Literature Review

Virginia Cancer Specialists expands and rebrands its Palliative Care Program to support patients through every step of cancer treatment PR Newswire, Fairfax, VA; Press Release; 7/8/25 Virginia Cancer Specialists, the largest private cancer practice in Northern Virginia, named #1 practice in cancer care and all medical specialties by Castle Connolly in 2024 and 2025, is proud to announce the rebranding and expansion of its former Palliative Care Program – now called Supportive Cancer Care – to deliver more comprehensive, integrated support services to help patients better maintain quality of life throughout the treatment process. Virginia Cancer Specialists designed this newly enhanced program with 3 key objectives:

The 8 virtues of great leaders Forbes; by Eli Amdur; 6/27/25 ... I write on leadership (and a few other topics) because I’m supposed to be an “expert.” Well, let me set the record straight. That word – expert – makes me nervous. ... But I’ve learned along the way since my career began 57 years ago, and leadership is one area in which I can share some value ... [Leadership theory] should support the axiom that it is not skills alone that will determine leadership in the 21st century and beyond. It’s the humanity of the leader that will do it every time. ... So, as I rest my case about leadership virtues being the differentiators, here’s what I’ve learned along the way: The Eight Virtues of Great Leaders.

‘Family’s Voice Diary’ improved support for caregivers of patients at the end of life Oncology Nurse; by Ryner Lai; 7/1/25 The authors of this study sought to understand the challenges that caregivers face when a patient is approaching end of life. For this study, they worked with bereaved relatives, members of the public, healthcare professionals, and policymakers to develop the Family’s Voice Diary (FVD), an initiative that allowed participants to freely express their thoughts regarding end-of-life care and the role of caregivers. ... These interviews illuminated some of the challenges that were faced when providing end-of-life care. For example, families expressed a lack of knowledge regarding what “normal” dying looks like and they wanted more support from healthcare staff, but were reluctant to ask or didn’t know how to approach the subject. Healthcare professionals themselves appeared to be reluctant to discuss matters associated with death. 

Sutter’s CEO outlines its billion-dollar expansion and what’s next Becker's Hospital Review; by Kelly Gooch 7/2/225 Sutter Health is doubling down on its growth strategy, with a focus on expanding access and attracting more physicians to California. Headquartered in Northern California, with executive offices in Sacramento and Emeryville, the health system‘s 57,000 staff and clinicians and 12,000 affiliated physicians provide care to more than 3.5 million Californians. Now, the organization counts San Francisco’s East Bay region among its opportunities for growth, President and CEO Warner Thomas told Becker’s.

Mayo Clinic gets $50M gift to boost innovation Becker's Health IT; by Naomi Diaz; 6/30/25 Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic has received a $50 million donation from Florida philanthropists Gilchrist and Amy Berg — a gift dedicated to the health system’s innovation efforts. The money will support Mayo’s Innovation Exchange, a program that helps healthcare startups and entrepreneurs bring new technologies to patients. In recognition of the donation, the program will be renamed the Mayo Clinic Berg Innovation Exchange, according to a June 30 news release. The Innovation Exchange serves as a hub for global collaboration, bringing together experts in AI, digital health, product design and more. It has a footprint on six continents and supports startups working on tools in diagnostics, therapeutics and medical devices, according to Mayo Clinic.

Joint Commission cuts standards by 50% in sweeping overhaul Becker's Clinical Leadership; by Paige Twenter; 6/30/25 The Joint Commission is transforming its accreditation process by reducing the number of requirements by 50% — from 1,551 to 774 standards — in its most significant rewrite since Medicare was established in 1965. The overhaul, first shared with Becker’s, underscores the organization’s effort to reduce the regulatory burden on hospitals and healthcare organizations, uphold public trust and help organizations achieve the highest level of safety and quality, according to Jonathan Perlin, MD, PhD, president and CEO of The Joint Commission Enterprise. ... The redesign, called Accreditation 360: The New Standard, features an updated manual with clearer definitions of CMS conditions of participation and the Joint Commission’s national performance goals, now distilled into 14 critical categories.

How to give physicians autonomy—and protect them from burnout American Medical Association (AMA); by Georgia Garvey; 7/1/25 Almost everyone appreciates having autonomy at work. But when physicians spend more than a decade in high-stakes and grueling medical training, only to enter practice with virtually no control over their work environment, schedule or day, it can lead to the kind of spiraling frustration that often turns into burnout or leaving the profession entirely. “It’s one of those things where the more you try to micromanage a physician’s schedule, the more a feeling of distrust you give to the physicians ...” said Jill Jin, MD, MPH, an internist and senior physician adviser for the AMA, one of the authors of the AMA STEPS Forward® “Value of Feeling Valued Playbook.” ... Though the percentages of those experiencing burnout have declined from the peak during the COVID-19 public health emergency, 43.2% of physicians still say they have at least one symptom of burnout.  ... When physicians feel valued—... as competent professionals who have devoted immense time and energy to becoming experts at their jobs—it is proven to be positively associated with lower levels of burnout.

