Literature Review

Care that never gives up - in honour of World Hospice & Palliative Care Day 2025 The Morung Express; by Dr. Victoria Seb, MBBS, PDGDM, FIPM; 10/10/25 Quoting the Father of Medicine, Hippocrates, himself : ‘To cure sometimes, to relieve often, to comfort always’, these timeless words echo deeply the realm of palliative care, reminding us that the heart of healthcare lies not only in curing disease but in easing suffering and preserving dignity. The World Hospice & Palliative Care Day 2025 theme “Achieving the Promise: Universal Access to Palliative Care” calls to action for communities, healthcare systems and policy makers to ensure that palliative care is not a privilege but a universal right – accessible to every person, everywhere. ... In an era marked by medical advancement and increased life expectancy, the demand for holistic, compassionate care at the end of life has never been greater. Yet, despite its proven benefits, access to palliative care remains limited worldwide. The need for palliative care is urgent and growing, especially as populations age and chronic diseases become more prevalent. 

Conspiracy of verticals:  Rethinking healthcare models with Peter Benjamin Teleios collaborative Network (TCN); video/podcast hosted by Chris Comeaux with Peter Benjamin; 10/8/25 In this conversation, Peter Benjamin and Chris Comeaux discuss the impact of COVID-19 on mortality rates, particularly the concept of 'death pull forward' and its implications for Hospice Care. Peter highlights the significant role of assisted living facilities in Hospice days and explores macro trends in healthcare, emphasizing the shift from vertical to horizontal care models. The discussion also covers the evolution of Palliative Care, frail elderly practices, and institutional special needs plans (iSNPs), while stressing the importance of measuring quality of care, particularly in pain management. 

Why 95% of AI rollouts fail and what L&D leaders can do about it Big Think+; 10/7/25 Companies are pouring resources into AI, yet capability gaps hold employees back from using it effectively. ... MIT recently reported that 95 percent of AI projects fail to deliver measurable outcomes. Despite the unprecedented investment, productivity gains are elusive, employee adoption is shaky, and the business case often collapses under scrutiny. How can we surround ourselves with the most powerful technology in human history, spend billions deploying it, and still struggle to prove it makes us better? The answer isn’t hiding in the models or the code. The real story and the real risk are sitting right in front of us. ... If you only push the tech, you’ll be part of the 95 percent of failures. If you only focus on people, you’ll underestimate what’s at stake. Success requires advancing both at the same time, with equal intentionality.

Dallas nonprofit plans first hospice house for people experiencing homelessness NBC DFW-5, Dallas, TX; by David Goins; 10/7/25 ... Tucked along a quiet, tree-lined street just east of downtown Dallas sits a historic property that will soon house a new concept for North Texas — a hospice house designed to provide end-of-life care in a safe, supportive environment for those living unsheltered. Chris Culack, CEO of the Visiting Nurse Association of Texas, said the organization’s mission has long centered on supporting vulnerable populations. The group currently provides meals for homebound neighbors in Dallas, Denton and Rockwall counties, as well as in-home hospice care in 16 counties statewide. 

Treasure Coast Hospice data breach: What you need to know Investors Hangout; by Henry Turner; 10/3/25 Overview of the Treasure Coast Hospice Incident Recently, Treasure Coast Hospice announced a significant cybersecurity incident that has compromised the personal information of over thirteen thousand individuals. This breach affected the confidentiality of sensitive records, including names, birth dates, and Social Security numbers. Such incidents highlight the importance of data security in healthcare services.

Healthcare AI in the United States — navigating regulatory evolution, market dynamics, and emerging challenges in an era of rapid innovation The National Law Review; by Nadia de la Houssaye, Andrew R. Lee, Jason M. Loring, Graham H. Ryan of Jones  Walker LLP; 10/2/25 The use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in healthcare continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace, fundamentally reshaping how medical care is delivered, managed, and regulated across the United States. As 2025 progresses, the convergence of technological innovation, regulatory adaptation (or lack thereof), and market shifts has created remarkable opportunities and complex challenges for healthcare providers, technology developers, and federal and state legislators and regulatory bodies alike. ...

Sought-after physician specialty roles are taking longer to fill Modern Healthcare; by Tim Broderick; 9/24/25 The time it took to fill open positions for the most sought-after physician specialties increased to almost five months in 2024, according to new research. The nonprofit Association for Advancing Physician and Provider Recruitment, with research firm Industry Insights, examined 2024 data from more than 15,000 searches of the association’s site, 61% of which were related to physician searches. ... The analysis found the estimated median days to fill the selected jobs increased by 11.5%, to 145 days in 2024 from 130 days in 2023. Oncology positions were the hardest to fill, at an estimated median of 332 days. Cardiology positions followed with an estimated median of 248 days to fill. [Access to the full article might be limited per a paywall.] Editor's Note: Oncology and cardiology are now the two hardest physician specialties to fill. This matters for hospice care because, according to NHPCO’s Facts and Figures 2024, cancer and circulatory diseases join Alzheimer’s and other nervous system disorders as the top three hospice diagnoses—together representing nearly three-fourths of all admissions. Delays in recruiting oncologists and cardiologists risk postponing timely palliative and hospice referrals. Newly hired specialists in these fields also need focused training—and intentional relationship-building with hospice teams—to ensure patients and families receive seamless, compassionate care.

Strengthening mental health literacy enhances job well-being in palliative care Oncology Nures Advisor; by Megan Garlapow, PhD; 10/1/25 Positive mental health literacy (PMeHL) significantly improved job well-being among palliative care nurses, with job crafting acting as a partial mediator in this relationship, according to a study published in BMC Psychology. These results highlight the importance of psychological resources and proactive role adjustments for supporting nurses working in high-stress palliative care settings.Editor's Note: "Job crafting" is the process by which employees actively shape and redefine their roles to enhance job satisfaction, engagement, and meaning in their work. 

Hospice of Santa Barbara’s No One Dies Alone Program ensures that those who are alone and actively dying, have someone at their bedside Santa Barbara Independent, Santa Barbara, CA; by Hospice of Santa Barbara; 9/29/25Hospice of Santa Barbara’s (HSB) No One Dies Alone (NODA) program has partnered with local senior living facilities in Santa Barbara for over a decade, providing compassionate volunteer support to seniors in their final 24 to 72 hours when family or friends are unavailable. Currently, NODA has 21 trained volunteers serving in the program. Before becoming a NODA volunteer, applicants must graduate from a six-week patient care training and serve as a patient care volunteer for a minimum of 9 months before attending a NODA specific training. Most NODA volunteers have been with the program for years and feel a strong commitment to the work they do.

Melinda Mullet: Hospice helps us die well. But barriers and misconceptions prevent access to services. The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA; by Melinda Mullet; 9/28/25 Hospice helps us die well. But barriers and misconceptions prevent access to services. ... To read an in-depth analysis of the barriers to hospice and the steps needed to ensure a robust end-of-life care in the future, my full report, “The Hope of Hospice: Reimaging End-of-Life Care in an Aging America,” is available at cpjustice.org/flipbook/2025-hatfield-prize-reports.

Expert: In preparation for debut of HOPE tool Wednesday, hospices should provide training, adhere to timelines McKnights Home Care; by Adam Healy; 9/28/25 With the Hospice Outcomes and Patient Evaluation (HOPE) tool scheduled to roll out Wednesday, hospice providers need to get up to speed, ... Katy Barnett, director of home care and hospice operations and policy at LeadingAge, told McKnight’s Home Care Daily Pulse ... "To be successful with the new tool, providers need to adhere to a few best practices. ... Providers should have a designated staff member making sure that their assessments are uploaded within 30 days of completion and that they are accepted by the iQIES system,” she said. “In the first quarter of implementation, meeting the 90% threshold for timely reporting of data is key.” Barnett added, “Providers need to make sure they’re meeting the two-day timeline for symptom follow-up visits and that they’re tracking completion either within their EMR or externally. This is really important since the visits will count towards publicly reported quality measures starting in January.”Guest Editor's Note, from Judi Lund-Person: For patients who are already on service on October 1, hospices will only use the HOPE discharge process and will not use the HUV or SFV visits.  Have you registered for iQIES yet? There is still time….. although every hospice will want to pay close attention to the 90% compliance threshold – if it is not met, there could be a 4% payment reduction for the following year. Good luck with your final preparations!

Virtual visits boost hospice home care services across Dallas-Fort Worth area The Smithfield Times, Aubrey, TX; Press Services; 9/26/25 Sovereign Hospice in Aubrey, TX, explains how telehealth and virtual visits help patients and families get hospice home care services faster. In the Dallas–Fort Worth area, these tools let nurses and doctors check patients quickly and answer questions without delay. Families far away can also join care meetings by video, making them part of the journey and improving understanding of the services the hospice offers.