Literature Review
All posts tagged with “Clinical News | Physician & Nursing News.”
More time, less paperwork: The quiet revolution in primary care
08/27/25 at 03:00 AMMore time, less paperwork: The quiet revolution in primary careModern Healthcare; by Alex Kacik; 8/26/25Concierge and direct primary care practices are gaining traction among physicians, employers and patients increasingly frustrated with traditional care pathways. The growth of these practices, where patients pay membership fees in exchange for increased access to physicians, is a symptom of Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement that has not kept pace with inflation, advisers, doctors and policy experts said. Growing care backlogs, coding and documentation tasks that take doctors away from patients and seemingly ever-rising health insurance premiums are also contributing, they said. “A year ago, I would’ve told you these care models were a slowly evolving, quiet phenomenon,” said Dr. Zirui Song, an associate professor of healthcare policy at Harvard Medical School and a primary care provider at Massachusetts General Hospital. “It is now evolving quite rapidly — it is not so quiet anymore.”Publisher's note: Is concierge medicine coming to a hospice or palliative care provider near you...?
Why physician strikes are a form of hospice
08/27/25 at 03:00 AMWhy physician strikes are a form of hospiceKevinMD; by Patrick Hudson; 8/24/25I have only recently started thinking about strikes. They seemed like something other people did: railway workers, bus drivers, teachers, dockworkers. People with contracts. People who clocked in and out. Not doctors. Not surgeons. Certainly not me. You and I were supposed to absorb and adapt. To advocate from within. And we did, for a long time. We bent ourselves into shapes that did not fit. Worked around all the broken processes. Made phone calls after hours. Took the extra shift. Rewrote the notes to satisfy a system that did not understand the work. Until, eventually, some of us stopped. Not because we wanted to burn it all down, but because we could not keep pretending. And that is what a strike is, sometimes. Not rebellion. Not rage. Just a line and a refusal. And an end to the performance. Is it not strange how long you can work inside a system that is eating itself? ... You do not strike because you have stopped caring. You strike because you remember when it mattered.Publisher's note: An interesting analogy for our fractured healthcare system...
RN median hourly pay, by state
08/26/25 at 03:05 AMRN median hourly pay, by stateBecker's Hospital Review; by Kelly Gooch; 8/19/25Median hourly base pay for registered nurses varies across states, with RNs in California earning the most, according to SullivanCotter’s “2025 Health Care Staff Compensation Survey Report.” The survey, released in July, covers nearly 2.5 million healthcare employees across over 2,660 participating organizations, including more than 800,000 individual RNs, licensed practical nurses and nursing managers. Here is the median per-hour base pay for RNs, by state, according to survey data shared with Becker’s [see article for all states]:
States with the most, fewest licensed nurses
08/26/25 at 03:00 AMStates with the most, fewest licensed nursesBecker's Clinical Leadership; by Mariah Taylor; 8/13/25The National Council of State Boards of Nursing found Washington, D.C., has the most licensed nurses per capita, while Utah is the state with the fewest... The data found Wyoming and Vermont had the fewest licensed nurses in their states overall, at 9,440 and 12,957, respectively. Meanwhile, California and Texas had the most licensed nurses at 578,043 and 526,812, respectively. Becker’s used 2024 Census data to calculate how many nurses are in each state per 100,000 population. Here are [states] with the most and fewest nurses:Most [licensed RNs per 100,000 population]
Why more doctors can't make ends meet
08/25/25 at 03:00 AMWhy more doctors can't make ends meetAxios; by Tina Reed; 8/12/25America's doctors are working harder and getting paid less. And that could soon translate into less access for some patients. The big picture: A new report from consultancy Kaufman Hall shows primary care physicians and specialists are delivering more services since the pandemic. But they're not making more money because of stagnant reimbursements from public and private insurers and inflation. The data helps explain why medical practice bankruptcies hit a six-year high last year — and why some providers are shifting to pricey procedures for cash-paying customers to boost their bottom lines.
