Literature Review

Hospice home for veterans named after philanthropist in Nevada Audacy.com - Connecting Vets; by Julia DeDoux; 9/22/25 A Reno, Nevada-based nonprofit dedicated to ensuring veterans have access to the medical care they need has named its newly opened hospice home in honor of a philanthropist whose gifts have been critical to its efforts. Veterans Guest House said the facility, which opened in June, will be known as the Cynthia Lake House. Lake has been instrumental in expanding access to both medical and end-of-life care for veterans across northern Nevada. In 2022, she founded Veterans Guest House’s Patient Advocacy Program, which connects veterans with transportation, post-operative care, and personal support. The impact of the program inspired Lake to scale the vision to 24/7 personalized care, making the hospice house possible.

Driving innovation: Healthsperien launches Center for Health Research, Policy & Strategy led by seasoned experts  PR Newswire, Washginton, DC; by Healthsperien; 9/23/25 Healthsperien announces the official launch of its Center for Health Research, Policy & Strategy, marking the third in a series of new Centers of Expertise designed to provide clients with specialized, high-quality services and reinforce Healthsperien as a comprehensive partner and integrated hub for health policy, government relations, and research strategies. ... The Center will be led by Dianne Munevar, Partner, who joins Healthsperien after serving as Vice President of Health Care Strategy at NORC at the University of Chicago. She will lead a seasoned team of 5 research, policy, and strategy experts, who also come from NORC at the University of Chicago, ...

A nurse’s journey through advanced breast cancer: Michele’s invasive ductal carcinoma Stage 4 diagnosis Norton Healthcare, Paducah, KY; by Sara Thompson; 9/15/25 When Paducah, Kentucky, native Michele Burgess received her Stage 4 invasive ductal carcinoma diagnosis Feb. 6, 2020, she faced the advanced breast cancer the same way she approaches everything in life — head on. As a nurse manager for an inpatient hospice unit, Michele had spent years caring for others in their most vulnerable moments. Now, she would draw on that same strength for her own battle. ... Most people expected Michele to step away from her demanding career after her cancer diagnosis. After all, working in hospice while fighting breast cancer seemed like an impossible burden. But Michele saw it differently. “Why wouldn’t I continue?” she asked herself. Her work gave her purpose, and her 10-bed inpatient unit needed her steady leadership. ...

A natural segue: Retired hospice physician Ralph Caldroney ’72 turns a planned gift into immediate impact with new lecture sponsorship W&L - The Columns, Washington & Lee University, Lexington, VA; by Barbara Elliott; 9/15/25 [Dr. Ralph Caldrony, retired medical director for Hospice of Rockbridge County,] attended several Mudd Center lectures during this past year’s series: “How We Live and Die: Stories, Values and Communities.” ... Impressed by the range and quality of the Mudd Center presentations [at Washington & Lee University], Caldroney previously committed a $250,000 planned gift to the center for his 50th reunion gift in 2022. However, after such a positive experience attending this year’s lecture series, he decided to fast-track his support. For each of the next five years, his $5,000 per-year gift will sponsor an annual lecture. “It was a natural segue,” Caldroney says. “This way, I can enjoy some of the fruits of my labor while I am still alive.”

Federal long-term care advisory commission proposed McKnights Long-Term Care News; by Kimberly Marselas; 9/14/25 A National Advisory Commission on long-term care would be created under a bill introduced Thursday [9/11] that is intended to provide recommendations to Congress over the next decade. US Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and John Boozman (R-AR) said the commission would address a growing number of issues for seniors and others in need of long-term help with activities of daily living. The bipartisan Supporting Our Seniors Act directs a 12-member commission to assess and provide recommendations to Congress on improving service delivery, financing, workforce adequacy, and other issues related to access and affordability.

Choices Healthcare names new president and CEO, Michael Link TownLively.com, Lancaster, PA; Press Release; 9/9/25 Choices Healthcare has announced the appointment of Michael Link as its next president and chief executive officer, effective Wednesday, Oct. 1. The decision follows a national search and reflects unanimous support from the board of directors. Choices Healthcare is the parent organization of Hospice & Community Care and Hospice of Central PA. Link has been with the organization for more than two decades. He joined Choices Healthcare, then known as Hospice of Lancaster County, in 2001 as an information systems trainer. Over the years, he advanced through roles including director of information technology, vice president and chief information officer, chief administrative officer and, most recently, chief operating officer. ... Steve Knaub, the current Choices Healthcare president and CEO, will serve as special adviser to the board through his retirement on Wednesday, Dec. 31.

