Social Work Month shines spotlight on profession of hope 
Ashe Post & Times, High Country, NC; by AMOREM; 3/9/26 
AMOREM, along with the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), proudly celebrates one of the nation's largest professions. March is National Social Work Month and this year's theme, "Social Workers: Uplift, Defend, Transform," highlights the profession's core mission to enhance human well-being, meet basic needs and empower vulnerable populations, especially during challenging times of economic, political and societal division.

Wicker named interim CEO at Hospice & Palliative Care 
Index-Journal, Greenwood, SC; Press Release; 3/5/26
Dr. Nancy Hart Wicker has been named Interim Chief Executive Officer at Hospice & Palliative Care of the Piedmont. “Dr. Wicker is a respected leader with a deep understanding of our mission and our community,” said Rhonda McGinnis, chair of the Board of Directors. “We are confident in her ability to guide the organization during this period and ensure continued excellence in care.” Wicker affirmed that Hospice & Palliative Care of the Piedmont’s mission, values and day-to-day operations will remain unchanged. 

How America’s nursing shortage impacts health care 
Deseret News; by Lois M. Collins; 3/8/26 
America has a nursing shortage, but where it is and who’s affected is not evenly distributed across the country. And even communities with an adequate or near-adequate supply must be vigilant to ensure that shortages don’t creep in.
Key Points:

• Nursing shortages threaten patient safety and health care access the nation.
• An aging nursing workforce leads to high attrition rates and impacts patient care delivery.
• Rural communities, long-term care facilities and hospice are the hardest hit.

C-TAC report: From metrics to momentum - accelerating the spread of community-based palliative care 
The John A. Hartford Foundation, Washginton, DC; 3/4/26 
The Coalition to Transform Advanced Care (C-TAC) and and The John A. Hartford Foundation (JAHF) have released a report, "From Metrics to Momentum: Accelerating the Spread of Community-Based Palliative Care." The report summarizes discussion from a September 2025 C-TAC national convening of clinical, policy, payer, and delivery system leaders that was focused on accelerating the spread of community-based palliative care and identifying meaningful approaches to measuring access. 

Palliative care and its importance on Block Island 
The Block Island Times, Block Island, RI; by Laurie Anderson, APRN-C, CDOE; 3/6/26 
... On Block Island, [Rhode Island,] palliative care is a cornerstone of a plan to allow residents to age in place. ... On Block Island, the importance of palliative care is magnified by geography. With no inpatient hospital and limited access to specialty services, island residents often rely on local care combined with strong coordination to meet complex health needs. ... One of the most meaningful local commitments to palliative and end-of-life care on Block Island is the Livesey Endowment for Palliative and End of Life Care, established through Block Island Health Services. ... In our small, close-knit island community, palliative care also serves a broader social purpose. It helps preserve independence, reduces unnecessary hospital transfers, and honors patients’ wishes to remain connected to their homes, families, and community. 

Penn Medicine Collaborative providing holistic care to cancer patients 
healthleaders; by Christopher Cheney; 3/10/26 
Key Takeaways:

• The Whole Person Care Collaborative is designed to provide comprehensive care to cancer patients no matter where they are seen at Penn Medicine.
• Penn Medicine's electronic health record is a foundational piece of the collaborative's infrastructure, including flagging possible impairments of older adult cancer patients.
• The provision of palliative care services is one of the primary focal points of the collaborative.

Thyme Care launches Integrated Social Support model, bringing proactive oncology social work to 8 million Americans upon diagnosis 
PR Newswire, Nashville, TN; by Thyme Care; 3/5/26 
Thyme Care today announced the public launch of its Integrated Social Support (ISS) model, a redesigned approach to oncology navigation that positions licensed master's-level social workers as the first to intervene when members experience barriers to navigating their cancer. The announcement coincides with National Social Work Month in March, recognizing the essential role social workers play in improving health outcomes. An estimated 44% of individuals affected by cancer experience psychosocial burdens, which are associated with poorer health, clinical, and economic outcomes for patients and caregivers. Thyme Care's ISS model flips the approach by making licensed social workers one of the first points of contact for social, emotional, and practical needs, assessing members from day one and throughout their journey ...

Longer-running state POLST programs improve end-of-life outcomes for SNF patients 
McKnights Long-Term Care News; by Kimberly Marselas; 3/9/26 
Nursing home patients are more likely to die in the facility or in hospice than in a hospital in states with mature POLST programs, according to a new, first-of-its kind study. Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment, also known as POLST or MOLST, are standing orders meant to assist in decision-making at the end of life to ensure patients’ treatment preferences are documented. ... Researchers behind the new study said results suggest continued implementation and long-term use of POLST programs streamlined advance directives among residents, helped lessen unnecessary hospitalizations and limited aggressive care at the end of life. 

Developing a tool to advance person-centred care in hospice: The little things are the big things
Palliative Care and Social Practice; by Mary Ellen Macdonald, Sophia Salmaniw, Lisa McNeil-Campbell, Anne Frances D’Intino, Lynette Sawchuk, Cyndi Corbett, Logan Lawrence; 2/23/26 
Person-centred care has become the cornerstone of quality palliative and end-of-life care. Yet, there is a dearth of both practical guidance and tools to operationalize how to ensure palliative end-of-life care is optimally person-centred. Noting this lacuna, a new hospice in Eastern Canada developed and piloted their own tool, called the SELFY (Share, Explore, Learn and Focus on You!), the intention being to standardize their institution’s commitment to high-quality person-centred hospice care.

Residential Home Health and Hospice acquires Covenant [Home Health in Pennsylvania] 
Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 3/10/26 
Residential Home Health and Hospice has acquired Covenant Home Health in Pennsylvania for a confidential amount. Covenant provides home health, private duty and supportive services throughout nine counties in its home state. The transaction will bring Residential’s footprint to two new counties and add density in seven others. ... Residential provides skilled home health, palliative and hospice care in communities across Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

[United Kingdom] Specialist palliative care has the potential to reduce costs by up to £8,000 per person and improve quality of life, according to new research published in Palliative Medicine 
Innovation News Network; by Megan Traviss; 3/10/26 
Led by researchers at King’s College London, the research considered two modes of palliative care for those living at home and for those in acute hospital settings. As well as significantly reducing the overall cost of care per person, specialist palliative care delivered at home and in the hospital was associated with improved quality of life for patients in their final months. Peter May, Senior Lecturer in Health Economics at King’s College London and lead author of the study, stated: “This is the first study to estimate the economic impact for England.

• Unplanned hospital admissions lead to higher costs ...
• Specialist palliative care could reduce these costs ...
• Specialist care is key to solving several NHS problems ...

Editor's Note: Themes and patterns abound. What can we learn from each other's systems, challenges, and solutions?

Mistakes are a fact of life. It is the response to the error that counts. ~ Nikki Giovanni