Study: Specialized nursing home physicians cut emergency visits for Medicare dementia residents
08/20/25 at 03:00 AMStudy: Specialized nursing home physicians cut emergency visits for Medicare dementia residentsMcKnights Long-Term Care News; by Donna Shryer; 8/17/25 A major new study suggests that Medicare beneficiaries with dementia receive better care when treated by clinicians who specialize in nursing home practice — meaning they provide at least 80% of their services in nursing facilities — rather than general practitioners who only occasionally visit. The research, published in JAMA Health Forum, analyzed care for more than 417,000 long-stay nursing home residents with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias over six years. The study found that residents cared for by nursing home specialists — clinicians who provide at least 80% of their services in nursing facilities — experienced 7% fewer preventable hospitalizations and emergency room visits compared to those treated by nonspecialists.
Guest Voice: What ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ teaches us about living with MS
08/19/25 at 03:00 AMGuest Voice: What ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ teaches us about living with MS Multiple Sclerosis News Today; by Donald Kushner, MD; 8/15/25 Donald Kushner, MD, is a retired physician, board certified in internal medicine and hospice and palliative care. He has been living with multiple sclerosis (MS) for more than 20 years and draws on his dual perspective as both doctor and patient to explore illness, identity, and adaptation. He’s writing a book about how people with chronic illness and their support systems can better understand — and talk to — each other.
Flu, COVID-19 vaccination rates falling among health care workers
08/19/25 at 03:00 AMFlu, COVID-19 vaccination rates falling among health care workers WWLP, Springfield, IL, originally Boston, MA; by Alison Kuznitz; 8/14/25 The rate of Massachusetts health care workers vaccinated against the flu and COVID-19 is declining, despite state officials pushing for the vast majority of providers to get their shots in order to stunt the spread of illnesses. The Department of Public Health’s goal is to achieve an annual flu and COVID immunization rate of 90% or higher among eligible health care personnel at all licensed facilities and emergency medical services. ... During the 2024-25 respiratory virus season, an average of 83.5% of providers in acute care hospitals were vaccinated against the flu, ... That compares to ... 52.3% in nursing homes, 68.7% in rest homes, 52.2% in adult day health programs, 21.2% in EMS and 65.4% in hospice. Editor's Note: Is 65.4% high enough for health care workers who consistently tending many of the most vulnerable persons receiving health care? What are the vaccination rates for your organization?
Hands
08/19/25 at 03:00 AMHands Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA); by R. Jordan Williams, MD, MPH; 8/13/25Lend me your hand Callused or calaminedWrinkled or plump,Nails bittenNails extendedSplintered and pittedNails neatly or never cropped.Lend me your hand Strong or weak Cold or warmingSwollen and swanned; Gnarled in knots ...Editor's Note: Continue reading this powerful poem. Additionally, JAMA published this description of the poem, "Poetry and the Medicine of Touch" by Rafael Campo, MD, MA: "In this deeply felt poem, the hand becomes a potent metaphor for our shared humanity ... Aspiring clinicians are still taught to assess, to palpate, to diagnose through touch. Yet, as “Hands” reminds us, patients’ hands hold far more than clinical signs—they reflect stories, histories, fears, and hopes. ..."
Palliative care plays an essential role in heart failure care
08/18/25 at 03:00 AMPalliative care plays an essential role in heart failure care Cardiovascular Business; by Michael Walter; 8/13/25 Palliative care should play a significant role in the day-to-day management of heart failure (HF) patients, according to new recommendations from the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA). HF patients are associated with high mortality and a considerably worse quality of life, the group wrote. Care teams should be doing everything in their power to help patients control their symptoms and live the best lives possible. The HFSA guidance is available in full in the Journal of Cardiac Failure. ... “When using a guide, conversations are more likely to be feasible, acceptable and associated with positive experiences for both patients and clinicians,” the authors wrote.
