Literature Review

Closing the gender gap in medicine: 5 ways to support women physicians CAPC | Center to Advance Palliative Care; by  Laurel Kilpatrick, MD, FAAHPM and Sonia Malhotra, MD, MS, FAAP; 4/27/26 From allyship to advocating for systemic change, learn how you can you champion women physicians so they can lead and thrive. Having more women physicians in medicine isn’t just a matter of equity—it’s important for patient outcomes. ... The strategies outlined at the end of the blog apply to all female health care professionals, not just physicians. 

Hospice of Davidson County honors impact of volunteers The Dispatch; by Staff; 5/5/26 On April 30, Hospice of Davidson County held its annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner to celebrate the extraordinary contributions of the individuals who serve as the heart of the agency.  ... In 2025, volunteers provided 2,599 hours of direct support, a 76% increase over the previous year. Through the Hearts for Hospice initiative, volunteers assembled and delivered more than 300 Valentine's Day care packages to patients at Hospice of Davidson County's Hinkle Hospice House, ... as well as to local skilled nursing facilities and home care settings.  ... "Our volunteers do not just give their time; they give their hearts," said HDOC Volunteer Services Manager Elizabeth Mitchell.Editor's Note: This kind of data speaks well to your Board of Directors, donors, and other stakeholders. Additionally, multiply the hours of your direct support by the National Volunteer Wage Rage, currently estimated at $36/hour, with state specific data going back to 2001.

Celebrating National Volunteer Month: ways hospice organizations showed appreciation (April 2026) Hospice & Palliative Care Today; compilation by Joy Berger; 5/1/26 

Spokane police arrest hospice caretaker accused of stealing from dying patientsKXLY.com, Spokane, WA; by Kirstin O'Connor; 4/29/26 Spokane police arrested a hospice facility caregiver Wednesday on charges she stole debit cards from dying patients and their visiting family members to buy lottery tickets. Leena Anderson faces charges of second-degree identity theft, possession of stolen property and money laundering in connection with thefts at an unnamed Spokane hospice facility. The Spokane Police Special Investigations Unit launched the investigation several weeks ago after learning of several related thefts from victims at the hospice facility. Investigators determined Anderson was the only employee working during the time frame when all three thefts happened.

Health systems add IT leadership roles Becker's Hospital Review; by Naomi Diaz; 4/24/26 Hospitals and health systems are adding new executive positions to address the growing demands of artificial intelligence governance, cybersecurity and data management. Many of the roles being created are inaugural appointments, reflecting a shift in how organizations are structuring technology leadership. From chief digital officers to AI strategy leads, hospitals are redefining their IT structures to enhance cybersecurity, data management and innovation. Here are new IT roles hospitals and health systems have added to their C-suites since March 17: ...

Nursing profession sees major boom NBC Nightly News; by Emilie Ikeda; 4/21/26 As AI threatens so many industries, nursing is in demand. The Labor Department last year reported health care as the largest source of job creation in the U.S. "So many industries, one is thriving and paying good salaries," Emilie Ikeda explains why so many Americans are giving up working in office buildings to become nurses. ... At a time when many industries are shrinking in part because of Artificial Intelligence, "Why do you say that nursing is A.I.-proof?" "I don't think that A.I. can pick up on the minute nuances that may happen in human emotion ..."

Nearly 40% of physicians report high moral distress, which significantly increases burnout Healio; by Josh Friedman; 4/21/26 An AMA survey of more than 9,000 individuals showed nearly 40% of physicians report high levels of moral distress, yet most U.S. adults experience none at their occupation. Physicians who reported high levels of moral distress had a significantly higher likelihood of burnout symptoms and intent to leave the profession. “Physicians want to do what they believe is right for patients. That’s what we want all health care professionals to do, prioritize patient care,” Michael A. Tutty, PhD, MHA, group vice president of professional satisfaction and practice sustainability at AMA, told Healio. “Leaders need to think about how we can reduce or eliminate those ethical challenges that make it harder for physicians to provide high-quality patient care.”

Supporting family caregivers at work benefits employers too, report offers McKnights Home Care; by Kathleen Steele Gaivin; 4/17/26 Few employers are doing anything to support workers who are family caregivers, despite sometimes seeing the effects unpaid caregiving has on the workplace, such as absenteeism and underperformance, according to a report from CareBenefits by Care.com, published Wednesday [4/15]. The business implications are becoming clear, the authors said, adding that employers can support workers by offering family caregiving-related benefits.

Google.org and Johnson & Johnson Foundation launch $10 million AI training program for rural U.S. healthcare workers Complete AI Training; Press Release; 4/14/26 Google.org and the Johnson & Johnson Foundation are launching a $10 million program to train rural U.S. healthcare workers to use AI tools for administrative tasks. The initiative targets operational efficiency in clinics facing chronic staffing shortages and administrative overload. ... According to the National Rural Health Association, over 130 rural hospitals have shut down since 2010, with administrative burden cited as a major factor. The new program addresses this directly by teaching healthcare workers to use AI for scheduling, patient documentation, and clinic operations. 

Owatonna, Mankato Hospice Supplement Program & caregiver jobs plan launched Marketers Media / NewsNetwork, Owatonna, MN; Press Release; 4/14/26 Freedom Home Care, LLC, in southern Minnesota, announced the update and expansion of its Hospice Care Supplement Program. ... It delivers 24/7 supplemental care, including overnight and live-in options, to cover times when family members or hospice teams are unavailable. Services go beyond medical support to include household assistance such as meal preparation, light housekeeping, companionship, supervision, assistance with transfers and repositioning, and personalized one-on-one attention—ensuring patients are never alone while families can rest, focus on quality time, and avoid burnout. More information at: https://freedomhomecarellc.com/services/hospice-care/

Regional Home Health and Hospice facility to lay off 161 employees at Greenville site WhatNow; by Deepali Singla; 4/9/26 ECU Health Home Health and Hospice will lay off 161 employees at its facility in Greenville. The company filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notice with the state. The layoffs follow the shutdown of the Greenville facility. ECU Health Home Health and Hospice filed a WARN notice indicating the closure of its facility at 1005 WH Smith Blvd, Greenville, NC 27834. As a result of the closure, the layoffs are scheduled to take effect on May 1, 2026.

Proposed Rule: FY 2027 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements. CMS-1851-P DisplayRegulations.gov -  An official website of the United States Government | CMS; 4/6/26 This proposed rule would update the hospice wage index, payment rates, and aggregate cap for Fiscal Year 2027; include an analysis of Medicare non-hospice spending, and proposes requirements that hospices provide the hospice election statement addendum to all Medicare beneficiaries. Additionally, this rule proposes conforming regulation text changes to discharge from hospice care regulations; regulation text changes to the face-to-face encounter regulations; and includes RFI on community palliative care services; hospice specific wage index construction; and the overlap between hospice and medical aid in dying. Finally, this rule proposes changes to the Hospice Quality Reporting Program. In commenting, please refer to file code. CMS-1851-P.