Literature Review

Chapters Health System names new Executive Director and Chief Development Officer of the Foundation for Chapters Health Foundation Cision, Temple Terrace, FL; PR Newswire; 2/6/25 Chapters Health System ... announced the appointment of Franklin Guerrero as the new Executive Director and Chief Development Officer of the Chapters Health Foundation. Guerrero, accomplished fundraising executive with more than 20 years of experience in developing successful fundraising strategies, previously served as the Vice President of Major and Planned Gifts at Capital Caring Health, a Chapters Health affiliate organization. He also partnered with leadership at organizations such as AARP Foundation, Hispanic Scholarship Fund, Project HOPE, USA for UNHCR and Children International. "We're thrilled to have Franklin's leadership at the Chapters Health Foundation to help expand our culture of philanthropy," said Rhonda White, president of hospice and PACE, Chapters Health System.

Hospice of North Idaho celebrates record-breaking event Coeur d'Alene / Post Falls Press, Coeur d'Alene, ID; by Devin Weeks; 2/7/25The 40th year turned out to be the finest. Hospice of North Idaho hosted a successful sold-out soirée Feb. 1, raising an all-time best of more than $276,000 at the 40th annual Wine Taste and Auction at The Coeur d'Alene Resort. "It’s a new record for us," Hospice of North Idaho Executive Director Eric Ladwig said Thursday. ... "These are programs we don’t get any reimbursement from Medicare for," Ladwig said. "There's no mechanism for reimbursement other than community support." The annual event has seen increasing support year over year ... [for] Hospice of North Idaho, which has been providing end-of-life care and support services for the community for 44 years. Counting volunteers, attendees and sponsors, well over 400 people gathered for "The Secret Garden"-inspired evening, ... "It sold out three days before the event," Ladwig said.

Use of digital health technologies by older US adultsJAMA Network Open; Cornelius A. James, MD; Tanima Basu, MS, MA; Brahmajee K. Nallamothu, MD, MPH; Jeffery T. Kullgren, MD, MPH, MS; 1/25Older adults use various types of DHT [digital health technologies], and they use patient portals most often. Although some older adults have unique physical and cognitive needs that can affect the utility and usability of DHTs, in aggregate they share some predictors of DHT use with younger adults. Additionally, our study showed a statistically significant association between non-Hispanic Black race and ethnicity and DHT use. Various factors may contribute to this finding, including medical mistrust among Black patients leading to decreased engagement with the health system and increased reliance on DHTs. This study highlights the need to carefully consider the unique characteristics of older adults when developing and deploying DHTs to avoid worsening the digital divide. 

Reflection on the Potomac River Crash Hospice & Palliative Care Today; by Joy Berger, Editor in Chief; 1/30/25We are absorbing the heartbreaking news about Wednesday night’s tragic plane and helicopter crash over the Potomac River. Like many of you, I’m flooded with memories of flying into this same airport--delighting in the beautiful river and DC’s historic sites, the diversity among fellow travelers, and the city's adventures ahead. Many of these Washington DC trips were to be with our hospice and palliative colleagues at the NHPCO Conferences (now The Alliance). Today, I’m grateful for our many safe journeys and the rich connections we made in meetings, meals, spontaneous greetings, and our shared purpose. And, these current Potomac River tragic deaths can stir currents of our own traumatic losses. For me, I remember the pains of a beloved family in my childhood’s home church, whose adult son was killed in the January 1982 Potomac River plane crash. I easily feel the loss of my grandfather from when he was killed by a drunk driver. What are these for you? What truths do we glean from our hospice work? As news unfolds, may we treasure anew the unknown measures of our time on this earth. May we cherish our connections and treat each other with respect across our differences. May we, in our work and in our lives, sensitively tune into the often silent, life-altering traumas carried by others. May we learn, live, and give. Humbly, Joy

How to prepare children for hardships and tragedies The Citizen; by Dr. Victor Garlock; 2/4/25 All of us must face hardships and tragedies. How well we are able to get through difficult times is a major factor affecting the overall quality of our lives. Sometimes these challenges arrive individually, as in a sudden serious illness, an accident, or the death of a loved one. Sometimes — as in last fall’s devastating floods in North Carolina or the recent wildfires in Southern California — entire communities must find a way to move forward. ... Resilience is the capacity to recover from challenges and adversity. Tragic optimism is the determination to remain optimistic and find meaning and purpose in the face of tragedy. [With children:]

Owners of McHenry Village restaurant have partnered with nonprofit [hospice] to open Modesto cafe The Modesto Bee, Modesto, CA; by Dominique Williams; 2/3/25 ... Cafe Verona opened to the public Monday inside Community Hospice & Health Services, a Modesto nonprofit. It is operated by executive chef Jaime Alderete and his wife, Edwarda, owners of Verona Cucina Italiana in McHenry Village and Verona18 in Copperopolis. ... The cafe is open for breakfast and lunch. Its business hours are weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.Editor's note: Click here and scroll down to view Community Hospice & Health Services' use of this partnership to host "Coffee & Conversations With Community Hospice & Health Services."  Consider the ease and effective cost-management of providing hospice employees and volunteers with this accessible food service.

