trillion. Health care spending has made up an increasing share of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) over time, rising from about 13 percent of GDP in 2000 to 18 percent in 2024. Medicare spending grew more rapidly than national health care spending in 2023 and 2024 (by 9 percent and 8 percent, respectively), in part due to changes in Part D financing that shifted more of the cost of prescription drug coverage from beneficiaries to the federal government. By 2024, Medicare spending totaled $1.1 trillion—equivalent to 21 percent of national health care spending and 3.8 percent of GDP. (Please see the full report here for additional detail.)
Irish Blessing
03/29/26 at 03:00 AMMay your troubles be less, and your blessing be more. And nothing but happiness, come through your door. ~Irish Blessing
Sunday newsletters
03/29/26 at 03:00 AMSunday newsletters focus on headlines and top read stories of the last week (in order) - enjoy!
Feasibility and acceptability of a self-written, tele-delivered, LGBTQ+-affirming adaptation of dignity therapy for LGBTQ+ women with advanced cancer
03/28/26 at 03:45 AMFeasibility and acceptability of a self-written, tele-delivered, LGBTQ+-affirming adaptation of dignity therapy for LGBTQ+ women with advanced cancerAmerican Journal of Hospice & Palliative Medicine; by Lexie Wille, Kristie A. Wood, Mike C. Parent; 2/26Dignity therapy (DT) is effective in addressing dignity-related existential distress in people with advanced cancer, but the traditional protocol assumes supportive family structures, uses heteronormative language, and requires synchronous clinician facilitation. These features may limit accessibility for LGBTQ+ individuals. This pilot demonstrated that a self-written, tele-delivered LGBTQ+-affirming DT adaptation was feasible and acceptable for LGBTQ+ women with advanced cancer.
Billing of Medicare’s G2211 longitudinal care code among traditional Medicare beneficiaries
03/28/26 at 03:40 AMRapid review of the health care built environment support for hospice/end-of-life patients, families, and interdisciplinary care teams
03/28/26 at 03:35 AMCharacteristics of United States Food and Drug Administration drug recalls involving opioid medications, 2002-2025
03/28/26 at 03:30 AMCharacteristics of United States Food and Drug Administration drug recalls involving opioid medications, 2002-2025Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety; by Julio C Nunes, Gabriel P A Costa, Joao P De Aquino; 3/26We reviewed more than 20 years of recall data from the United States Food and Drug Administration and found 286 recalls involving seven commonly used opioids, affecting over 350 million tablets, capsules, patches, and injectable products. Nearly half of these recalls occurred because products failed basic quality checks, while others involved incorrect doses, contamination, mislabeling, or defective delivery systems. The most serious recalls, those carrying risk of serious injury or death, were concentrated among fentanyl, morphine, and hydromorphone. Many recall notices lacked important details, including the number of units affected, making it difficult to understand how these issues may impact patients. Our findings show that opioid recalls happen regularly and often reflect manufacturing problems that could influence treatment safety or effectiveness.
Nursing home profit status and pain among residents living with dementia
03/28/26 at 03:20 AMNursing home profit status and pain among residents living with dementiaPain Management Nursing; by Sorah Levy, Barbara Resnick, Elizabeth Galik, Kelly Doran, Tara McMullen, Sarah Holmes; 2/26Nursing home (NH) residents living with dementia experience pain that is often sub-optimally managed. Nearly one in five nursing home residents with dementia experience pain symptoms.There is a known relationship between NH organizational factors, such as profit status, and quality of care. However, little attention has been paid to understanding the relationship between NH ownership profit status and pain among residents living with dementia. NH ownership profit status was not significantly associated with pain ...
Decision-making approaches used to limit potentially nonbeneficial life-prolonging interventions
03/28/26 at 03:15 AMEthical uncertainties: Diverging and emerging regulations of assisted dying/assisted suicide and the potential role of clinical ethics
03/28/26 at 03:10 AMState POLST program maturity status and dying in the nursing home or hospice in the United States: An event time study
03/28/26 at 03:05 AMState POLST program maturity status and dying in the nursing home or hospice in the United States: An event time studyJournal of the American Medical Directors Association; by Komal Patel Murali, May Hua, Patricia W Stone, Andrew Dick, Tadeja Gracner; 2/26State Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) programs ensure documentation of orders for treatment are documented for the provision of goal-concordant care at the end of life. The national POLST organization tracks the maturity stages of state programs and categorizes them as developed (beginning of use) and endorsed (benchmarks and standardized use). Examining the association between POLST program maturation and the likelihood of dying in place can help clarify how implementation stage may affect end-of-life care and place of death. POLST program maturity is associated with a higher likelihood of NH residents dying in place or in hospice, potentially supporting goal-concordant care and reducing burdensome hospital transfers near the end of life.
[UK] Assessing the inclusion of music therapy and music interventions in national dementia strategies and clinical practice guidelines: A scoping review
03/28/26 at 03:05 AMLife is 10% ...
03/28/26 at 03:00 AMLife is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it. ~Charles R. Swindoll
Changes in RI hospice utilization and quality of care with increase in number of hospice programs
03/28/26 at 03:00 AMChanges in RI hospice utilization and quality of care with increase in number of hospice programsJournal of Pain and Symptom Management; by Joan Teno; 3/26The number of licensed hospice programs in Rhode Island increased from four prior to 2017 to eleven by 2025, with many new providers being for-profit entities, some backed by private equity. Using public data, I analyzed trends in hospice use and quality, hypothesizing that the growth in providers may increase health care costs and raise concerns about the quality of care. Using public data, I analyzed trends in hospice use and quality, hypothesizing that the growth in providers may increase health care costs and raise concerns about the quality of care... Compared to not-for-profit hospices, for-profit providers showed significant differences in several measures, including a higher focus on enrolling patients with dementia—a population that may be more profitable because of their long length of stay and higher live discharge rates. A four-point difference in bereaved caregiver willingness to recommend for profit hospices indicates a moderate effect size5 and raises concerns about quality.
[Canada] Exploring the factors that prevent or facilitate palliative care at ‘home’ for adults experiencing structural vulnerability: A scoping review
03/28/26 at 03:00 AMSaturday newsletters
03/28/26 at 03:00 AMSaturday newsletters focus on headlines and research - enjoy!
Palliative care should be integrated into cardiology therapy earlier, says study
03/27/26 at 03:00 AMPalliative care should be integrated into cardiology therapy earlier, says study Medical Xpress; by Inka Väth; 3/25/26 An international group of authors has called for a shift in cardiovascular care. ... For clinical practice, the group of authors therefore recommends a stronger structural integration of palliative care content into cardiology. This includes interdisciplinary care teams, shared treatment models, and more intensive training in internal communication and symptom management. Palliative care should also be given greater consideration in medical education. ... Palliative care should be the standard in cardiology, not the exception. After all, the success of sustainable cardiology will not be measured solely by how long people live, but by how well they can live.
Keys to reinvigorating hospice quality
03/27/26 at 03:00 AMKeys to reinvigorating hospice quality Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 3/24/26 Health care disparities across a swelling aging population are driving a need for evolutionary change in hospice quality standards. ... Staffing shortages are playing a more significant role in the push for regulation changes, Hospice Analytics CEO Cordt Kassner said. Keeping pace with rising demand and fewer staffing resources has hospices seeking creative avenues, Kassner indicated. Leveraging technology has helped some hospices to improve clinical capacity and staffing ratios. However, more regulatory change that supports expanded hospice and palliative care education and greater transparency around staffing could go a long way in quality improvement, he said. “We can create these staffing ratios, but if they aren’t publicly reported and available how helpful are they?” Kassner said in the assembly. “It makes sense that we would want the experts, the people with the most experience in this field, to be helping to craft the regulations. ..."Editor's Note: Cordt Kassner, PhD, is also the owner and publisher for Hospice & Palliative Care Today.
Oncology-embedded supportive care and end-of-life outcomes: a comparative study of hospice-eligible Muslim patients with cancer and non-cancer diagnoses
03/27/26 at 03:00 AMOncology-embedded supportive care and end-of-life outcomes: a comparative study of hospice-eligible Muslim patients with cancer and non-cancer diagnoses Supportive Care in Cancer; by Manahil Imran, Basel Ghurm Alshehri, Muhammad Ali Akhtar, Raafey Imran, Umar Iqbal, Maryam Imran, Aaliyaan Iqbal, Ibrahim M. Imran, Ibrahim T. Malik, Tabindeh Jabeen Khalid, Mohsin Iqbal, Belal Mohammad Sharaf, and Imran Khalid; 3/24/26 ... Conclusions: An oncology-embedded supportive care model in a Muslim-majority setting was associated with earlier transitions to comfort-focused care and less aggressive end-of-life interventions among hospice-eligible cancer patients. The contrast with non-cancer patients highlights the importance of structured supportive care integration and demonstrates that models adapted to cultural and religious contexts can effectively support comfort-focused care.