Integrating advance care planning into end-of-life education: Nursing students’ reflections on advance health care directive and Five Wishes assignments
08/16/25 at 03:20 AMIntegrating advance care planning into end-of-life education: Nursing students’ reflections on advance health care directive and Five Wishes assignmentsNursing Reports; by Therese Doan, Sumiyo Brennan; 7/25Advance care planning tools, such as the Advance Health Care Directive (AHCD) and Five Wishes, provide experiential learning opportunities [for prelicensure nursing students] that bridge theoretical knowledge with real-world patient advocacy. In this study, students were asked to complete either the AHCD or Five Wishes document as though planning for their own end-of-life care, encouraging personal reflection and professional insight. Students developed critical insights into their personal values, envisioned themselves in EOL scenarios, and reflected on their responsibility as future nurses. The assignment fostered both professional development and personal growth, making it a meaningful experience within the nursing curriculum. By encouraging students to engage personally with end-of-life decisions, the assignment cultivates empathy, ethical reflection, and a readiness to initiate sensitive conversations.
Fear of death may undermine hospice care preparedness for future nurses
08/15/25 at 03:00 AMFear of death may undermine hospice care preparedness for future nurses McKnights Long-Term Care News; by Donna Shryer; 8/6/25 A new study from Central South University in China examined the relationship between nursing interns’ attitudes toward death and their attitudes toward hospice care. ... The researchers found that most nursing interns held a “neutral acceptance” view of death, defined in the study as the belief that death is a natural part of life. This attitude was significantly associated with more positive views toward hospice care. ... The study also reported that interns who held stronger fear-based or avoidance-based death attitudes scored lower on all six hospice care subscales, including communication and family support.
Implementation of the Pressure Injury Prevention Care Bundle at a home based hospice program: A quality improvement project
08/13/25 at 03:00 AMImplementation of the Pressure Injury Prevention Care Bundle at a home based hospice program: A quality improvement project The Texas Medical Center (TMC) Library Health Sciences Resource Center; by Adaeze U. Amechi-fannin; 8/11/25 Pressure injuries remain a common and serious problem in hospice care, especially among patients who are immobile or confined to bed. Although effective prevention methods are known, inconsistent use of these methods, limited caregiver training, and poor documentation have continued to prevent success in many hospice settings. These wounds cause pain, increase infection risk, and reduce quality of life, making prevention especially important in end-of-life care. ... This project demonstrates that combining structured training, evidence-based care steps, and attention to individual patient needs can successfully reduce pressure injuries in home hospice environments.
This test tells you more about your heart attack risk
08/13/25 at 03:00 AMThis test tells you more about your heart attack risk KFF Health News; by Paula Span; 8/1/25 A long list of Lynda Hollander’s paternal relatives had heart disease, and several had undergone major surgeries. ... A cardiologist told Hollander that based on factors like age, sex, cholesterol, and blood pressure, she faced a moderate risk of a major cardiac event, like a heart attack, within the next 10 years. ... Her doctor explained that a coronary artery calcium test, ... could provide a more precise estimate of her risk of atherosclerotic heart disease. “The test is used by more people every year,” said Michael Blaha, co-director of the preventive cardiology program at Johns Hopkins University. Calcium scans quadrupled from 2006 to 2017, his research team reported, and Google searches for related terms have risen even more sharply. Yet “it’s still being underused compared to its value,” he said. One reason is that although the test is comparatively inexpensive ...Editor's Note: Good news. This test predicts and protects heart health, potentially providing extra years of good (or at least better) quality of life. Bad news. It is "being underused compared to its value," partly because "the test is comparatively inexpensive"? Bad news. What does the low-cost factor say ethics, choices, and quality of life? Good news. Because of my family's cardiac history, my physician recently recommended I take this test. I did, and received great results! I move into the future with greater confidence, less fear, and more gratitude for the some 100,00 heartbeats we each experience, each day.
