Literature Review

Hospitalists in a bind when cancer prognosis hasn’t sunk inMedscape; by Jake Remaly; 4/15/25 When a patient with cancer is admitted to the hospital, the reason might not be related to the malignancy. But the hospitalist in charge sometimes becomes aware of a major disconnect: The patient, who they just met, does not grasp the severity of their cancer prognosis. On the one hand, the hospital medicine team and patient have advance directives and goals of care to consider, which may steer the course of the hospitalization and any use of hospice. The cancer prognosis — the patient might only have months to live, for example — could be a key component of those conversations. On the other hand, explaining the cancer situation should fall to the oncologist, right? ...

Rural US loses 43% of independent physicians: 5 things to know Becker's Hospital Review; by Kelly Gooch; 4/7/25 The number of independent physicians in U.S. rural areas declined 43% over five years — from 21,956 in January 2019 to 12,467 in January 2024 — according to an Avalere study sponsored by the Physicians Advocacy Institute. ... Five things to know:

Hospice of Americus-Sumter County Georgia establishes nursing scholarship at GSW Georgia Southwestern State University, Americus, GA; 4/9/25 The Hospice of Americus-Sumter County Georgia has announced the creation of a new scholarship aimed at supporting students enrolled in Georgia Southwestern State University’s (GSW) Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) program. Designed to foster local talent and address the growing need for qualified healthcare professionals, the scholarship specifically targets non-traditional students with healthcare experience or those who are first responders from Sumter County and the surrounding region. ... By prioritizing individuals already embedded in healthcare and emergency services, the fund supports career advancement and ensures that compassionate, experienced caregivers remain within the community. [Continue reading ...]

Statement by the American Nurses Association on organizational restructuring within the US Department of Health and Human Services American Nurses Association (ANA); Press Release; 4/8/25 The American Nurses Association is aware of the recent personnel changes and organizational restructuring within the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). These developments have sparked concerns among nurses nationwide regarding the potential impact on essential programs and services delivered by HHS in collaboration with nurses, patient advocates, and other healthcare providers. ... The association will monitor that re-structured capacity and promptly report any gaps we identify to the Administration and Congress to ensure the needs of nurses, and the public are met by our federal partners. It is imperative that Secretary Kennedy and Administration leaders ensure the uninterrupted continuation of the vital work of these agencies. Federal agencies must have the necessary staff to carry out the public health, research, quality, and operational work that the American people rely on for their health and well-being. [Continue reading ...]

What role do immigrants play in the direct long-term care workforce? KFF; by Priya Chidambaram and Drishti Pillai; 4/2/25 President Trump has made a slew of immigration policy changes focused on restricting entry at the border and increasing interior enforcement efforts to support mass deportation. While these actions are focused on undocumented immigrants, they likely will have ripple effects across immigrants of all statuses and millions more people living in immigrant families. Mass deportations could negatively impact the U.S. economy and workforce, given the role immigrants play, particularly in certain industries. ...

Most people pursue a toxic type of purpose in life—but if you do this instead, ‘there is no way to fail’ CNBC Make It; by Dr. Joran Grumet, contributor/hospice medical director; 4/4/25 It took me many years and quite a bit of emotional heartache to realize a life-changing fact: When it comes to purpose, bigger is not better. Most of our anxiety stems from what I call “big P” Purpose, which is overly focused on the outcome or destination. ... [Dr. Grumet describes what he calls "big P" Purpose vs. "little P" Purpose.] I’ve found that most people end up pursuing the former, toxic type of purpose. It’s the easiest kind to choose, because it means meeting society’s expectations and following in the footsteps of the herd. The harder decision by far is to do the internal work to discover what really lights you up — and find a way to pursue it in the world. This all takes effort, but it’s worth it. ... Little P purpose embraces an abundance mentality. There is room for everyone — I mean everyone — to pursue that which brings them inner joy and happiness. This pursuit will never rely on whether someone else is succeeding or failing. ... [Continue reading ...]

