Literature Review

How hospices can avoid pitfalls in AI implementation Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 4/4/25 Hospice providers, along with the rest of health care, are increasingly relying on technology for clinical and business operations, with artificial intelligence among the most common investments. However, careful implementation is necessary to effectively use these systems. ... One of hospices’ key goals with AI is to increase efficiency. This lean toward efficiency reflects larger trends in the industry as the labor pool dwindles. Without more boots to put on the ground, providers are seeking ways to get more productivity from the ones they already have in place. [Continue reading ...] 

What happens when someone passes at home? It depends Bozeman Daily Chronicle, Bozeman, MT; Chris Remely "discussions with a funeral director"; 4/5/25 One of the most common questions we get asked as funeral directors is, “What happens if I pass away at home?” The answer is ... it depends. Home death is fairly common in the context of someone being on hospice care. For many individuals who have been given a difficult medical diagnosis that is terminal, they often prefer to be at home surrounded by loved ones for as long as possible. ... In this scenario, hospice will pronounce the death and work with the funeral home to transfer the individual into their care. ... However, when someone passes away at home and they are not on hospice, this is considered an “unattended death” — meaning a medical professional is not involved. In this case, the coroner’s office is required to investigate the death to determine the cause and manner of death — as well as pronounce the death. ... When someone from the coroner’s office arrives, they will do several things. They will visit with the next of kin and ask them questions about their loved one’s medical history and investigate the scene where the death occurred. Editor's note: Too often, hospices gloss over this all-important information for caregivers and families. Death is traumatic enough. Families are left in a lurch. Conflicts can erupt at the family's most vulnerable moments. Yes, timing and delivery for such sensitive information is important. Our sponsor Composing Life Out of Loss provides empathic, sensitive videos for hospice teams to use with caregivers and families, with interdisciplinary team guides for tending individuals' different readiness for education and preparation.

[Spain] SECPAL and AETSyS will promote the recognition of social workers as health professionals The Spanish Association of Social Work and Health (AETSyS) and the Spanish Society of Palliative Care (SECPAL); Press Release; 4/4/25The Spanish Association of Social Work and Health (AETSyS) and the Spanish Society of Palliative Care (SECPAL) have announced the signing of a collaboration agreement to promote the recognition of social workers as healthcare professionals in the National Health System (SNS), highlighting their "essential role" in the field of palliative care and in all dimensions of healthcare. ... "We social workers have been working in healthcare for a long time. We are part of the World Health Organization's (WHO) definition of 'health', which integrates the biological, psychological and social. We complete this definition within the teams, addressing the social dimension of health," explained the president of AETSyS, Miguela Arévalo García-Gasco. ... [The] vice-president of Social Work at SECPAL, Alejandro González Peña, ... has stressed that the figure of the social worker in palliative care teams is "indispensable" for providing comprehensive, quality care, ... Editor's note: Further access to this Spanish press release is limited. The title's link goes to a February post, for which you may be able to translate to English via your computer or mobile device.

The evolution of work: How Gen Z is reshaping leadership and workplace culture Forbes; by First Place For Youth - Jayme Catalano; 4/2/25 As Generation Z enters the workforce in growing numbers, they are bringing fresh perspectives and expectations that are reshaping the traditional workplace. This digital-native generation, born between 1997 and 2012, is driving significant changes in management styles, work environments, and organizational values. Their influence is prompting companies to adapt, evolve and innovate, creating a new paradigm for the future of work.

Higher sedentary time linked to more chronic conditions, study shows McKnights Long-Term Care News; by Kristen Fischer; 4/2/25 A new study showed a progressive increase in multimorbidity, or multiple chronic conditions, in people who spent more time sedentary (or not moving). When people limited their time being sedentary to under four hours a day, it was linked with a lower chance of multimorbidity. Findings were published Tuesday in Archives of Public Health. ... On average, 46.1% of participants were sedentary for one to three hours a day, while 9.4% of people were still for more than seven hours each day. When scientists put the data together, they noticed a clear trend: The longer time people spent sedentary, the more likely they were to have more health ailments. ... Systemic arterial hypertension, chronic spine problems and high cholesterol were the most common chronic conditions among participants. [Continue reading ...]  Editor's note: What health/wellness support do you provide for your employees who spend hours upon hours at a computer? Do you provide innovative breaks? Walking groups? A roomwith exercise machines? Employee discounts for local gyms? Email me with your supportive solutions. 

‘The most someone wants is to be heard’: Students foster connection, create memoirs for hospice patients The Daily Texan - University of Texas, Austin, TX; 4/3/25 ... Brought to UT in 2023, Last Writers is a service organization where student volunteers interview hospice patients over the course of several months to write a memoir that is then printed and given to the patients and their families. The process is intended to bring comfort to hospice patients and create a physical memento for the families, representing their lives once they pass. ... “It’s not often that you’re a college student and you get to meet someone who is going to pass away in the next few months,” Nguyen said. “To be with them in that very vulnerable point, it gives you a lot of perspectives. A lot of our members come out of it realizing how much they have to live for. … It makes us more grateful in life and puts our mortality into perspective.” [Continue reading ...]

Jackson County nurse braves floodwaters to reach isolated hospice patient Fox 56, Jackson County, KY; by Corey Elam; 4/4/25 When deadly flooding cut off access and phone service for a Jackson County hospice patient on Friday [4/4/25], a healthcare worker teamed up with emergency management teams to care for her patient. According to Hospice Care Plus, after finding out her patient was isolated and couldn’t be reached by phone, Nurse Makale Fox worked with Jackson County Emergency Management (JCEM) to find a way to get to her. “With the support of Jackson County Emergency Management, Makale ... was able to safely navigate through the flooded area and reach her patient, ensuring they received the comfort and care they deserved,” Hospice Care Plus wrote. The hospice care nonprofit thanked Makale for her unwavering commitment, as well as JCEM for making it possible for her to get to her patient. [Continue for photos and more ...]

Executive orders and policy updates JD Supra; by Jones Day; 4/3/25 Since President Trump's inauguration, the Trump administration has issued a number of executive orders and policy actions ... Notable actions include rescinding Biden-era initiatives on health care access and equity, withdrawing from the World Health Organization, reducing indirect costs for NIH grants, and suspending foreign aid. While many of these actions may be subject to ongoing litigation, which is not addressed here, summaries of certain of these executive orders and policy actions are included below. ...

New administration’s appointees confirmed to lead key health agencies Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO); Press Release; 4/3/25 Several presidential appointees have been confirmed to lead key health agencies that the Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) will work with during the new administration. These include:

Agrace named preferred hospice provider to Oakwood Village Communities Agrace, Madison, WI; Press release; 4/2/25 Two pillars of Madison’s healthcare community are partnering to deliver exceptional care to patients and families: Oakwood and Agrace. Residents of Oakwood Village Communities who are in the final months of life now have a preferred partner for high-quality hospice care. Agrace, Wisconsin’s largest nonprofit hospice, has entered into a Preferred Partner Agreement with Oakwood for the care of its residents, effective immediately. “Agrace is honored to be named Oakwood’s Preferred Partner for delivering hospice care,” said Lynne Sexten, Agrace President & CEO. [Continue reading ...]

Are hospitalists becoming de facto PCPs for patients with complex illness? Today's Hospitalist; by Colleen Peggenburg, MD, MS; April 2025 Key takeaways:

You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them. ~ Michael Jordan

Hidden battles: Keeping cancer secret Harvard Health Publishing - Harvard Medical School; by Maureen Salamon; post is dated 4/1/25, retrieved from the internet 3/25/25 Some people choose to conceal their diagnosis and treatment. Here's why — and reasons that approach can sometimes backfire. ... [In addition to privacy motives, Cristina Pozo-Kaderman, a senior psychologist at Harvard-affiliated Dana-Farber Cancer Institute] says cancer patients may also wish to: