Literature Review

How AI tools help home health providers dramatically lessen OASIS time burdenHome Health Care News; by Joyce Famakinwa; 6/18/25 As home health leaders continue to identify areas where artificial intelligence (AI) can be most beneficial to their businesses, some are beginning to utilize these tools to reduce the time burden of the Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS). Payment and outcomes are directly impacted by OASIS data collection, making accurate OASIS data collection crucial for home health providers. Yet for many clinicians, OASIS data collection can be a major pain point due to its complexity and time demands. Providers who have turned to AI-powered tools report “dramatic” efficiency gains. Still, experts note that some “fine tuning” remains to be done before the technology reaches its full potential. 

Nurse practitioners step in as geriatrician ranks shrink The Washington Post; by Jariel Arvin; 6/15/25 On Fridays, Stephanie Johnson has a busy schedule, driving her navy-blue Jeep from one patient’s home to the next, seeing eight people in all. Pregnant with her second child, she schleps a backpack instead of a traditional black bag to carry a laptop and essential medical supplies ... “Our patient isn’t just the older adult,” Johnson said. “It’s also often the family member or the person helping to manage them.” Johnson isn’t alone. Today, nurse practitioners are increasingly filling a gap that is expected to widen as the senior population explodes and the number of geriatricians declines. The Health Resources and Services Administration projects a 50 percent increas in demand for geriatricians from 2018 to 2030, when the entire baby boom generation will be older than 65. ...

7 strategies to reduce workplace incivility, bullying in hospitals Becker's Hospital Review; by Kristin Kuchno; 6/6/25 Workplace incivility and bullying have persisted in healthcare since their uptick during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, so do the challenges teams face, according to Brian Reed, vice president and chief human resources officer for Indianapolis-based Indiana University Health’s east region. ... Here are seven strategies to reduce workplace incivility among healthcare teams:

A single academic site study of five years evaluating pharmacy students’ palliative care clinical reasoning using Script Concordance TestingAmerican Journal of Hospice ad Palliative Medicine; Florence Labrador, PharmD-c; Kyle P. Edmonds, MD, FAAHPM; Toluwalase A. Ajayi, MD, FAAP, FAAHPM; Rabia S. Atayee, PharmD, BCPS, APh, FAAHPM; 5/25This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a Pain and Palliative Care elective didactic course on enhancing clinical reasoning skills among Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) students using the Script Concordance Test (SCT). The elective course was offered six times, covering various palliative care topics such as opioid management, procedural pain, and end-of-life care. The study found a statistically significant improvement in SCT scores from pre- to post-course assessments ... This study demonstrates the effectiveness of a targeted palliative care elective in improving clinical reasoning skills among pharmacy students.

‘A missed opportunity’ for small systems needing nurse Becker's Clinical Leadership; by Mariah Taylor; 5/8/25  In February, South Dakota officials approved the state’s first registered nursing apprenticeship program through Huron Regional Medical Center. The apprenticeship is designed to attract English-as-a-second language nurses into the field, Sioux Falls Live reported May 7. The program was started by Norma Torres Ortiz, RN, a travel nurse contracted with Avera Health who works part time at the Huron Regional Medical Center. Ms. Ortiz is originally from Puerto Rico where she worked as a nurse. When she moved to the U.S., she found herself struggling to pass the NCLEX and find a nursing job due to language barriers. ... Large systems are building international nursing programs that recruit and hire nurses through work visas; however, smaller systems don’t have the funds to hire large numbers of international nurses through an agency. This is where a nurse apprenticeship program can fill the gap. Huron Regional Medical Center launched its practical nursing apprenticeship in 2018. ...

What it’s like to be…a hospice nurse Behavioral Scientist; by Dan Heath; 5/22/25 Comforting patients as they prepare to transition, navigating end-of-life regrets and frayed relationships, and providing support and advice for fearful families with Heather Meyerend, a retired hospice nurse. How does she know when the end is imminent? And what has the work taught her about the different ways we deal with death? In each episode of What It’s Like to Be…, bestselling author Dan Heath speaks with someone about what it’s like to walk in their (work) shoes.

Podcast: Innovations and insights in the palliative care space Holland & Knight; podcast by Daniel Patten and Spencer Freeman; 5/20/25 In this episode of "Counsel That Cares," Daniel Patten, a partner in Holland & Knight's Healthcare Regulatory & Enforcement Practice, and Spencer Freeman, chief strategy officer at Gentiva, discuss the challenges and opportunities that come with delivering integrated palliative care services, highlighting the lack of a defined Medicare benefit for palliative care compared to more established models such as hospice. Mr. Freeman shares insights on building care models that serve high-risk patient populations through coordinated interdisciplinary teams and data-driven approaches, emphasizing the importance of collaboration with risk-based primary care providers. Mr. Patten adds a legal perspective on the evolving landscape of value-based care contracts, artificial intelligence (AI) integration and regulatory compliance. Together, they explore how innovative programs can improve patient outcomes, reduce acute care utilization and facilitate payer relationships, offering a comprehensive view of the future of palliative care within value-based healthcare delivery.