Build sustainable schedules to support physician well-beingAmerican Medical Association (AMA) - Physician Health; by Sara Berg, MS; 4/1/25Physician schedules often fail to block off the time required to complete nonpatient-facing tasks such as clinical documentation, patient messages and chart review. If this hidden time were accounted for, doctors could show that they have vastly reduced patient availability, given the amount of time that is required to complete these nonclinical tasks. ”Rather than reduce patients’ access to a doctor by blocking their schedules, it makes much more sense to delegate various tasks,” said R. John Sawyer, PhD, a neuropsychologist at Ochsner Health. [Continue reading ...] 

Are hospitalists becoming de facto PCPs for patients with complex illness? Today's Hospitalist; by Colleen Peggenburg, MD, MS; April 2025 Key takeaways:

As ‘right to die’ gains more acceptance, a scholar of Catholicism explains the position of the Catholic Church The Conversation; by Mathew Schmalz; 3/31/25 An individual’s “right to die” is becoming more accepted across the globe. ... Assisted suicide is now permitted in 10 U.S. states and in Washington. In 2025,five more states are set to consider “right to die” legislation. The “right to die” can refer to several means of dying. ... [Descriptions of terms "right to die," "euthanasia," "assisted suicide/dying."] ...

Hospital workers share 26 deathbed regrets they’ve heard that changed their lives Boredpanda; by Ruta Zumbrickaite; 3/28/25 While painful, regret can also be a motivator for learning and growth, encouraging us to avoid repeating past mistakes and make better decisions in the future. We guess that’s why self-help author Debbie Ford once said, “Pain can be our greatest teacher.” Someone on the web asked hospital workers, “What regrets do you hear from dying patients?”, and folks who’ve been there in people’s last moments shared the words that hit them the hardest. Here’s a list of some of their most profound responses.  

[Switzerland] The use of artificial nutrition at the end-of-life: a cross-sectional survey exploring the beliefs and decision-making among physicians and nursesSupport Care Cancer; by Christophe Pala, Claudia Gamond, Steffen Eychmuller, Francois Herrmann, Sophie Pautex; 3/17/25 Background: The use of artificial nutrition in the last month of life raises many concerns for patients, relatives, and healthcare professionals. Conclusion: Whereas decisions on artificial nutrition at the end of life are common they may be mostly guided by physicians and nurses' beliefs, and patients' requests more than by robust evidence. Fostering palliative care education is pivotal. Our results emphasize the need to improve physicians and nurses' awareness of the complex interplay between values and evidence when decisions concerning artificial nutrition are taken.

Y.C. Ho/Helen and Michael Chiang Foundation Fellowship Grant Program now open American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM); Press Release; 3/25/25 We are pleased to announce that the Y.C. Ho/Helen and Michael Chiang Foundation has awarded AAHPM a grant to support fellowship training programs for the 2026-2027 academic year. [This grant] is available to partially support a fellowship training program that operates an adult accredited program offering a pediatric focused hospice and palliative medicine fellowship training program or pediatric hospice and palliative medicine fellowship training program accredited through the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) preparing physicians to practice as a pediatric hospice and palliative medicine (HPM) subspecialist following training. This funding initiative is open to accredited hospice and palliative care fellowship training programs, not to individual applicants. Funding will go to support part of the salary and benefits of a single fellow. The application cycle is open now through Wednesday, April 23 at 5pm CT. Details on funding priorities, eligibility criteria, and the application are available on the AAHPM website. [From the AAHPM site:] One award of $45,000 will be presented for the 2026-2027 academic year with the opportunity to renew for one additional year following an evaluation. [Continue reading ...]

Hidden battles: Keeping cancer secret Harvard Health Publishing - Harvard Medical School; by Maureen Salamon; post is dated 4/1/25, retrieved from the internet 3/25/25 Some people choose to conceal their diagnosis and treatment. Here's why — and reasons that approach can sometimes backfire. ... [In addition to privacy motives, Cristina Pozo-Kaderman, a senior psychologist at Harvard-affiliated Dana-Farber Cancer Institute] says cancer patients may also wish to: