Literature Review

Former hospice physician alleges retaliation against nonprofit healthcare provider Northern California Record; by Northern California Record State Court; 1/23/25 In a gripping legal battle that raises questions about medical ethics and employee rights, a former hospice physician has filed a lawsuit against his previous employer, alleging wrongful termination and retaliation. The complaint was lodged by Kamaldip Ghei in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco, on January 10, 2025, targeting Sutter Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice dba Sutter Care at Home. ... Ghei claims he was wrongfully terminated after raising concerns about the organization's practices regarding patient care. Specifically, he alleges that he was pressured to keep patients in hospice care even when it was not medically justified. ...

Stillwater Hospice CFO: A winning recipe for improving rural hospice care Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 1/23/25 Montana-headquartered Stillwater Hospice has found a successful rhythm to strategic rural-based growth and sustainability. The strategy hinges on building culture, staffing resources and a reputation for quality, according to CFO and Co-founder Chris Graham. Launched in 2017, the hospice company serves predominantly rural-based populations in Montana, northern Wyoming and South Dakota. ... What are the most significant concerns among rural-based hospice providers currently? How have the challenges of rural care delivery evolved in recent years? "Staffing is very hard. You’ve got to find staff who are willing and like to travel because they have a lot of windshield time. It’s also the logistics of remote care. We have patients that live 75 miles or more outside of a town, then once you get there it’s another 20 miles on a dirt road that could be covered in snow and ice. ..." [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

Locally and veteran-owned Headwaters Hospice and Palliative Care expands healthcare offerings for Montana communities Business Post Examiner, Helena, MT; by Michael Brown; 1/22/25 In just one year since receiving the prestigious CHAP Accreditation, Headwaters Hospice and Palliative Care has become a cornerstone of compassionate care in the Helena Valley, Montana. ... Building on this success, Headwaters Hospice and Palliative Care is proud to announce its expansion into the Butte/Silver Bow County area, bringing its renowned services to even more Montanans. In addition to hospice care, the company will begin offering palliative care services in 2025. These services will not only provide an alternative provider for Helena but will also be the only in-home palliative care option available in Butte. 

Big Bend Hospice opens new resale boutique benefiting local families Apalachicola The Times; by Bill Wertman; 1/15/25 At Big Bend Hospice (BBH), every decision we make is guided by our commitment to serving families across North Florida with compassion and care. For more than 40 years, we have been a cornerstone of support for patients with advanced illnesses and their loved ones. Today, I am proud to share an exciting new chapter in our story: the opening of Oak Tree Treasures, a resale shop located at 3260 Mahan Drive in Tallahassee. ...  Oak Tree Treasures embodies our mission of ensuring every family has access to the highest quality hospice care, regardless of financial barriers. All proceeds directly support our hospice services and therapeutic programs, bringing comfort and dignity to families during life’s most challenging moments.

Up to $212,500 funding now available to researchers investigating health disparities CMS.gov - Health Equity - Grants & awards; Minority Research Grant Program; via email 1/21/25, retrieved from the internet 1/21/25 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health (CMS OMH) is pleased to release the Minority Research Grant Program (MRGP) 2025 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). This grant awards funding to health equity researchers at minority-serving institutions (MSIs) investigating health disparities and improving the health outcomes of minority populations.As a grantee, you will enhance your impact and visibility in the research community, support our mission to advance health equity, and join a prestigious group of awardees whose collective MRGP-funded research has been cited in more than 190 publications. CMS will award up to six grants, totaling up to $1,275,000, in 2025. Review the notice of funding opportunity CMS-1W1-25-001 and submit your application on grants.gov by April 1, 2025.

Sovereign Hospice empowering young adults to understand hospice Fox-40; Press Release by Sovereing Hospice; 1/20/25 Sovereign Hospice ... in Aubrey, Texas, is shedding light on the essential role young adults play in understanding and supporting hospice and palliative care services. Through their latest blog, “Spreading Insight: What Young Adults Should Know About Hospice & Palliative Care,” the organization aims to debunk myths, explain key differences between hospice and palliative care, and emphasize why early awareness is critical for families navigating complex health journeys. Many young adults assume caregiving responsibilities earlier than expected, often balancing personal and professional commitments. Studies show that nearly 1 in 4 adults aged 18–34 provide care for a loved one, underscoring the need for awareness about hospice and palliative care. 

