Sound of silence: Training physicians to avoid interrupting the diagnosis 
Medscape; by Donavyn Coffey; 1/21/26 
When Anthony Back, MD, a palliative care specialist at the University of Washington in Seattle, takes medical trainees on his rounds, they often come out of the exam room with the same observation: “You didn’t say anything.” Back is among a growing number of physicians who practices silence with his patients, intentionally giving them more time to share and process before he chimes in, and teaching the next generation of doctors to do the same.  ... Emerging evidence and educator experience suggest that silence is not an absence of skill but a deliberate diagnostic and relational tool.

Lamar Area Hospice Fundraising Committee presents $90,000 check to Lamar Area Hospice 
The Prowers Journal; by Barbara Crimond; 1/21/26 
What can only be described as an extraordinary example of commitment and community generosity, the Lamar Area Hospice Fundraising Committee presented Lamar Area Hospice with a check for $90,000, made possible through two annual fundraising events, the Backyard Bash and the Angel Open Golf Tournament. While these events take place every year, the success achieved this time was truly remarkable. The final amount raised was not just successful—it was astonishing.

Unlocking the secret  power of groups with Colin M. Fisher  / part 1
Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast hosted by Chris Comeaux with Colin M. Fisher; 1/21/26 
In this episode of TCNtalks / Anatomy of Leadership, host Chris Comeaux sits down with Colin M. Fisher, professor, researcher, author, and jazz trumpeter, to explore what decades of research reveal about how groups actually work—and why so many teams fall short of their potential. Drawing from his book The Collective Edge, Fisher challenges the deeply ingrained myth of the “lone genius” and reframes leadership as a discipline of design, not motivation. 

What I see at the end of life as homelessness rises in Ohio: Holly Klein 
Cleveland.com, Cleveland, OH; by Holly Klein; 1/18/26 
As a former in-home hospice nurse and now executive director of Grace House Akron, I have witnessed firsthand what happens when Ohioans fall through every crack in our healthcare and housing systems. ... Every day, I see the human reality behind the numbers ... Dignity at the end of life should not depend on having an address. Before Grace House opened, people experiencing homelessness often died alone, in undignified conditions -- or worse, on the streets. Providing a warm bed, a safe room, a hand to hold and someone to bear witness to a person’s final days should be a moral commitment shared across Ohio. Dignity is not a luxury; it is a right.

How nurses assess care goals to boost patient satisfaction 
informa; by Sara Heath; 1/21/26 
Nurses at New Jersey's Valley Hospital boosted patient satisfaction by 14% by soliciting and understanding patient care goals. Krystal LaNeve, a nurse at Valley Hospital in Paramus, New Jersey, often finds herself talking a lot with her patients. ... [Dialogue is] key to patient-centered care but operationalizing that can be an uphill battle. Healthcare teams are strapped for time, and it can be difficult to discuss care preferences with patients ...  
Editor's Note: While most of this article is behind a paywall, a similar article is posted on the ANA Nursing Resources Hub, "Ways Nurses Can Improve Patient Care."

Advance care planning in patients nearing the end of life: A pre-intervention study of racial disparities and provider factors 
Journal of General Internal Medicine | Springer; by Vedha Penmetcha BA, Mia Marcotte BA, Yashaswani Chauhan MD, Malathi Srinivasan MD, Adrian M. Bacong PhD, Amelia Sattler MD; 1/19/26 
The pre-intervention study of Advance Care Planning (ACP) in patients nearing the end of life highlighted significant racial disparities and the impact of provider factors on ACP documentation. The study found that Asian patients were least likely to have ACP documentation in their charts, and minorities who had ACP conversations were less likely to have documentation. This suggests that ACP conversations are often not documented in the electronic health records of these patients, indicating a need for targeted interventions to improve ACP documentation rates. The study also revealed that providers may struggle to identify who and when to engage in ACP conversations, which can be a barrier to effective ACP.

Update your HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices by February 16, 2026 
The National Law Review; by John D. Arendshorst , Charles M. Russman, Carolyn M. H. Sullivan, Kristy L. De Vos, Varnum LLP; 1/21/26 
Whether your company provides health benefits or qualifies as a covered entity under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), it is important to update your Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP) by February 16, 2026, to remain HIPAA compliant. The updated requirements focus on how substance use disorder information may be used or disclosed and remove reproductive health language that was previously added but has since been revoked. ... [Additionally]:

• Clarify that if PHI is used or disclosed for fundraising purposes, individuals will be given a clear and conspicuous opportunity to opt out of future fundraising communications.
  

Editor's Note: For more specifics, go to the source article and scroll down to "Required Updates to the Notice of Privacy Practices."

False Claims Act insights - the rise of state False Claims Act enforcement 
Husch Blackwell | Thought Leadership; podcast hosted by Jonathan Porter with Rebecca Furdek and Todd Gee; 1/12/26 
Our conversation starts with an overview of state False Claims Acts and how the use of FCA varies from state to state. We examine recent settlements in Massachusetts and Minnesota that show the reach of state False Claims Acts and discuss a large District of Columbia False Claims Act settlement for tax liability that could be the next big enforcement area for state-level False Claims Acts.

Proposed budget bill extends telehealth, hospital at home flexibilities again 
healthleaders; by Eric Wicklundh; 1/21/26 
According to news reports Tuesday out of Washington DC, the bill, part of a package being prepared for a vote to fund government agencies and avoid a potential shutdown, would extend the telehealth flexibilities through 2027 and the AHCaH program through 2030. It would also boost this year's funding for community health centers to $6.4 billion and enable Medicare coverage for multi-cancer early detection screening tests.

Dealmaking in home care slows, stabilizes in home health due to Medicare Payment Rule 
Home Health Care News; by Morgan Gonzales; 1/20/26 
After several months of home health dealmaking uncertainty sparked by the largest-ever proposed cut to Medicare home health payments, a softer-than-anticipated final rule has paved the way for greater investor confidence in the sector in 2026. 

[United Kingdom] Man to attempt 50-hour charity gaming marathon 
BBC News, West Midlands, United Kingdom; by Elliot Ball; 1/21/26 
A man has challenged himself to a 50-hour gaming marathon to raise funds for a hospice that cared for a close friend. Rick Holloway, from Worcester, has completed eight similar challenges, all in memory of Mike Grubb, and raised more than £4,300 over five years for St Richard's Hospice. His latest challenge saw him play Championship Manager non-stop for 50 hours in November with a second identical 50-hour marathon set to start at 10:00 GMT on 3 April, finishing at 12:00 on 5 April.

To become fully human means learning to turn my gratitude for being alive into some concrete common good. It means growing gentler toward human weakness.  ~ Barbara Brown Taylor