Literature Review

Poverty level affects end-of-life care in adolescent and young adult cancer patients  Cancer Therapy Advisor; by Liam Andrew DAvenport, MA; 7/24/26 Adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer patients from high-poverty neighborhoods face disparities in end-of-life (EoL) care, according to research published in the Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. AYA patients from high-poverty neighborhoods have more emergency department visits and hospitalizations, and less hospice use, than their low-poverty counterparts, study researchers reported. ... Eligible patients had been diagnosed with cancer and died between 12 and 39 years of age, and were enrolled in one of the participant health systems for more than 90 days prior to their death. 

Blue Ridge Care expands in Fauquier County Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 7/22/26 Blue Ridge Care is expanding its hospice and palliative care services in Fauquier County in its home state of Virginia. The expansion is designed to improve access to care among rural and underserved communities in northern Virginia. It includes enhanced clinical visibility, increased care coordination and strengthened referral partnerships with area hospitals, assisted living and skiled nursing facilities and community organizations. “Fauquier County is a community with deep roots, strong values and a growing need for accessible, quality-trusted care,” said Jason Parsons, president and CEO of Blue Ridge Care.

This global healthcare lesson could change America | part one Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast hosted by Chris Comeaux with Dr. Mark Stoltenberg; 7/22/26 Some of the most innovative solutions to America's healthcare challenges aren't being developed in the world's wealthiest hospitals—they're emerging from communities with the fewest resources. What can American healthcare learn from global healthcare?  In our latest episode, Dr. Mark Stoltenberg, Harvard Medical School professor and Massachusetts General Hospital physician, joins Chris Comeaux to explore global healthcare, palliative care, hospice leadership, healthcare innovation, and the future of serious illness care in America. ... Drawing from his work leading global palliative care programs throughout Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, and other underserved regions, he shares how resource-limited healthcare systems are pioneering solutions that can improve American healthcare, strengthen the healthcare workforce, and restore compassionate, person-centered care.

Mercy Hospice House renamed Garden B; some criticize lack of transparency The Durango Herald, Durango, CO; by Jessica Bowman; 7/20/26 Mercy Hospice House was renamed Garden B after the for-profit arm of CommonSpirit Health Network, Health at Home, assumed responsibility for outpatient hospice services. The name change was required by state regulations, according to Wendy Hockett, the Health at Home representative who spoke with local hospice volunteers during a meeting Wednesday at the hospice offices in Three Springs. Because Mercy Hospital no longer holds Colorado's hospice license, the building can no longer legally be called a "hospice house," she said. The hospice license is now held by CommonSpirit Health at Home. The hospice team will continues to care for patients who are in one of the eight Garden B beds, but Mercy Hospital nurses, trained in both hospice and non-hospice care, will also provide bedside care, she said.

The evolving role of hospice CMOs Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 7/21/26 For hospices, the role of the chief medical officer is expanding beyond the role of overseeing the medical staff and into the regulatory and business operations arena. CMOs in 2026 need a broader skill set than clinical knowledge, according to Dr. Martha Presley, CMO of Alive Hospice. After a previous stint as a medical director for Alive Hospice. Pressley returned as CMO in March 2025 upon the retirement of Dr. David McRay. “Historically, chief medical officers have been very focused on the management of other clinical staff. This is becoming a more operational role than I think it has ever been in the past,” Presley told Hospice News. ... The role of a hospice CMO increasingly blends advanced medical practice with executive leadership, including clinician oversight, handling quality and compliance, administrative operations, building community and referral partnerships and mentoring staff.

All Saints Hospice hosts first-ever school supply drive for Lake Charles students KPLC-7, Lake Charles, LA; by Brendan Brown; 7/18/26 A Lake Charles hospice center is going beyond patient care and into the classroom. All Saints Hospice is collecting school supplies for local students, hoping to ease the financial burden on families before the new school year begins. Getting kids ready for the first day of school isn’t cheap. Bookbags, pencils, paper, binders the list adds up quickly, and for many Lake Charles families, it can be an expensive task to take on. According to the National Education Association, school supply costs increased by 7.6 percent for the 2025-2026 school year compared to the year before, a trend that could continue heading into the next school year.

