Literature Review

Intervention increases palliative cancer care consultations/lowers EOL care CancerNetwork.com; by Roman Fabbricatore; 3/11/25A palliative care (PC) intervention combining algorithm-based automated identification of patients eligible for PC led to an increase in PC visits and a decrease in end-of-life systemic therapy among patients with cancer, according to a randomized clinical study (NCT05590962) published in JAMA Network Open. ... "...  Prior efficacy trials in oncology have tested early PC in controlled, primarily academic settings.2To our knowledge, this is the first effectiveness randomized clinical trial of algorithm-driven default specialty PC in community oncology.”

J-Sei Home closes after 30 years, leaving Bay Area Japanese seniors in need KQED, San Francisco, CA; by Cecilia Lei; 3/10/25 ... For decades, Bay Area Japanese American families have sought culturally sensitive senior care facilities like J-Sei Home for aging loved ones. Community members said that about a decade ago, there were approximately 10 Japanese senior care homes in the region. Today, that number has declined by about half. The most recent closure came in January, when the last residents of J-Sei Home moved out, and the facility permanently closed its doors after 30 years of operation. A majority of the displaced residents were Japanese Americans in their 90s and had cognitive impairment. ... They had tender caregivers who spoke Japanese. They ate familiar comfort foods like miso soup and pickled vegetables, and they participated in daily activities such as drum circles and singing Japanese songs. ...

Local pharmacist advising Ohio health director on palliative care Herald-Star, Steubenville, OH; by Christopher Dacanay; 3/10/25 A local pharmacist hopes to “expand utilization” of palliative care in Jefferson County and increase patients’ quality of life from her new position as an adviser to the Ohio Department of Health director. Steubenville resident Mary Mihalyo, doctor of pharmacy, was appointed Dec. 10 to the Palliative Care and Quality of Life Interdisciplinary Council. Bringing her own expertise, Mihalyo joins a diverse, 20-person group of professionals with experience in the provision of palliative care. ... Mihalyo, who founded Steubenville’s A&B Pharmacy with her husband, is the former CEO of Delta Care Rx LLC. She now serves as chief clinical officer for the company, which has been rebranded as Dragonfly Health. ... Her professional work, since [1999], has focused on serving hospice and palliative care patients locally and nationally as part of interdisciplinary teams. ... [Council members] ... actively consult with and advise the director on palliative care initiatives in the state, identify standards of practice, pinpoint initiatives at the state or national level integrating palliative care into the healthcare system and developing its practice and lay out patient identification guidelines for health care providers.

Enloe Health to transition Palliative Care Program to new cancer center Action News Now, Chico, CA; by Matt Wreden; 3/7/25 Enloe Health is transitioning its Palliative Care Program to function under its soon-to-open cancer center. This shift means that Enloe Health will be phasing out its in-home palliative care services, a decision that has raised concerns within the local community. ... Enloe Health explained that this move is in line with the upcoming Symptom Management Clinic set to open as part of the new Cancer Center. Editor's note: Does this limit their palliative care services to only those with cancer? What about palliative care needs for persons with advanced heart disease? Strokes? Neurological diseases like ALS or Parkinson's? Advanced dementia?

Algorithm-based palliative care in patients with cancer-A cluster randomized clinical trialJAMA Network Open; Ravi B. Parikh, MD, MPP; William J. Ferrell, MPH; Yang Li, MS; Jinbo Chen, PhD; Larry Bilbrey; Nicole Johnson, BSN; Jenna White, MSW; Ramy Sedhom, MD; Natalie R. Dickson, MD; Stephen Schleicher, MD; Justin E. Bekelman, MD; Sandhya Mudumbi, MD; 2/25In this randomized clinical trial conducted in a community oncology network between November 2022 and December 2023 among 562 patients with advanced cancer identified by an automated electronic health record algorithm, default orders increased palliative care consultation (44% vs 8%) and decreased end-of-life systemic therapy (6% vs 16%) compared with usual care but did not improve patient-reported or hospice outcomes. The findings suggest that default algorithm-based palliative care orders are a scalable implementation strategy to increase palliative care referrals and reduce intensive end-of-life care. 

Unity Hospice and Palliative Care, with over 30 years experience, broadens services to southern Wisconsin EIN Presswire; by Unity Hospice and Palliative Care; 3/6/25 Unity Hospice and Palliative Care is expanding its services to Southern Wisconsin, bringing decades of expertise in delivering personalized, heartfelt care and support to individuals and families facing life-limiting illnesses. The new location will serve patients in Kenosha, Milwaukee, and Racine counties, ensuring greater access to high-quality hospice and palliative care. "For over 30 years, Unity Hospice and Palliative Care has provided expert, compassionate support to patients and families," said Michael Klein, CEO of Unity Hospice and Palliative Care. "Expanding to Southern Wisconsin allows us to bring that same commitment to even more communities, ensuring that individuals facing serious illness receive the personalized care they deserve."

Central Coast VNA & Hospice expands registered nursing services in Monterey Buzz; 3/5/25 Central Coast VNA & Hospice is significantly expanding its registered nursing care services in Monterey, providing residents with increased access to high-quality, personalized healthcare delivered directly in their homes. … Key expanded services include advanced care planning, which helps patients and families make informed medical decisions, and a palliative care program focused on relieving symptoms and reducing stress for patients with serious illnesses. The organization also offers specialty programs targeting specific health conditions such as cardiac care, diabetic care, and orthopedic support. 

Patient put in hospice at 52 celebrates life years after admission, thanks to heart surgery KCTV-5, Kansas City, MO; by Morgan Riddell; 2/27/25 A local man with heart failure who was told numerous times he only had months to live now has a new outlook on life two years later. ... It started in 2023. Sam Edwards, who was diagnosed with ALS after serving in the military, started experiencing new pains. He went to doctors who all determined Sam was just experiencing issues related to ALS. Then, a doctor at the VA Hospital noticed some tests were off and found Sam was experiencing heart failure. What he needed was open heart surgery, but doctors determined the risk of putting Sam on the operation table was too high. Not only was he at risk of having a stroke and dying on the operating table, but his recovery would also be months long and painful. They declined to do the surgery at the VA and suggested Sam go get a second opinion. This is when he was connected with Dr. Michael Gibson.Editor's note: While we in the palliative and hospice field promote earlier admissions to care and elimination of overtreatment, another side of the coin exists. Click on the title's link to read more about this hospice patient who sought out a second opinion. Imagine: the hospice patient is you (at age 52); or a family member; or a best friend. Especially as AI becomes more prevalent in assessing palliative and hospice referrals, we must see the bigger picture and retain human element. 

Can default palliative care referrals increase consults? Medscape; edited by Gargi Mukherjee; 3/4/25 A default palliative care referral intervention increased palliative care consultations by more than fivefold and decreased end-of-life systemic therapy by more than half among patients with advanced cancer being treated in the community oncology setting. ...

My mother and brother have terminal cancer. I'm worried I won't feel anything when they die. Business Insider; essay by Kimanzi Constable; 3/1/25 ... My brother was diagnosed with Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) three years ago, and my mother found out she had stage four lung cancer a year ago. I got a call earlier this year that the cancer was spreading, and I flew to spend time with them. I knew it would be hard seeing them battling late-stage cancer, but what I walked into was my brother in the Advanced Cancer Care Center, unable to move, and my mother wanting to hold an "end of life" planning meeting. It was worse than I anticipated. It was hard to see him not moving and the nurses having to help him do everything. My mother looked like she weighed 50 pounds ... I'm worried I won't feel anything when they pass away. ... I think it might be just another day when they pass away. I've been thinking — what does that say about me? Am I a bad person for not falling on the ground and losing it for over half of my family dying? Or is this nothingness an OK feeling due to the complicated relationship we've had most of my life? ... Editor's note: Leaders, welcome to the daily world of your clinicians, especially your social workers, chaplains, and grief counselors. Read this with openness to the normalcy of this author's conflicted relationships, emotions, thoughts, and empowered actions toward "not wanting to regret how I handled this opportunity to say goodbye more healthily."

Medicaid health plans failing to pay hospices for nursing home room and board Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 3/3/25 ... Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program, is among the states that shifted management of its safety net health coverage to health plans. Under this system, Medi-Cal pays the health plans who then pass payments on to the providers. However, due to confusion among managed care plans that oversee Medicaid in most states, those hospices are not getting those dollars back, according to Craig Dresang,  CEO of YoloCares. This has caused hospices to lose thousands to millions of dollars in some cases. “Managed health care plans are saying they’re denying the claims, and they’re tying them up so that they age out. So the due date has passed and we can no longer bill,” Dresang told Hospice News. [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

Local care specialists launch first-ever ‘memory cafe’ in the Upstate WSPA Greenville, SC; by Simone Jameson; 3/3/25 Some Upstate care providers are bringing a new concept to the region they said will benefit families of adults with dementia. The Blake at Hollingsworth Park Assisted Living and Think Different Dementia are two partners behind a first of its kind ‘memory cafe’ in Greenville. ‘The Upstate Memory Cafe’ provides a community setting where people living with dementia and their caregivers can bond. ... Organizers told 7NEWS the ‘memory cafe’ offers a space where attendees play cards, make flowers and do other activities together. They said ten to twelve home health care and hospice representatives are present for each meeting and educate families on best dementia care practices, while offering them support and respite services.