Support for serious illness: Palliative care is here to helpNIH News in Health; 7/7/25Being diagnosed with a serious illness is life-changing. Many decisions must be made, with many unknowns. But there are experts who can help you navigate the complicated landscape of a long-term, serious illness. Palliative care specialists focus on comfort care and improving your quality of life during a serious illness. “Palliative care is a holistic approach to medicine and caregiving,” explains Dr. Matthew DeCamp, a physician at University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. “It places the patient’s quality of life and needs and values front and center.”Publisher's note: Interesting this story appeared in NIH News in Health and it might be helpful to promote your palliative care programs...

Hospice Foundation of America mourns passing of David J. Abrams – HFA board member and leader Hospice Foundation of America (HFA), Washington, DC; Press Release; 7/8/25 David J. Abrams, 85, a longtime member of the Hospice Foundation of America (HFA) Board of Directors, died on July 8. Abrams, who oversaw operations at HFA from its formative years until 2007, leaves in his wake a legacy of service and commitment to hospice care in the United States. “David’s passing will be deeply felt by many, both personally and professionally. Through his leadership positions at HFA, for many years, he greatly advanced the knowledge and quality of hospice caregivers throughout the palliative care community,” said Thomas J. Spulak, chairman of HFA’s Board of Directors. “As a friend and colleague to many, we will all miss his smile, care, concern, and intellect that he brought to us every day. David will never be forgotten.”

Reopening of Hospice House stalls after Seasons Hospice exits Steele County Southernminn, Faribault, MN; by Annie Harman; 7/1/25 What has been a continuing journey of peaks and valleys has come upon yet another roadblock as volunteers with the Homestead Hospice House announce the reopening of the residential hospice facility will be put on hold. The news comes after Seasons Hospice, a nonprofit hospice care organization based out of Rochester, has made the decisions to discontinue their home care and hospice services in Steele County. Seasons had initially partnered with the board of the Homestead Hospice House in August 2024 to work toward reopening the facility, raising $850,000 — $350,000 to reopen the facility and cover startup funds for IT and staff, and an additional $500,000 to secure operating funds for the first year. 

Hospice Savannah launches The GUIDE Model for Dementia Care Savannah Business Journal; by Staff Report; 6/30/25 Hospice Savannah will launch their latest program, Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE), on July 1 through the Steward Center for Palliative Care in partnership with the Edel Caregiver Institute. The GUIDE model offers enhanced services for people living with dementia along with support for their caregivers. Its’ focus is to bring high-quality dementia care for all individuals, including those in underserved communities.GUIDE recognizes the complex challenges families face in caring for a loved one with dementia. This model provides a framework for delivering care with additional resources that were not available until now.  

Visiting nurse organization makes interim leader permanent Valley News, White River Junction, VT; by Lukas Dunford; 7/3/25 The board of Visiting Nurse and Hospice for Vermont and New Hampshire has appointed a new chief executive officer. Tammy L. Tarsa, who has served as interim CEO and president of VNH since March, will replace Johanna Beliveau, who served as CEO from 2018 to 2025. Tarsa began at VNH as chief clinical officer in 2022. Since then, she led a financial sustainability plan and improved VNH’s hospice rating to four stars. The rating is based on a family caregiver experience survey, which the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or CMS, uses to assess the experiences of patients and their informal primary caregivers. Tarsa also increased payouts by 310% from the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Model, a program designed by the CMS to reward quality and efficiency in home health care. 

20 states sue after the Trump administration releases private Medicaid data to deportation officials Associated Press (AP), Washington, DC; by Amanda Seitz and Kimberly Kindy; 7/1/25The Trump administration violated federal privacy laws when it turned over Medicaid data on millions of enrollees to deportation officials last month, California Attorney General Rob Bonta alleged on Tuesday, saying he and 19 other states’ attorneys general have sued over the move. Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s advisers ordered the release of a dataset that includes the private health information of people living in California, Illinois, Washington state, and Washington, D.C., to the Department of Homeland Security, The Associated Press first reported last month. All of those states allow non-U.S. citizens to enroll in Medicaid programs that pay for their expenses using only state taxpayer dollars.