Grief and bereavement books for kids and teens Evermore; list developed in collaboration with Dr. Donna Gaffney; 2/1/25... How can a young person grasp the enormity, meaning, and consequences of an occurrence that brought death, injury, or harm into their life? ... Because books can be such a powerful balm during a time of grief, here’s our list of favorite books for kids and teens that explore the difficult experiences of death, grief, loss, and bereavement. [Click here for the full article with book descriptions, photos, and links.]

Sunday newsletters focus on headlines and top read stories of the last week (in order) - enjoy!

Follow-up: Helene and hospice care in the western North Carolina mountains Hospice & Palliative Care Today; summary from a meeting between Vern Grindstaff (CEO, Compassionate Care Western North Carolina), Chris Comeaux and Tina Gentry (Teleios Collaborative Network), Cordt Kassner and Joy Berger (this newsletter); 1/28/25 Hospice recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene in North Carolina's mountains have been massive, with extensive long-term needs ahead. Vern Grindstaff, CEO of Compassionate Care Western North Carolina described the "new normal" they are experiencing.  Photos of this hospice and its service area vividly portrayed this hospice before, soon after Helene, and in its current recovery. Key topics included unthinkable patient care challenges with creative problem-solving, financial implications amounting to a $350,000 deficit for repairs, and the trauma experienced by staff—both professionally and personally. Discussions highlighted the importance of long-term recovery strategies, including the involvement of larger trusts for sustained funding, while also recognizing community support efforts by organizations like the Cajun Navy and Samaritan's Purse. Additionally, Chris Comeaux is presenting to hospice organizations about Emergency Disaster Management, equipping leaders to learn from this tragedy. Editor's note: Click here for a map of Compassionate Care Western North Carolina's service area (CCWNC). Click here to donate to their ongoing recovery. We thank our readers for your previous support to this and other hospices affected by emergency disasters. Additional resources:

Care for patients with a history of immigrationJAMA; Margaret Wheeler, MS, MD; Juan Raul Gutierrez, MD; Alicia Fernandez, MD; 1/25Home to 20% of the world’s immigrants, the US is the leading destination for people leaving their birth countries, and the US Census estimates that almost 14% of the US population in 2022 was born outside the US. ... The 2023 US Preventive Services Task Force Guideline on screening for latent tuberculosis recommends screening for tuberculosis in patients from Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Russia because in 2020, 71% of cases of active tuberculosis in the US occurred among individuals from these areas. Assessment of clinically relevant premigration factors involves consideration of the epidemiology of disease, health care practices, and sociopolitical and environmental exposures in an immigrant’s country of origin. These factors can alter risk assessment in differential diagnoses; for example, neurocysticercosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of seizures in a patient from Central America.

The National Donor Family Council: History, activities, achievements, and legaciesOmega-Journal of Death and Dying; Margaret B Coolican, Charles A Corr; 1/25The National Donor Family Council (NDFC) functioned under the sponsorship of the National Kidney Foundation from 1992-2014. Giving voice to the needs and views of donor families, the NDFC had an important impact on the support for those families. This article records significant points in the advocacy of donor families, summarizes the history of the NDFC, highlights the various activities and achievements of the NDFC, and offers some impressions of its legacies.

Flaws in the Medicare Advantage Star RatingsJAMA Health Forum; David J. Meyers, PhD, MPH; Amal N. Trivedi, MD; Andrew M. Ryan, PhD; 1/25The objective of the star ratings is to help beneficiaries select better plans, and to reward plans that deliver high-quality care. In June 2024, a US district court judge ruled that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) inappropriately calculated Medicare Advantage (MA) Star ratings due to not implementing a previously announced statistical adjustment. First, it is not clear if the star ratings are actually capturing a higher quality, as several measures in the star rating are reported by the plans themselves and plans often overstate their performance. Second, over 80% of contracts by enrollment are rated 4 stars or higher, which is the threshold needed to earn bonus payments, and a single star rating is assigned to each contract even when contracts may cover many different states and regions. Third, while bonus payments for star ratings are costly, plans eligible for enhanced bonuses have not shown greater improvement in measures related to clinical quality or administrative effectiveness. Taken together, the current star ratings are neither useful for all beneficiaries to make their plan decisions, nor do they appear to be capturing quality or catalyzing improvement. 

Suzetrigine: First-in-class nonopioid pain therapy is approved by FDAAmerican Journal of Managed Care; Giuliana Grossi; 1/25Suzetrigine (Journavx; Vertex Pharmaceuticals) received approval from the FDA for the treatment of adults with moderate-to-severe acute pain, according to an announcement from Vertex. The therapy is a novel oral, non-opioid, highly selective NaV1.8 pain signal inhibitor ... offering a non-opioid alternative amid the opioid crisis. Clinical trials demonstrated significant efficacy in postsurgical pain relief, though results varied across different conditions. Despite this, suzetrigine offers the potential to energize the nonopioid pain market, which includes other companies like Tris Pharma, Latigo Biotherapeutics, and SiteOne Therapeutics—all actively developing alternatives to opioids. Key findings from the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review analysis of the phase 3 trials include potential lifetime cost savings of $200 per patient when comparing suzetrigine with opioids, assuming a 1-week course priced at $420.