Literature Review
All posts tagged with “Palliative Care Provider News | Utilization.”
Hospice: Care, commerce, and the cost of a separate category
01/06/26 at 03:00 AMHospice: Care, commerce, and the cost of a separate category The Pine Belt News, Hattiesburg, MS; by Cathy Eaker; 1/5/26 Hospice care is often presented as a compassionate alternative to aggressive medicine—a gentler path that prioritizes comfort, dignity, and peace at the end of life. In theory, it is a humane model. In practice, hospice exists at the intersection of care and commerce, and that intersection deserves far more scrutiny than it receives. ... That does not mean hospice nurses, aides, social workers, or chaplains are unethical. Quite the opposite. Most of the people providing hands-on hospice care have good hearts. They care deeply. They show up. They bathe patients gently, sit at bedsides, hold hands, and witness grief with humanity. The problem is not the caregivers—it is the structure they work within. ...
Fourth temporary extension of COVID-19 telemedicine flexibilities for prescription of controlled medications
01/05/26 at 03:00 AMFourth temporary extension of COVID-19 telemedicine flexibilities for prescription of controlled medications Federal Register - The Daily Journal of the United States Government; A Rule by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Health and Human Services Department on 12/31/2025 AGENCY: Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Justice; Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services. ACTION: Temporary rule. SUMMARY: The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) jointly with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is issuing a fourth extension of telemedicine flexibilities for the prescribing of controlled medications through December 31, 2026. DATES: This rule is effective January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026.
Is Alzheimer’s disease more common than previously thought?
01/05/26 at 03:00 AMIs Alzheimer’s disease more common than previously thought? Medscape; by Megan Brooks; 12/24/25 Alzheimer’s disease (AD) may be more common than previously thought in some demographic groups, according to the first population-based study to use a blood test to gauge AD-related neuropathological changes (ADNCs). ... A “major advance” of this study is the use of blood-based biomarkers as a way to generate more accurate, population-level estimates of AD pathology, Nicholas Ashton, PhD, senior director of the Banner Fluid Biomarker Program, Banner Sun Health Research Institute in Sun City, Arizona, told Medscape Medical News.
CAPC fireside chat: Leading through change and uncertainty in palliative care
01/05/26 at 03:00 AMCAPC fireside chat: Leading through change and uncertainty in palliative careAmerican Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) and Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC); to be presented by Brynn Bowan, MPA, Rikki Hopper, FNPT-C, MBA, Kristina Newport, MD, FAAHPM, and R. Sean Morrison, MD; retrieved 1/2/26, to be presented 1/14/25, 3:00-4:00 ESTPeriods of organizational or environmental change can test even the most experienced leaders. ... In this fireside chat, national leaders from CAPC, AAHPM, HPNA, and the Ichan School of Medicine at Mount Sinai will reflect on how palliative care leaders can stay grounded and effective during times of uncertainty—maintaining clarity, confidence, and compassion while advancing the field. Attendees will explore strategies to sustain team morale and well-being, foster collaboration across disciplines, and keep equity, quality, and patient-centered care at the heart of their work. The discussion will also highlight emerging opportunities for innovation, research, and shared leadership as palliative care continues to evolve within a changing health care landscape. [Registration is free.]
Abstract 4364177: Underutilization of palliative care in peripheral artery disease: A state-of-the-art review across cardiovascular conditions
01/03/26 at 03:35 AMAbstract 4364177: Underutilization of palliative care in peripheral artery disease: A state-of-the-art review across cardiovascular conditionsCirculation; by Odaly Balasquide-Odeh, Roberto Lapetina-Arroyo, Christiany Tapia, Alvaro Pinto-Rodriguez, Santiago Callegari, Mufti Rahman, Gaelle Romain, Kim Smolderen, Carlos Mena-Hurtado, Aseem Vashist, 11/25Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is associated with high morbidity and mortality, yet palliative care (PC), a supportive, team-based approach integrated remains underutilized. This review contrasted PC components, patient-level and program outcomes, and patient-reported outcomes across heart failure (HF), coronary artery disease (CAD), and peripheral artery disease (PAD). HF programs provide a transferable template for PAD, based on an early, structured and multidisciplinary PC. This could lead to a PAD-specific care model that integrates best practices from HF and that helps address underuse in a vulnerable and overlooked population.
ACCESS (Advancing Chronic Care with Effective, Scalable Solutions) Model
01/02/26 at 03:00 AMACCESS (Advancing Chronic Care with Effective, Scalable Solutions) Model U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) The ACCESS (Advancing Chronic Care with Effective, Scalable Solutions) Model tests an outcome-aligned payment approach in Original Medicare to expand access to new technology-supported care options that help people improve their health and prevent and manage chronic disease. The voluntary model focuses on conditions affecting more than two-thirds of people with Medicare, including high blood pressure, diabetes, chronic musculoskeletal pain, and depression. It will run for 10 years beginning July 5, 2026.
Alzheimer's: When is it time to consider hospice care?
12/30/25 at 03:00 AMAlzheimer's: When is it time to consider hospice care? The Advocate, Baton Rouge, LA; by Dana Territo; 12/29/25 ... Since the span of Alzheimer's disease can run from seven to 20 years, it is often difficult to know when the person warrants hospice care. Generally, an individual with Alzheimer's is ready for a hospice referral when they become severely impaired in function, (no longer can walk or feed themselves); when the person has become incontinent; when they experience frequent choking episodes or have difficulty in breathing, are unable to speak or communicate meaningfully (limited to about a half dozen or fewer intelligible words), or have significant weight loss. ...Editor's Note: This local advocacy article provides important information for all hospices, with references to their state organization--Louisiana-Missisippi Hospice & Palliative Care Organization--for ongoing resources.
Early palliative care interventions linked with reduced mortality in patients with advanced NSCLC undergoing ICI treatment
12/30/25 at 03:00 AMEarly palliative care interventions linked with reduced mortality in patients with advanced NSCLC undergoing ICI treatment Lung Cancers Today; by Cecilia Brown; 12/24/25 Early palliative care interventions were associated with reduced mortality and longer survival among patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer who received immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), according to a recent study. Researchers from the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center presented the study findings at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) and American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2025 North America Conference on Lung Cancer.
What makes a ‘good’ death? Former Durango hospice director reflects
12/30/25 at 03:00 AMWhat makes a ‘good’ death? Former Durango hospice director reflects The Durango Herald, Durango, CO; by Jessica Bowman; 12/28/25 What is a “good” death? That’s up to each of us to decide for ourselves, said Anne Rossignol, former director of Mercy Hospice House. Rossignol said it’s a question more people should be asking themselves – and sooner. ... She earned her medical degree in 1999 and completed an internal medicine residency through the U.S. Army, where she served as a flight surgeon and completed two tours in Iraq. It was during her time at an Army hospital – where she guided patients and families through life-or-death decisions – that she felt drawn to palliative care. “These big soldiers in their uniforms would sit down with these families to talk about the end of life, and they’d be crying, and the families would be crying. It was so beautiful,” Rossignol said. ...
Patients with hematologic cancers value blood transfusions most in hospice services
12/30/25 at 03:00 AMPatients with hematologic cancers value blood transfusions most in hospice services Healio; by Josh Friedman; 12/29/25 Key takeaways:
[Global] Summary digest for palliative care professionals: December 2025
12/30/25 at 03:00 AMSummary digest for palliative care professionals: December 2025 ehospice; 12/28/25 December is a time to pause and reflect on the journey we have shared in 2025. You might have saved some of our digests or articles for later, simply because there wasn’t enough time or energy during the year. That’s why we’ve put together a year-end digest for you. It compiles all the recommended materials from 2025, neatly organised by topic for your convenience. Happy holidays, dear friends! ... May the coming year bring you more strength, warmth, and professional inspiration.
Holistic hospice provider expands to Pinellas County
12/29/25 at 03:05 AMHolistic hospice provider expands to Pinellas County Catalyst; by Mark Parker; 12/24/25 A national end-of-life care company with unique offerings, including pet visits, personal pampering and Memory Bears made from a patient’s clothing, has expanded to Pinellas County. VITAS Healthcare is a nearly 50-year-old mobile hospice provider that takes a holistic approach to providing support during a sensitive time in someone’s life. A new administrative office at 12425 28th St. N. in St. Petersburg serves as a home base for interdisciplinary care teams. Kathleen Coronado, vice president of operations, said VITAS plans to eventually open a local inpatient center “for patients who need a higher level of care.” However, the company’s primary goal is to provide comfort wherever patients call home.
Heart failure deaths shift to home, hospice, but racial disparities persist
12/29/25 at 02:15 AMHeart failure deaths shift to home, hospice, but racial disparities persistAJMC, Cranbury, NJ; by Sabrina McCrear; 12/23/25 Key Takeaways:
End-of-life care for older adults with dementia by race and ethnicity and physicians’ role
12/27/25 at 03:45 AMBringing death into the conversation: Communication strategies for discussing assisted dying in palliative care
12/27/25 at 03:15 AM[Saudi Arabia] Comparison of end-of-life care between patients with hematological malignancies versus solid tumors: A retrospective analysis
12/27/25 at 03:05 AM[Saudi Arabia] Comparison of end-of-life care between patients with hematological malignancies versus solid tumors: A retrospective analysisJournal of Palliative Care; by Salma Almusaed, Kim Sadler, Walaa Abdulmutaali, Gassan Abudari, Steven Callaghan, Mahmoud Sroor, Muneerah Almutairi, Mohammed AlGhamdi, Muruf Zaid Alshalwah, Sameer Desai, Nessreen Abu Alsalhm, Khloud Alzain; 11/25While specialized palliative care (PC) is well-established for managing STs [solid tumors], its integration into HMs’ [hematological malignancies] care remains less common despite evidence of its benefits. The cohort consisted of 350 adult patients, of whom 86 (24.6%) had HMs and 264 (75.4%) had STs. Overall, HMs patients received more aggressive end-of-life care, including higher rates of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admissions (81.4% vs 17.8%), intubation (36% vs 8.3%), disease-modifying treatments (23% vs 3.8%), as well as more enteral feeding, dialysis, blood transfusions, and antimicrobial use. Their resuscitation discussions occurred closer to death (3 vs 16 days ... ). Additionally, HMs patients had fewer referrals to PC services (43% vs 79.2% ... ), and most of them died in the ICU (59.3% vs 18.2% ... ).
Jan. 27, 2025, International Holocaust Remembrance Day [link 1]--paired with--A little-known story about a Jewish refugee and Cicely Saunders [link 2]
12/24/25 at 01:40 AMRemembering the Holocaust with little-known story about a Jewish refugee and Cicely Saunders: Honoring the International Holocaust Remembrance Day - 80th Anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz
Palliative care staff attitudes toward music therapy for hospitalized adult patients
12/23/25 at 03:00 AMPalliative care staff attitudes toward music therapy for hospitalized adult patients American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AJHPM); by Katherine A. Carney, APRN, CNP, MS, Rachel M. Wiste, APRN, CNP, MSN, Susanne M. Cutshall, APRN, CNS, DNP, MS, Christina Wood, MA, MT-BC, Rachel C. Gentes, APRN, CNP, MSN, Brianna E. Larsen, MA, MT-BC, Nana A. Tiwaa, MAS, Amelia E. Tetlie, APRN, CNP, DNP, and Regina M. Mackey, MD; 12/18/25 ... Top reasons for music therapy (MT) referral were psychosocial support, pain and symptom management, and coping. The most common symptom-focused indications were anxiety, mood, and existential distress. A variety of factors influenced decisions to refer for MT. Most felt that at least half of their patients could benefit from MT, and nearly all rated MT as “extremely” or “very” effective for improving patients’ quality of life.Editor's Note: Visit stories about music therapy the American Music Therapy Association. For extensive uses of music therapy in hospice and bereavement care, I invite you to explore my book, Music of the Soul - Composing Life Out of Loss, published in Routledge's Series in Death, Dying and Bereavement, 2006.
Innovations in senior living with Katie Smith Sloan
12/22/25 at 03:00 AMInnovations in senior living with Katie Smith Sloan Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast hosted by Chris Comeaux with Katie Smith; 12/17/25 What if aging services led the way in redesigning care—combining smart technology with deeper human connection? That’s the challenge Katie Smith Sloan, President and CEO of LeadingAge, brings to the table as we unpack the data, the headwinds, and the promise across nonprofit senior living, home-based care, and hospice. ... Together, Chris and Katie explore how collaboration, innovation, and values-driven leadership can reshape aging services to better serve older adults—and those who care for them.
Hospice Insights Podcast - Hospital to Hospice: Managing referrals and relationships
12/22/25 at 03:00 AMHospice Insights podcast - Hospital to Hospice: Managing referrals and relationships JD Supra; by Bryan Nowicki and Meg Pekarske, Husch Blackwell LLP; 12/17/24 A common referral scenario involves hospital clinicians referring a dying patient to hospice. This circumstance gives rise to questions relating to hospice eligibility, the appropriate level of hospice care, and the expectation of the patient and the hospital. In this episode, Husch Blackwell’s Meg Pekarske and Bryan Nowicki address these questions and provide insights into effectively managing this situation.