Literature Review

'Labor of love:' Longtime Hospice of Dubuque leader retires Telegraph Herald, Dubuque, IA; by Elizabeth Kelsey; 7/8/26 When Lavonne Noel was hired as financial coordinator for Hospice of Dubuque in 1990, she was simply looking for a part-time job while she raised her young children. Little did the Dubuque resident know that she would spend the next 36 years working for the local nonprofit, including 15 as its executive director. Noel retired recently from Hospice of Dubuque after a career she described as “the greatest privilege of my professional life.” ... Hospice of Dubuque Financial Director Jackie Brehm is currently serving as interim executive director while officials conduct a search for Noel’s permanent replacement. Noel has every confidence Hospice of Dubuque will continue to thrive under new leadership.

 Former Skowhegan nonprofit director seeks early end to probation for thefts CentralMaine.com, Skowhegan, ME; by Jake Freudber; 7/8/26 Jason Gayne has paid the $70,000 in restitution owed to the Skowhegan Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Hospice Volunteers of Somerset County. ... Gayne has completed hundreds of hours of community service, well beyond what he was ordered to do. He has focused on providing for his family. And he has never violated the conditions of his probation. ... Now Superior Court Chief Justice Robert E. Mullen will determine whether to approve Gayne’s request for an early end to his probation. Gayne’s request, if granted, would effectively shave two years from the term included in his sentence.

Core competencies for effective management in any industry Markmeets.com; by Web Desk; 7/6/26 The foundation of success in any sector often depends on strong managerial skills. While each industry may demand specific technical expertise, there is a core set of foundational skills that underpin effective management across all fields. ...

Dignity shouldn’t depend on having an address: Holly Klein The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, OH; by guest columnist Holly Klein; 7/5/26 As a hospice nurse for more than 25 years, I’ve cared for people surrounded by family -- and I’ve cared for people who had no one. Today, as executive director and co-founder of Grace House Akron, I care for people who are experiencing homelessness, abandonment or extreme social isolation at the end of life. We provide a home and hospice care at no cost because we believe one simple truth: No one should die alone. I've cared for people living in motels, sleeping in shelters, staying in abandoned buildings or moving from one temporary place to another while facing a terminal illness. ... Hospice is not a place -- it's a model of care. But our healthcare system assumes everyone has somewhere safe to receive it. Many people don't.

Hospice in the spotlight – audits, PEPPER, and patient autonomy RACmonitor; by Ronald Hirsch, MD, FACP, ACPA-C, CHCQM, CHRI; 7/1/26 .. why talk hospice now? Because it seems to be hospice’s time to be in the spotlight. ... Last week you likely heard about a big U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) $6.5 billion fraud takedown. Included in that was another hospice fraud scheme that included a funeral home employee who sold information on recently deceased people to a fraudster who then submitted claims for hospice services that were never provided. ...Then, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the Program for Evaluating Payment Patterns Electronic Report (PEPPER) for hospice organizations. And to top it off, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) released an audit of hospice claims finding that Medicare paid over $255 million for patients who were not eligible for hospice care. ...

VITAS Healthcare promotes Bryan Wysong to Chief Operations Officer South Florida Hospital News and Healthcare Report; Press Release; 7/2/26 VITAS Healthcare announced the promotion of Bryan Wysong to chief operations officer (COO). As executive vice president and COO, Wysong will lead companywide operations across VITAS, overseeing hospice care delivery, high acuity services, operational performance, quality improvement, home medical equipment and palliative care services. He will work closely with leaders across the organization to strengthen clinical excellence, advance operational performance and support the continued growth of VITAS. Since joining VITAS in 2014 as an internal management consultant, Wysong has held leadership roles of increasing responsibility, including senior director, vice president, head of high acuity services and senior vice president of operational performance. 

How do senior hospital doctors perceive their role in supporting junior colleagues with navigating ethical issues in end-of-life care? BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care; by Sinead Donnelly, Simon Walker, John McMillan and Jean Hay-Smith; 6/29/26 Objectives: ... The aim of this study was to explore senior doctors’ experience of supporting first-year and second-year resident doctors including the strategies used.Results: ... The first theme, Context: ‘the job is brutal’, details the pressure on and vulnerability of both senior and junior doctors. The second theme, Support: ‘it is the human part we want to live, we also have the expertise’, encompasses what senior doctors do and would like to do more of to support junior doctors. Meeting junior doctors on a human level and role modelling self-awareness and reflection are the most effective ways of support. The lack of value placed on these ways of support is a source of frustration.

Compassus, Providence Execs: greater transparency needed on hospice quality Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 6/29/26 Greater transparency around hospice quality could help counter eroding trust among the public due to widespread fraud, according to executives from the home health and hospice provider Compassus and the Providence Health System. ... “We’ve got a big narrative about fraud and to use that that should, and probably does, engender fear in the average person who is not working in the industry,” Compassus CEO Mike Asselta told Hospice News. “Can I trust the provider if this industry is fraught with abuse? Am I going to be on the receiving end of that abuse? Just that narrative by itself could have a chilling effect on beneficiaries and families who otherwise need hospice.”

Why generations clash at work—and how great leaders fix it | part one Teleios Collaborative Network; podcast hosted by Chris Comeaux with Karen McCullough; 6/24/26 In this insightful first installment, Chris Comeaux sits down with nationally recognized generational expert Karen McCullough to explore the perspectives, experiences, and workplace expectations that shape Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z.  Drawing from more than two decades of research and real-world consulting, Karen unpacks why many workplace conflicts are not personal attacks, but differences in generational perspective. Together, they examine how communication styles, views on commitment, work-life balance, feedback, technology, and leadership have evolved across generations.  Karen shares practical insights for healthcare, hospice, nonprofit, and business leaders who are navigating multigenerational teams and seeking to create cultures where every generation can thrive.

Why generations clash at work—and how great leaders fix it | part one Teleios Collaborative Network; podcast hosted by Chris Comeaux with Karen McCullough; 6/24/26 In this insightful first installment, Chris Comeaux sits down with nationally recognized generational expert Karen McCullough to explore the perspectives, experiences, and workplace expectations that shape Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z.  Drawing from more than two decades of research and real-world consulting, Karen unpacks why many workplace conflicts are not personal attacks, but differences in generational perspective. Together, they examine how communication styles, views on commitment, work-life balance, feedback, technology, and leadership have evolved across generations.  Karen shares practical insights for healthcare, hospice, nonprofit, and business leaders who are navigating multigenerational teams and seeking to create cultures where every generation can thrive.

Care Synergy Announces Leadership Transition as CEO Tim Bowen Plans Retirement; Tricia Ford Named CEO ElectCare Synergy press release; 6/19/26Care Synergy President and Chief Executive Officer Tim Bowen has announced his plans to retire on March 2, 2027. To ensure a seamless leadership transition, Care Synergy's Board of Directors has named Hospice Chief Operating Officer Tricia Ford as CEO Elect. The transition plan includes Ford immediately assuming CEO Elect responsibilities while continuing to work closely with Bowen to ensure a seamless transfer of leadership. Bowen will retire on March 2, 2027, at which time Ford will become Chief Executive Officer. Care Synergy also plans to begin a search for a new Chief Operating Officer in the near future.

Executive Personnel Changes - 6/19/26

The AI leadership edge: seven critical skills for navigating the age of Artificial Intelligence Recruit-Talent.com | Leadership and Management; 6/14/26 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has revealed a stark reality for businesses venturing into the realm of artificial intelligence (AI): a staggering 70% of AI implementations fail to deliver their anticipated business value. ... The MIT study, coupled with extensive real-world application, has identified seven pivotal leadership skills that are instrumental in distinguishing effective AI leaders from their less successful counterparts. ...