Table of Experts: Women leaders create resilient company culture Portland Business Journal, Portland, OR; 5/16/25 Prioritizing employee well-being, providing support and fostering empowerment are essential for navigating challenges and driving business success. Portland Business Journal Publisher and President Candace Beeke recently convened a Portland BizWomen Coalition roundtable sponsored by Providence Health Plan. ... The topic was navigating the currents of change: women leaders fostering resilient workplace cultures. 

Roughly 40 percent of nurses plan to leave profession within 5 years, survey finds McKnights Home Care; by Adam Healy; 5/13/25 The nursing workforce today is more stable than it was during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, but a significant share of nurses still plan to leave the profession behind in the next five years, according to the 2024 National Nursing Workforce Survey published in the Journal of Nursing Regulation. ... Approximately 40% of RNs, LPNs and LVNs surveyed said that they planned to leave nursing sometime in the next five years. In 2022, roughly 26% of nurses said the same. The most common reasons nurses cited for wanting to leave their jobs included retirement, stress or burnout, workloads and pressures caused by understaffing, the report noted.

Advancing the primary palliative workforce: Pilot results of the Educating Social Workers in Palliative and End-of-Life Care (ESPEC) self-study programJournal of Palliative Medicine; Myra Glajchen, Cathy Berkman, Shirley Otis-Green, Russell K Portenoy; 4/25Health social workers caring for the seriously ill may lack preparation in the primary palliative skills needed for this complex task. An evidence-based, nationally scalable, multimodality training program-Educating Social Workers in Palliative and End-of-Life Care (ESPEC)-was developed to address the training needs of health social workers. Prior to completing the online training, 21.6%-50.0% of participants rated themselves as "very confident" in the clinical practice skills central to the role of the social worker in serious illness care. After completing the modules, 58.8%-81.4% rated themselves as "very confident" in both clinical and professional skills, with significant changes in nine clinical practices and four professional practices. This pilot supports the feasibility, acceptability, and educational potential of the ESPEC self-study training in increasing confidence in key practices of primary palliative care for health social workers.

Good Samaritan: Kimberly Romey brings warmth and peace to Benefis Peace Hospice NBC, Billings, MT; by Joee Taylor; 4/28/25 At Benefis Peace Hospice, Kimberly Romey is more than just a housekeeper. She is a source of comfort and care for patients and their families. Romey, who is responsible for maintaining cleanliness throughout the hospice, is known for her personal connections with patients. "My job is to take care of this place. I clean the whole building, bathrooms, patient rooms. I sit and I visit with patients. If there's something that's not health care wise that I can get them, I'll get them," Romey stated. Her dedication goes beyond her job description. "It's good to be here for people that, you know, this is their last stay, and to make them comfortable and to make them happy and to do things for them; it's very rewarding," she said. Latoya Reovan, the director of Benefis Peace Hospice, witnesses Romey's commitment daily.Editor's note: Thank you, Kimberly, Latoya, and NBC of Billings for this empowering story, with powerful teachable moments. Calling all executive leaders: Do you know the housekeepers in your hospice inpatient facilities? At a minimum, do you intentionally greet and thank them with warmth and authenticity? What hospice-oriented culture do you foster? Read more of Kimberly Romey's descriptions about her role, "Because to me, this isn't just my job. I love being here." 

[Canada] Hospice placements provide nursing students new perspectives BarrieToday.com; by Marg Bruineman; 4/26/24 As Georgian College works toward having its first graduating class in its bachelor of science in nursing (BScN) degree program next year, students are moving into practical placements in health care. Among them is a new opportunity to explore opportunities in hospice and end-of-life care – a field that continues to develop to meet the needs of an aging population. ... The response from the hospice community, she says, was encouraging. Georgian now has agreements with all nine hospices in the Simcoe-Muskoka-York area that were approached, including hospices in Vaughan and Richmond Hill. The students work onsite for 72 hours over three weeks allowing them to immerse themselves into the setting.

Practical advice for physicians seeking joy and well-being [podcast] MedPageToday's KevinMD.com; by KevinMD; 4/27/25 Palliative care physician and author Alen Voskanian discusses his article, “Discover the secrets to regaining joy in medicine,” based on an excerpt from his book. Drawing from his personal experience with burnout where he felt isolated and like a failure within the demanding medical industry, Alen strongly emphasizes that burnout is a common result of a broken health care system, not an individual failing. He offers key advice points for physicians and health care workers:  ...