Mount Sinai South Nassau partners with MJHS to launch inpatient hospice program LI Herald Oceanside, Island Park, NY; by Abigail Grieco; 7/17/26 Mount Sinai South Nassau has expanded its continuum of care services by launching an inpatient hospice program through a new clinical partnership with MJHS Hospice and Palliative Care, providing specialized end-of-life care for patients whose needs cannot be met at home. The hospital announced that the new service will offer around-the-clock hospice care for patients facing life-limiting illnesses, while also providing support for their families during one of life’s most difficult transitions. ... The program combines the expertise of Mount Sinai South Nassau's clinical staff with MJHS Hospice's specialized team of hospice professionals.

Leadership starts with presence — the art of showing up with David Sachsenmaier | part one Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast hosted by Chris Comeaux with David Sachsenmaier; 7/15/26 What separates truly exceptional leaders from those who simply manage?  In Part One of this thought-provoking conversation, Chris Comeaux sits down with executive coach David Sachsenmaier, whose 30 years of leadership experience and more than 4,000 hours of executive coaching have helped leaders uncover one of leadership's most overlooked truths: the quality of your leadership is shaped by the quality of your inner life.  Together, they explore why presence, self-awareness, and emotional grounding are essential to building healthy teams, resilient organizations, and cultures where people thrive.

Hospice & Palliative Care of the Piedmont announces Dr. Nancy Hart Wicker as chief executive officer and chief medical officer Index Journal; by Staff Writer; 7/2/26Hospice & Palliative Care of the Piedmont [Charlottesville, VA] has appointed Nancy Hart Wicker, MD, FAAHPM, as chief executive officer and chief medical officer, effective immediately. Hospice & Palliative Care of the Piedmont is the only locally governed, nonprofit hospice in the region with a CMS five-star rating, indicating the highest quality of care. The organization brings 45 years of service, clinical expertise, and community-based decision-making from its clinical staff, leadership, and volunteer board of directors.

Leadership starts with presence — the art of showing up with David Sachsenmaier | part one Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast hosted by Chris Comeaux with David Sachsenmaier; 7/15/26 What separates truly exceptional leaders from those who simply manage?  In Part One of this thought-provoking conversation, Chris Comeaux sits down with executive coach David Sachsenmaier, whose 30 years of leadership experience and more than 4,000 hours of executive coaching have helped leaders uncover one of leadership's most overlooked truths: the quality of your leadership is shaped by the quality of your inner life.  Together, they explore why presence, self-awareness, and emotional grounding are essential to building healthy teams, resilient organizations, and cultures where people thrive.

Center for Hospice Care and VNA Hospice NWI announce strategic affiliation to strengthen hospice care in Northwest Indiana GreatNews.Life; by VNA Hospice NWI & Center for Hospice Care; 7/14/26 Center for Hospice Care (CHC) and Visiting Nurse Association Hospice of Northwest Indiana (VNA Hospice NWI) today announced a legally binding strategic affiliation that will strengthen access to high-quality, compassionate hospice care across much of northern Indiana. This affiliation reflects a shared mission between CHC and VNA Hospice NWI to provide compassionate, skilled care focused on comfort and quality of living for those facing a serious, advanced illness. The integration process will allow patients to transition seamlessly within a unified nonprofit care network, ensuring continuity of care without disruption.

Hospice of Midland expands adult care programs and adds children's grief support Midland Reporter-Telegram; by Kessly Salinas; 7/13/26 Hospice of Midland announced it will expand its services this summer by growing two adult programs and introducing a program for children. “In response to community needs, we are enlarging two adult programs and introducing one for children,” said Deborah Goodman, CEO of Hospice of Midland. “The Pathways Palliative Care program, which supports patients with advanced illnesses, will be expanded,” Goodman said. ... The new program will be the Children’s Grief Center’s Holding Hope program. “Rays of Hope Children’s Grief Center has been here in Midland, serving the Permian Basin for 22 years,” Goodman said. “We’ve noticed, especially since COVID, a pretty substantial increase in deaths by suicide in younger individuals, especially the teen and young adult ages.” The Holding Hope program was designed for children and families affected by death by suicide.

Utilization of hospice and palliative care among patients with mental illness: a retrospective cohort study Journal of the American Geriatrics Society; by Sean O'Mahony, Utpol Das, Yuanyi Zhang, Anirudh S. Babu, Mukaila A. Raji, James Gerhart, Yong-Fang Kuo; 7/11/26 Background: Individuals with mental illness (MI) experience premature mortality and health disparities, yet little is known about their access to hospice and palliative care. Conclusions: Mental illnesses were associated with complex hospice utilization patterns characterized by longer length-of-stay, higher likelihood of enrollment far from death, lower likelihood of enrollment within 180 days before death, and lower palliative care consultation use in some groups.