US dementia cases projected to double within 40 years Medscape Medical News; by Pauline Anderson; 1/13/25 The number of US adults who will develop dementia each year is projected to increase from approximately 514,000 in 2020 to about 1 million in 2060, new research shows. In addition, the lifetime risk of developing dementia after age 55 is estimated at 42%. The research showed that the relative growth in dementia cases is particularly pronounced for Black adults. These new findings researchers say, “highlight the urgent need for policies that enhance healthy aging, with a focus on health equity.”

CMS Health Equity Data Book U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services - Office of Minority Health; by CMS Office of Minority Health; published December 2024, email notifications 1/15/25 One of the six pillars of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) 2023 Strategic Plan is to, “Advance health equity by addressing the health disparities that underlie our health system.” The CMS Office of Minority Health (OMH) aims to advance health equity by providing broader access to data about the state of health equity across CMS’ programs. This Data Book presents summary information on disparities within CMS programs as demonstrated by data related to prevalence. ... This Data Book is intended for use as a readily-available information source on health disparities within the Medicare, Medicaid, and the Health Insurance Marketplace populations. This Data Book is organized into five key sections – CMS at a Glance, Demographics, Chronic Conditions, Behavioral Health, and Social Determinants of Health – so that Data Book users can jump to the section most relevant to their data needs. Within each section, data are presented by each population type.

CMS Call for Nominations: 2025 CMS Health Equity Award U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; by CMS Health Equity; via CMS email 1/13/25Nominations for the 2025 CMS Health Equity Award are now open to organizations working to advance health equity, showing others how to reduce disparities in health care access, quality, and outcomes. Nominations are due February 18 at 11:59 pm PT.  ... Health equity is defined by CMS as the attainment of the highest level of health for all people, where everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their optimal health regardless of race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic status, geography, preferred language, and other factors that affect access to care and health outcomes. 

Guidelines for evaluating, diagnosing, and disclosing dementia published by Alzheimer’s Association Practical Neurology; 1/14/25 The Diagnostic Evaluation, Testing, Counseling, and Disclosure Clinical Practice Guideline (DETeCD-ADRD CPG) Workgroup, convened and funded by the Alzheimer’s Association, has developed new recommendations for clinicians to use when evaluating patients with possible Alzheimer disease (AD) or AD and related dementias (ADRD). An executive summary of the recommendations for use in primary care and other practice settings was published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia, along with a companion article summarizing specific guidance for specialists. The Workgroup included representatives from  primary, specialty, subspecialty, long-term, and palliative care disciplines as well as the fields of health economics and bioethics.  Editor's note: Click for open access to the Alzheimer's Association clinical practice guideline ..., executive summary of recommendations for primary care. 

Agrace expands hospice services into Milwaukee County Agrace.org; Press Release; 1/14/25 Residents of Milwaukee County who are in the final months of life have a new choice for high-quality, in-home hospice care. Agrace, the largest Wisconsin-based nonprofit hospice, has announced it is expanding its services into the county. For more than 45 years, Agrace Hospice Care has offered end-of-life care to people of all ages across southern Wisconsin. Milwaukee County residents can now enroll with Agrace to receive hospice care that comes to them where they live—in private homes, long-term care facilities or any other place they call home. In addition to a new regional office ... in Wauwatosa, Agrace has offices in Oconomowoc, Janesville, Dodgeville and Baraboo, and a hospice inpatient unit and residence in Madison. The Wauwatosa office is home base for an interdisciplinary care team that includes local hospice physician Andre Cernasov.

ECHO report exposes deadly toll of homelessness in Austin CBS Austin, TX; by Abigail Velez; 1/10/25 A report released this week by Austin's Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (Austin ECHO) revealed the human cost of the city's growing homelessness crisis. The report, analyzing six years of data, found that a staggering 1,010 unhoused individuals died in Austin between 2018 and 2023. Their average age of death: is just 50 years old, a full 20 years younger than their housed counterparts. ... The report offered a number of concrete recommendations, including: ... Develop a medical triage team to connect vulnerable individuals with appropriate care, including respite care, long-term care, substance use treatment, and hospice.

Meals on Wheels volunteers deliver extra food ahead of winter storm Fox 4 KDFW, Dallas, TX; by Alex Boyer; 1/8/25 Volunteers are doing their best to help some of North Texas’ most vulnerable people prepare for the winter storm. ... Meals on Wheels in Dallas County is a service provided by the Visiting Nurses Association. Currently, the organization serves about 5,200 homebound seniors and disabled adults throughout the county each weekday. That’s in addition to those in hospice care.