Literature Review

High reliability in action — a closer look at Unit-Based Quality Rounds Mass General Brigham; 1/7/25 ... “We’re creating a new process and I’m so proud of all of you because what you have accomplished so far has been amazing,” Nursing Director Vivian Donahue, RN, said at the opening of the huddle with just over 20 physicians, nurses, advance practice providers (APPs), unit staff and hospital and system senior leaders in attendance, including Thor Sundt, MD, chief of Cardiac Surgery for Mass General Brigham. ... At the unit’s first huddle in October, a conversation about the availability of hospice care generated a new referral process that connects patients receiving end-of-life care and their families to hospice services and ongoing emotional support for those coping with the passing of a loved one. At the Dec. 11 huddle, Donahue reported that the unit had provided this welcome, deeply appreciated additional support to five patients and their families.

Outpatient palliative care and end-of-life care intensity: Linking Massachusetts Cancer Registry with all-payer claimsJNCI Cancer Spectrum; Nancy L Keating, Joel S Weissman, Alexi A Wright, Robert Wolf, Susan Gershman, Richard Knowlton, John Z Ayanian; 1/25Early palliative care is associated with better outcomes for patients with advanced-stage cancers. Using a novel data linkage, we assessed outpatient palliative care use before death and its association with end-of-life care intensity and variation across eight provider networks. End-of-life care intensity varied across provider networks. Patients with palliative care visits had lower adjusted odds of receiving intensive end-of-life care ... 

The iatrogenic consequences of medicalising grief: Resetting the research agenda Sociology of Health & Illness: by Sarah Gurley-Green, Lisa Cosgrove, Milutin Kostic, Lauren Koa, and Susan McPherson; published 11/28/25, distributed via Evermore 1/28/25When the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) was published in 2013, there was a firestorm of controversy about the elimination of the bereavement exclusion. Proponents of this change and of the proposed “complicated grief” designation believed that this change would help clinicians recognise major depression in the context of recent bereavement. Other researchers and clinicians have raised concerns about medicalising grief. In 2022 “prolonged grief disorder” (PGD) was officially included in the DSM-5-TR in the trauma- and stressor-related disorders section. ... As human rights activists have argued, bereavement support is an inalienable human right, one that is centered on the right to health and well-being, for “bereavement health is as intrinsic to our humanity as any other aspect of health and citizenship” (Macaskill 2022). That is why there are increasing calls for investing in bereavement as a public good and for “cultivat[ing] a bereavement-conscious workforce.” (Lichtenthal et al. 2024, e273). As Lichtenthal notes, it is not only clinicians but also institutions and systems that must “shift bereavement care from an afterthought to a public health priority.”Editor's note: "Iatrogenic" refers to unintentional consequences/condition from a medical intervention. In the hospice context, this means bereavement/grief from the hospice death. How many patients do you serve? The CMS Hospice Conditions of Participation identify "bereavement" and/or "grief" 155 times. What priority do you give to bereavement care before, at and after your patients' deaths?

The Dorion Family Pediatric Center breaks ground in Mandarin Jacksonville Daily Record, Jacksonville, FL; by Dan Macdonald; 1/28/25 The hospice center is designed to expand care and convenience for children and their families. The Foundation of Community Hospice & Palliative Care broke ground Jan. 27 on the Dorion Family Pediatric Center, a pediatric hospice center in Mandarin. ... The space will allow for an expanded range of therapies and support services in a dedicated, pediatric-friendly setting. The facility will provide a centralized location that reduces travel time for the clinical team. Currently, caregivers travel to patients’ homes, the release said. ... The Dorion Family Pediatric Center is named in honor of the Dorion family, who are advocates for compassionate care. The family helped establish the organization. 

Michigan Center for Rural Health working to expand rural palliative care Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 1/29/25Recent studies have established a dire need for palliative care in rural areas, and the state of Michigan is no stranger to this situation. To respond to the need, the Michigan Center for Rural Health (MCRH) is partnering with Stratis Health, a nonprofit consulting firm that specializes in assisting rural communities with providing palliative care services. The two organizations, which have partnered on projects related to critical care hospitals and Medicare beneficiaries, will choose five rural communities in the state with the goal of increasing their capacity to provide palliative care. In the current phase of the project, Stratis will be training MCRH staff to apply their framework for implementing palliative care programs in the target areas.

Best small footprint design of 2024: PACE Center with homelike charm Senior Housing News; by Andrew Christman; 1/27/25 Healthcare and social connections blend seamlessly in a new Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) location in Winchester, Virginia. The organization behind the project, Blue Ridge, was inspired by the “community village” concept in its new concept, which is a PACE center that conjures a more homelike than clinical atmosphere. The program resides within a compact footprint of 15,540 square feet, according to SueAnn Myers, executive director and project lead for Blue Ridge Independence at Home. Prioritizing accessibility and ease of movement, the location features wide hallways, ramps and “thoughtfully placed” handrails. Recessed carpets reduce issues for visitors with wheelchairs and the building features a warm contemporary aesthetic that draws inspiration from the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains. Blue Ridge Independence at Home’s PACE center design in a small package snagged it the top spot in the small footprint category of the 2024 Senior Housing News Architecture and Design Awards.

New hospice center in Missoula prepares for grand opening Times-Leader, Missoula, MT; by Taylor Richardson; 1/24/25 The Partner Hope Foundation has completed construction on its new hospice center in Missoula, offering critical services to the region. This facility is only the second of its kind in Montana and aims to provide high-quality care for elders in western Montana. ... The center features 12 patient care rooms equipped with amenities such as a spa, a full kitchen, and a space for spiritual practices. Melro highlighted the design of the patient rooms: "We tried to make them oversize so that family could gather here and stay with the patient as needed. We tried to encompass some things that will help make the patients more comfortable, such as additional storage and their own refrigerator. ... The center's creation was made possible by a $15.4 million fundraising campaign which is 95% funded so far. 

Hospice of Savannah awarded grant for safety improvements NBC WSAV Savannah News, Savannah, GA; by Eric Dorsch; 1/27/25 Hospice of Savannah Inc. (HSI) has announced it has been awarded a grant for repairs and home modifications. HSI will receive $1,999,111 in Older Adults Home Modification Program grant funding to complete safety and functional home modifications and limited repairs in the primary residences of two hundred eligible homeowners and renters over age 62 with low income. The work aims to improve general safety, increase accessibility, reduce falls, and improve residents’ functional abilities in the home for their safe and successful aging in place. 

Former hospice physician alleges retaliation against nonprofit healthcare provider Northern California Record; by Northern California Record State Court; 1/23/25 In a gripping legal battle that raises questions about medical ethics and employee rights, a former hospice physician has filed a lawsuit against his previous employer, alleging wrongful termination and retaliation. The complaint was lodged by Kamaldip Ghei in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco, on January 10, 2025, targeting Sutter Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice dba Sutter Care at Home. ... Ghei claims he was wrongfully terminated after raising concerns about the organization's practices regarding patient care. Specifically, he alleges that he was pressured to keep patients in hospice care even when it was not medically justified. ...

Stillwater Hospice CFO: A winning recipe for improving rural hospice care Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 1/23/25 Montana-headquartered Stillwater Hospice has found a successful rhythm to strategic rural-based growth and sustainability. The strategy hinges on building culture, staffing resources and a reputation for quality, according to CFO and Co-founder Chris Graham. Launched in 2017, the hospice company serves predominantly rural-based populations in Montana, northern Wyoming and South Dakota. ... What are the most significant concerns among rural-based hospice providers currently? How have the challenges of rural care delivery evolved in recent years? "Staffing is very hard. You’ve got to find staff who are willing and like to travel because they have a lot of windshield time. It’s also the logistics of remote care. We have patients that live 75 miles or more outside of a town, then once you get there it’s another 20 miles on a dirt road that could be covered in snow and ice. ..." [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

New telehealth rules: 5 takeaways on temporary flexibilities for 2025 Becker's ASC Review; in collaboration with Coronis Health; 1/21/25 With the passage of the American Relief Act, 2025, certain telehealth flexibilities initially introduced during the public health emergency (PHE) era have been extended. These provisions, however, are only authorized through March 31, 2025. A Jan. 9 blog post by Coronis Health breaks down what the extensions mean for telehealth providers and patients, what services and features were left out and why certain changes could become permanent in 2025. Five takeaways:

Up to $212,500 funding now available to researchers investigating health disparities CMS.gov - Health Equity - Grants & awards; Minority Research Grant Program; via email 1/21/25, retrieved from the internet 1/21/25 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health (CMS OMH) is pleased to release the Minority Research Grant Program (MRGP) 2025 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). This grant awards funding to health equity researchers at minority-serving institutions (MSIs) investigating health disparities and improving the health outcomes of minority populations.As a grantee, you will enhance your impact and visibility in the research community, support our mission to advance health equity, and join a prestigious group of awardees whose collective MRGP-funded research has been cited in more than 190 publications. CMS will award up to six grants, totaling up to $1,275,000, in 2025. Review the notice of funding opportunity CMS-1W1-25-001 and submit your application on grants.gov by April 1, 2025.