‘You made my life’: VITAS caregiver scores NHL tickets for hospice patient through Wish Maker program
08/12/25 at 03:00 AM‘You made my life’: VITAS caregiver scores NHL tickets for hospice patient through Wish Maker program McKnights Home Care; by Foster Stubbs; 8/8/25 When hospice nurse Natalie Villabrera-Williams came to visit her client and hockey lover, Alan Reddish, last year she noticed that he was growing a beard that would make Rip Van Winkle blush. When she asked him if he wanted to shave it off, he explained that his beard would remain unkempt as long as his beloved Florida Panthers remained in the 2025 NHL Playoffs. ... After that interaction, Villabrera-Williams, a nurse for VITAS Healthcare in Broward County, FL, saw an opportunity to bring Reddish, of Lauderhill, FL, closer to the action on the ice. ...
Demographic variations and temporal trends in hospice and palliative care fellowship matches in the United States
08/12/25 at 03:00 AMDemographic variations and temporal trends in hospice and palliative care fellowship matches in the United States Scientific Reports; by Aman Goyal, Samuel L. Flesner, Urooj Shamim, Sonia Hurjkaliani, Priya Goyal, Mohamed Daoud & Amir Humza Sohail; 8/8/25 ... In summary, the number of Hospice and Palliative Care fellowship training programs, positions, and applicants increased. Female applicants, compared to males, and White applicants, relative to their representation in all fellowships, accounted for a larger proportion of applications and had higher match rates. ... Future research should focus on initiatives to address challenges such as the underrepresentation of certain demographics in palliative care and the growing demand for trained professionals as the population ages.
New report gives healthcare providers fresh guidance on communicating with older adults
08/11/25 at 03:00 AMNew report gives healthcare providers fresh guidance on communicating with older adults McKnights Long-Term Care News; by Donna Shryer; 8/7/25 A new report from the Gerontological Society of America reveals critical strategies for healthcare providers to improve communication with older adults, who now represent almost 17% of the US population. The comprehensive guide, titled “Communicating With Older Adults: A Review of What Really Works,” addresses the growing need for effective patient-provider interactions as America ages. Approximately one-third of adults aged 65 or more years have a disability that may affect communication, the report noted.
Caring for every breath: Carolina Caring Advanced Lung Care Program launched August 1st
08/11/25 at 03:00 AMCaring for every breath: Carolina Caring Advanced Lung Care Program launched August 1st Carolina Caring, Newton, NC; Press Release; 8/8/25 A specialized lung care program providing care for complex respiratory conditions will bring needed comfort and support to many individuals. Launched on August 1st, 2025, Carolina Caring’s Advanced Lung Care Program helps patients receive the personalized care they need for their advanced respiratory illness at end of life, while remaining comfortably at home—leading to a reduction of hospitalizations and improved quality of life for patients and their families.
Sovereign Hospice highlights nutrition's role in hospice home care services
08/11/25 at 03:00 AMSovereign Hospice highlights nutrition's role in hospice home care services News Channel Nebraska (NCN), reprinted from Aubrey, TX; Press Release; 8/8/25 Eating becomes more than a necessity during serious illness—it becomes a part of daily care that supports comfort, strength, and emotional connection. At Sovereign Hospice in Aubrey, Texas, nutrition is integrated into the services hospice offers, especially for patients receiving hospice at home services. The goal is to use food as a gentle tool to improve quality of life. Serious illnesses can change how patients eat. Appetite loss, difficulty swallowing, and taste changes are common, but they can be managed through small adjustments.
[Netherlands] Voluntarily stopping eating and drinking as a self-chosen path for end of life
08/09/25 at 03:55 AM[Netherlands] Voluntarily stopping eating and drinking as a self-chosen path for end of lifeWorld Medical Journal; Gert van Dijk, Veelke Derckx, Alexander de Graeff; 6/25Moving into the future, it is likely that doctors and other healthcare providers will be confronted more often with patients who would like to explore options for controlling their end of life care. They should correctly inform patients about the various clinical care options, including VSED [voluntarily stopping eating and drinking], and carefully guide them in the event of a decision to choose VSED. If healthcare providers have conscientious objections in providing care to people who choose VSED, then care must be transferred to a healthcare provider who is willing to provide the necessary care.
Ethics of overtreatment and undertreatment in older adults with cancer
08/09/25 at 03:05 AMEthics of overtreatment and undertreatment in older adults with cancerBMC Medical Ethics; by Clark DuMontier, William Dale, Anna C. Revette, Jane Roberts, Ameya Sanyal, Neha Perumal, Eric C. Blackstone, Hajime Uno, Mary I. Whitehead, Lewis Mustian, Tammy T. Hshieh, Jane A. Driver, Gregory A. Abel; 7/25This modified Delphi study convened a panel of experts in biomedical ethics and reached consensus that the principles of beneficence, non-maleficence, and autonomy are related to our previously proposed definitions of over- and undertreatment in older adults with cancer. The panel also reached consensus that, in most cases, it is unethical to make a treatment recommendation without (1) formal assessment of patient frailty (e.g., via a geriatric assessment) and (2) the opportunity for a patient to share their values, goals, and/or preferences. The panel did not reach consensus regarding the relationship between justice and over-/undertreatment; however, the panel concluded that justice applies to undertreatment when an oncologist withholds potentially beneficial cancer treatment in an older patient based on their age alone.
Lorazepam reduced restlessness, agitation in cancer patients with delirium
08/08/25 at 03:00 AMLorazepam reduced restlessness, agitation in cancer patients with delirium: Patients were also less likely to require any rescue medications MedPage Today; by Mike Bassett; 8/5/25Use of lorazepam-based regimens reduced persistent restlessness and agitation associated with end-of-life delirium in cancer patients, a randomized study showed.Key Takeaways:
Demystifying dying in end-of-life-care: A phenomenological perspective
08/07/25 at 03:00 AMDemystifying dying in end-of-life-care: A phenomenological perspective Death Studies; by Elisabet Sernbo, Magnus Weber, Charlotta Öhrling, Stina Nyblom; 8/26/25 This article focuses on experiences of the process of dying. The empirical material consists of interviews with patients in palliative care and their significant others. The analysis draws attention to the lived experiences of the participants - embedded in time, identities, social relations, and everyday lives - and to how the possibility of sense-making is conditioned by the lifeworld. ... [This] needs to be understood as reorienting work: supporting people when their lines become disrupted or need to be altered. This requires a display of radical empathy ...
How one man’s dying wish was denied by the health care system
08/07/25 at 03:00 AMHow one man’s dying wish was denied by the health care system Synopsi, from MedPage Today; by Caitlin E. Morh, MD; 8/5/25 “This is Dr. Mohr.” I answered a number I didn’t recognize. “It’s Irving,” said the frantic voice. “He collapsed. The paramedics are working on him now.” “They’re doing compressions? Stop! Put the paramedic on the phone!” My father-in-law, Irving, the stoic Danish-American Navy veteran, had been on hospice for 3 months. His POST (physician order for life sustaining treatment) form was on file with the hospice agency and his custodial care facility: DNR/DNI, comfort measures only. ... “I’m Irv’s daughter-in-law. I’m a physician. He’s a DNR, he’s on hospice. Stop doing compressions.” 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 ... I listened to the ACLS algorithm unfold in the background. ...
The heart of transformation: People, purpose and progress at City of Hope
08/05/25 at 03:00 AMThe heart of transformation: People, purpose and progress at City of Hope Modern Healthcare; by City of Hope; 7/14/25 As chief transformation officer at City of Hope, one of the largest and most advanced cancer research and treatment organizations in the U.S., Debra Fields has spent nearly a decade guiding the organization’s evolution. In this conversation, Fields shares her perspective on what it takes to lead meaningful transformation in healthcare including the power of vision, the importance of culture and the responsibility leaders have to care for both their people and themselves.