Literature Review

The state where all hospitals have perfect health equity scores  Becker's Hospital Review; by Mariah Taylor; 9/2/25 Delaware is the only state where 100% of its hospitals scored perfectly on health equity measures, according to CMS data. The agency used hospital commitment to health equity data, such as social determinants of health data, race, ethnicity, language, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation and disability status to determine access to equitable care and coverage. Facilities were ranked on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest score. CMS then compiled a ranking of states based on the percentage of facilities that received each score. Data was collected between January and December 2023 and was last updated Aug. 6. 

Research digs into costs, opportunities in hospice, palliative care Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 9/9/25 Researchers have recently uncovered significant financial trends taking shape in hospice and palliative care. Issues examined relate to cost-effectiveness, Medicare Advantage spending patterns, caregivers’ financial challenges and the cost-effectiveness of palliative care.

Senior health, home health & hospice stocks Q2 highlights StockStory; by Kayode Omotosho; 9/10/25 ... Looking ahead, the industry is positioned for tailwinds from an aging population, increasing chronic disease prevalence, and a growing preference for personalized in-home care. Advancements in remote monitoring and telehealth are expected to enhance efficiency and care delivery. However, headwinds such as labor shortages, wage inflation, and regulatory uncertainty around reimbursement could pose challenges. Investments in digitization and technology-driven care will be critical for long-term success. The 7 senior health, home health & hospice stocks we track reported a mixed Q2. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 2%.

Ancient wisdom: How do we want to be remembered? The FP - Weekend Culture; by George Raveling; 9/7/25This week, we’re bringing you reflections from a man who aged more gracefully than just about anyone we know: legendary basketball coach George Raveling, who died Monday at the age of 88. ... This excerpt is from the last chapter of his book [What You're Made For], ... titled: “To Live.”

SCAN continues to expand PACE business amid regulatory hurdles Becker's Payer Issues; by Jakob Emerson; 9/9/25 With its second Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly center now open in South Los Angeles, SCAN Group is pressing ahead with a care model that faces steep regulatory challenges. The new 33,000-square-foot facility in Compton will provide low or no-cost medical, social and in-home services for seniors eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. The center builds on myPlace Health’s first PACE site, which opened near downtown Los Angeles in 2024. The two centers now serve 136 members, with enrollment expected to exceed 150 in the coming months. 

[New Zealand] 'Cuddle beds' for terminally-ill hospice patients BBC News, New Zealand; by Jack Silver; 9/5/25 A hospice in Guernsey has installed seven "cuddle beds" for patients with life-limiting or terminal illnesses. The beds, which cost £17,000 each, widen to allow patients to lie next to and embrace their love ones or pets. Les Bourgs Hospice, in St Andrews, said the beds brought "comfort, dignity, and human connection" to patients and their families. Rob Jones, from Les Bourgs, said the beds would help with the hospice's mission to "support people at one of the most difficult times of their life."

Caregiving under the Medicare Hospice Benefit JAMA Internal Medicine - Viewpoint Aging and Health; by Helen P. Knight, MD; Richard E. Leiter, MD, MA; Harry J. Han, MD; 9/8/25 As palliative care physicians, we frequently refer patients to hospice care. When we do so, we often worry about them. How will they and their families manage custodial care—the day in, day out, physical and financial demands of caregiving—on top of navigating the inherent challenges of end of life? We know that high-quality hospice agencies provide patients and their families with invaluable support for symptomatic, emotional, and spiritual needs. But in the US, due to constraints of Medicare reimbursement, hospice agencies provide only limited custodial care support; this lack of assistance often is an unwelcome surprise to our patients and families and profoundly shapes their end-of-life experience.

Husband and wife have emotional reunion after a year apart while dealing with dementia People; by Sam Gillette; 9/4/25 "We are humbled to help turn final wishes into treasured memories," a hospice official says of Everett Linton and his wife. ... An 88-year-old former truck driver from Cincinnati was able to hitch a ride to see his wife for the first time in almost a year, leading to an emotional reunion. “I'm ridin', I'm going to see my wife,” Everett Linton told a reporter from ABC affiliate WCPO from the passenger seat of a semi-truck. The nostalgic ride and reunion on Aug. 22 were organized by his care facility, Luminary Hospice Cincinnati, and the facility where his wife, Patricia, is staying, Majestic Care of Fairfield Assisted Living in Fairfield, Ohio.

How ‘The Pitt' gets death right Hollywood Reporter; by Ingrid Schmidt; 9/8/25 Boasting 13 Emmy nominations and four recent TV Critics Association Award wins, HBO Max's breakout medical drama The Pitt has been widely lauded for its hyperrealistic portrayal of a chaotic, underfunded hospital emergency department. Among the many things the show has been credited for getting right is its nuanced depiction of death and dying. The Pitt cuts deep into the heart of harrowing end-of-life decisions and conversations faced by patients, family members and physicians, as well as the messy emotional aftermath. Editor's Note: Ira Byock, MD--pioneer palliative physician--significantly contributed to The Pitt's death stories. Explore more in our previous posts: Social Media Watch 6/20/25 and “It’s an homage”: Noah Wyle quietly sneaked in a tribute in one of the best episodes of ‘The Pitt’ . Additionally, we thank Dr. Byock for serving as a guest editor in our newsletter. 

When I go, I'm going green KFF Health News; by Paula Span; 9/8/25 More Americans are choosing burials in which everything is biodegradable. ... Although a consumer survey conducted by the National Funeral Directors Association found that fewer than 10% of respondents would prefer a green burial (compared with 43% favoring cremation and 24% opting for conventional burial), more than 60% said they would be interested in exploring green and natural alternatives. “That has to do with the baby boomers coming of age and wanting to practice what they’ve preached,” Webster said. “They’re looking for environmental consistency. They’re looking for authenticity and simplicity.” ... “Do you see a lot of interest in green burials?” I asked the friendly town cemetery commissioner who was showing me around. “I don’t think we’ve had a traditional burial in two years,” he said. “It’s all green.”Editor's Note: What trends are choices for green burials are active in your service areas? Are your teams equipped with relevant referral information? For extensive, reputable research and resources about green burials, examine the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) webpage, Green Burial. 

Nursing homes can disrupt ‘rehabbed to death’ cycle with PDPM-based palliative care Skilled Nursing News; by Kristin Carroll; 9/7/25 ... Skilled nursing facilities can leverage the Patient Driven Payment Model (PDPM) to provide more palliative care to people near the end of life, helping to drive value-based care goals while improving the patient experience. However, much more needs to be done on the policy level to disrupt the current status quo, in which people commonly go through several care transitions near the end of life, driving up costs across the health care system while patients receive services that are not aligned with their own goals. Enabling concurrent SNF and hospice care is one change that could lead to improvement. These are assertions in the recent article “Rehab and Death: Improving End-Of-Life Care for Medicare Skilled Nursing Facility Beneficiaries,” published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

This is the one question leaders need to ask themselves: To avoid burnout, leaders need to pay attention to their energy levels Forbes - Work Life; by Tim Jack Adams; 9/1/25 You’ve carried the weight of big decisions, the pressure to perform, to lead and deliver, all despite what’s happening behind the scenes. You’ve navigated through uncertainty and change, providing the space for everyone else to thrive. It’s a feeling that the most capable leaders feel. It’s not quite burnout, but a kind of dullness. A slow drain. A fog that creeps in quietly and makes it harder to stay clear, connected, and grounded. ... It's not about time, it's about energy. ... To help people understand and manage their energy, my team and I developed a framework that assesses four key domains in under 60 seconds: