Literature Review

Introduction: ‘Those who have made death their life’The Daily Yonder - Keep It Rural; by Hannah Clark; 1/15/25 Hannah Clark spent six months riding along with the nurses and certified nursing assistants (CNAs) of Hearth Hospice who provide in-home care to those living in Northwest Georgia and Southeast Tennessee. These hospice workers often drive up to a hundred miles a day to visit a handful of patients scattered across the Appalachian landscape in both rural towns and urban centers. What will follow this introductory essay is her photo reportage in three parts, documenting what she has witnessed accompanying these caregivers. The intimate portraits and vignettes show tender moments at different stages towards the end of one’s life. Their beauty lies in the companionship Clark captured in moments of need and vulnerability. 

Best healthcare jobs in 2025: US NewsBecker's Hospital Review; by Kelly Gooch; 1/14/25U.S. News & World Report released its 2025 best jobs rankings on Jan. 14, highlighting the best jobs across 17 categories, including healthcare. The media company examined data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to identify jobs with the greatest hiring demand. Jobs are then scored based on future prospects, wage potential, employment, safety and stability, and work-life balance. More information about the methodology is available here. For the second consecutive year, nurse practitioner took the No. 1 spot as the best job in the U.S. and also topped the healthcare list. These are the top 25 jobs in healthcare, according to U.S. News, listed alongside their median salary: 

Agrace expands hospice services into Milwaukee County Agrace.org; Press Release; 1/14/25 Residents of Milwaukee County who are in the final months of life have a new choice for high-quality, in-home hospice care. Agrace, the largest Wisconsin-based nonprofit hospice, has announced it is expanding its services into the county. For more than 45 years, Agrace Hospice Care has offered end-of-life care to people of all ages across southern Wisconsin. Milwaukee County residents can now enroll with Agrace to receive hospice care that comes to them where they live—in private homes, long-term care facilities or any other place they call home. In addition to a new regional office ... in Wauwatosa, Agrace has offices in Oconomowoc, Janesville, Dodgeville and Baraboo, and a hospice inpatient unit and residence in Madison. The Wauwatosa office is home base for an interdisciplinary care team that includes local hospice physician Andre Cernasov.

Three state snapshots of pediatric palliative care: California, Massachusetts, and VermontNational Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP); by Neva Kaye and Heather Smith; 1/13/25 Pediatric palliative care is an important component of the system of care for children with serious illness and their families. Palliative care can provide relief from symptoms, improve satisfaction and outcomes, and help address critical needs during difficult times. However, many children and families who could benefit from palliative care are unable to access it. State Medicaid and Title V Maternal and Child Health Service Block Grant programs are working to address this issue. ...

NPHI welcomes Robin Shultz as Vice President for Member Programs and Engagement National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), Washington, DC; Press Release; 1/8/25 The National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) is proud to welcome Robin Shultz, LCSW, ACC, ACHP-SW, to the team as Vice President for Member Programs and Engagement. With her proven track record of leadership and a passion for innovation, Robin’s expertise is set to deepen connections among our members and drive meaningful engagement at all levels. Robin brings significant experience in hospice and palliative care to NPHI. ... In her new role with NPHI, Robin will focus on strengthening member engagement, ensuring active participation across forums, and fostering deeper inclusion for member staff at all levels. Her efforts will build on NPHI’s mission to advance the work of nonprofit hospice providers, empowering them to deliver exceptional care and services to their communities.

Kōkua Mau, Hawaii, Medicaid Palliative Care Services BenefitHawaiʻi is the first state to comprehensively cover palliative care services for its Medicaid beneficiaries, by adding community palliative care as a preventive service in its Medicaid state plan. Since the memo has been published we are now moving into the implementation phase. This novel SPA (State Plan Amendment) is the result of multi-stakeholder collaboration over many years. It serves as a road map for other states exploring new ways to pay for interdisciplinary, community-based palliative care.

United States dementia cases estimated to double by 2060: Anticipated jump especially large for women, Black people & those over age 75NYULangone Health; by David March; 1/13/25A new study shows that the risk of developing dementia at any time after age 55 among Americans is 42 percent, more than double the risk reported by older studies. That dementia risk translates into an estimated half-million cases this year, rising to a million new cases a year by 2060, according to the new work. Dementia involves progressive declines in memory, concentration, and judgment. The increasing number of cases is directly tied to the aging of the U.S. population. Beyond aging, a high risk of dementia is linked to genetic factors, as well as high rates of hypertension and diabetes, obesity, unhealthy diets, lack of exercise, and poor mental health.

Special Bulletin – CA Wildfires Public Health EmergencyCommunity Health Accreditation Partner (CHAP); Special Bulletin; 1/14/2025 HHS Declares Public Health Emergency for California to Aid Health Care Response to Wildfires. The declaration follows President Biden’s major disaster declaration and gives the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) health care providers and suppliers greater flexibility in meeting the emergency health needs of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. HHS has waived sanctions and penalties for violations of certain provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Privacy Rule against hospitals in the emergency area. [Click on the title's link to continue reading]

What is a Chief Learning Officer? CLO role explained Forbes; by Melissa Daimler; 1/12/25 A Chief Learning Officer is a strategic C-suite executive who develops leadership and technical skills in alignment with strategic priorities and cultural behaviors. Reporting directly to the CEO or CHRO, the CLO operates as a peer to other senior executives, participating in strategic decisions that shape organizational direction. Over the past thirty years, corporate learning has evolved from training delivery to building organizational capabilities. No role embodies this evolution more than the Chief Learning Officer (CLO), though even this title understates the role's current scope. 

My husband almost died. When I asked his doctor for help, I was appalled by the insensitive response. HuffPost; by Carrie Severson; 1/13/25 ... The physician’s assistant came in and looked at Gavin [the author's husband]. As soon as she took her seat, I told her I wanted to schedule him for a feeding tube, expecting her complete understanding and compassion. Instead, she laughed. “I recommended a consult for a feeding tube last week, and you declined it,” she said sharply. “Now I have to start over from scratch and reach back out to the GI team to see how we can get him in.” My mouth dropped open. I stared at her, bewildered. “I wasn’t ready last week. I’m ready now,” Gavin mumbled, barely audible. “What did he say?” the physician’s assistant snarled. I very calmly repeated what Gavin said, my heart breaking for him and rage racing through my body. “Well, you certainly have made my job harder. And now I’ll have to see what I can do for you. You’ll hear from me about your next steps, and you better follow them. It might be too late because of your attitude,” she barked. I leaned in, looked at her straight on, meeting her nasty tone, and said, “No. Your attitude has made this harder. And it’s very much not appreciated right now. He’s in pain, and your job is to help us. In fact, you took an oath to do no harm, and what you’re doing in this room is harmful.” ...

Home … where we all want to be The Journal; Dr. Sarah Phillips, Medical Director Hospice of the Panhandle; 1/12/25 Two days before Christmas, I arrived at the home of a patient who had been recently admitted to Hospice services. ... [Story of the patient being on a ventilator in a hospital.] This courageous and self-determined woman expressed the desire to be free from pain, suffering, and the complications and progression of her disease. Knowing that the ventilator was life-sustaining and essentially breathing for her, she made the decision to stop it. To ensure her comfort during discontinuation of the ventilator, the hospice team was present before, during, and after the procedure. Medications were used to ease shortness of breath, pain, and anxiety. ... “It’s a Wonderful Life” was playing on the TV, the Christmas tree was lit. I looked over and see the daughter wiping away her mother’s tears. Each reassured the other that everything will be OK and that they are at peace with this decision. As the medications took effect, the patient drifted off to sleep. The ventilator was stopped. Next, something happens that I will never forget. The daughter leans in and whispers to the patient, “Mom, the ventilator is off now, you are back in total control. This was profound to me on many levels. It certainly spoke to the power and importance of autonomy, the ability to make independent decisions that are aligned with one’s values and goals. ... Despite working in end-of-life care for over a decade, I still have these moments of being overwhelmed by the human spirit.

Caregiver confessions: ‘How much more can we take?’ New York Magazine - The Cut - Family; as told to Paula Aceves and David mack; 1/13/25 Eleven people who care for aging and sick relatives share their fears, resentments, and guilt. “Where did those ten years ago?”: the daughter struggling to make ends meet while caring for her mother with Alzheimer’s. I never left home, like a good Cuban. My dad died when I was 9, and my mom never remarried, so I always felt a responsibility for her as her only child, especially since I’m not married and don’t have children of my own. [Click on the title's link to read this and other caregiver stories.]

CMS Gives Notice of 4.3% Pay Hike for Medicare Advantage Plans Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 1/13/25 The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) plans to increase payments to Medicare Advantage plans for 4.3% in 2026, but implementation will depend on what happens with the new presidential administration. CMS has issued an advance notice of policy changes for Medicare Advantage and Part D that would install technical updates, including to the ways the agency calculates payments to health plans. ... Though Medicare Advantage does not cover hospice care, many providers depend on MA payments for other programs like palliative care, among others. The changes are intended to continue CMS’s three-year phase-in of updates to the MA risk adjustment model and growth-rate calculation related to medical education costs. However, it will be up to the incoming Trump administration to bring these changes to fruition — if they so choose.