Raising the standard of Arizona’s dementia care Lovin' Life; by Lin Sue Flood; 9/7/25 Arizona is setting a bold new standard to better support families impacted by dementia. A groundbreaking state mandate requires all memory care facilities to provide up to 12 hours of specialized dementia training to their staff, plus four hours of continuing education each year. This extensive training combines online video modules with hands-on, in-person skills sessions. Hospice of the Valley’s experienced Dementia Team is leading the way as one of the agencies the Arizona Department of Health Services has approved to deliver this comprehensive training. The nonprofit organization is unique in offering it as a free community service.

David Quigg named CEO for Harbors Home Health Hospice The Daily World, Hoquiam, WA, by Jerry Knaak; 9/3/25 Harbors Home Health & Hospice has removed the interim tag and named David Quigg the permanent CEO. Quigg, who has been with the organization for nearly two and a half years and served as interim CEO since May, is a successful real estate broker with Quigg & Co Real Estate in Hoquiam. He also serves as an at-large commissioner for Grays Harbor County Hospital District 2.

This is the one question leaders need to ask themselves: To avoid burnout, leaders need to pay attention to their energy levels Forbes - Work Life; by Tim Jack Adams; 9/1/25 You’ve carried the weight of big decisions, the pressure to perform, to lead and deliver, all despite what’s happening behind the scenes. You’ve navigated through uncertainty and change, providing the space for everyone else to thrive. It’s a feeling that the most capable leaders feel. It’s not quite burnout, but a kind of dullness. A slow drain. A fog that creeps in quietly and makes it harder to stay clear, connected, and grounded. ... It's not about time, it's about energy. ...Editor's Note: Twenty years ago, this concept revolutionized my workday, productivity, outcomes, and overall well-bing, via the book The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal, by Jim Loehr, published 2003. This author's content is fresh, dated September 2025.

Palliative care researchers use qualitative data to understand the full picture of patients' lives St. Jude Research; by Heather Johnson; 8/26/25 The central goal of palliative care is to provide comfort, relieve suffering and improve the quality of life for those dealing with serious illnesses. That care is interdisciplinary. It must be. Quality of life relates to physical, social, emotional, spiritual and psychological needs. Addressing those needs requires teamwork from physicians and clinicians in a range of disciplines. ... Palliative care studies often use mixed methods approaches to capture the full picture of what can be subjective outcomes. For example, scales and surveys may provide a foundation for assessing symptom relief, while qualitative research, such as patient interviews and focus groups, helps researchers understand the meaning behind the numbers.  Editor's Note: Yes. Measures for hospice and palliative success and growth are more than dollar amounts and the number of locations. Pairing qualitative research with quantitative data, researchers and leaders must seek to "understand the meaning behind the numbers." Ongoing, be sure to explore our newsletter's Saturday issues for relevant, timely evidence-based research articles--quantitive and qualitive data--to improve the care of persons who needing hospice and palliative care.

Artificial intelligence in geriatric health careHealth Affairs; by Esther S. Oh, Peter M. Abadir, Joseph Grogan, Ravi Gupta, Anne Ollen, Daniel Polsky, Peter Weems, Phillip Phan; 8/20/25Artificial intelligence (AI)-based technologies are quickly integrating into the US health care system. Unlocking their full potential for older adults—the fastest-growing demographic in the country—and rural populations facing health access and support crises is essential. On May 1, 2025, the Johns Hopkins Artificial Intelligence and Technology Collaboratory (represented by coauthors Oh, Abadir, and Phan) and the National Institute on Aging hosted a summit on the future of geriatric medicine and AI, focusing on the challenges and effects of implementing AI-based technologies. We identified policy gaps and opportunities to support the fair and efficient use of AI technologies for older adults [including:]

Major health systems undergoing COO transitions in 2025 Becker's Hospital Review; by Kelly Gooch; 8/15/25 Several major U.S. health systems have appointed COOs this year — some to newly created positions — amid a resurgence of the COO role. While some systems have tapped internal veterans as successors, others have chosen new COOs from outside their organizations.  Here are 11 COO changes to know: ...