Literature Review

[Italy] Understanding the evolving role of early palliative care in myelodysplastic syndromes: A 2026 narrative reviewAnnals of Hematology; by Pasquale Niscola, Valentina Gianfelici, Marco Giovannini, Carla Mazzone, Maria Ilaria Del Principe; 5/26Myelodysplastic Syndromes/Neoplasms (MDS) are a heterogeneous group of blood cancers characterized by a broad spectrum of symptoms and varying impacts on quality of life (QoL). Although the integration of early PC care has long been recognized as an essential part of comprehensive management for patients with solid tumors, experience in the context of MDS is still limited. However, symptom control, QoL, advanced care planning goals, the reduction of aggressive therapies, intensive care use, including intubation before death, and resource use in the end-of-life (EOL) phase are critical issues that are enhanced through early PC in MDS management. Additionally, integrating standard hematological measures with early PC leads to fewer visits and hospital admissions near the EOL, particularly during the last 30 days. Moreover, patients with early PC die at home or in hospice care at a rate nearly in line with their preferences.

Saturday newsletters focus on headlines and research - enjoy!

The ASCENT Consortium to Publish Two Requests for ApplicationsASCENT Consortium press release; 6/4/26The ASCENT Consortium is pleased to announce plans to publish a Request for Applications (RFA) for the ASCENT Research Scholar and Pilot and Exploratory Studies Awards Programs.

Hospice enrollments from the Emergency Department feature short admissions and high-acuity hospice care Health Affairs; by Helen P. Knight, Kourosh Ravvaz, Alexander Fiksdal, Lin Shen, Isaac S. Chua, Claire K. Ankuda, Haiden A. Huskamp, Hojjat Salmasian, Joan M. Teno, and David W. Bates; 6/1/26 ... The 10 percent of hospice agencies with the highest proportion of ED-to-hospice enrollments were less often for-profit than agencies ranked below the fiftieth percentile in respect to proportion of ED-to-hospice enrollments. Further research is needed to increase understanding of how much patients benefit from ED-to-hospice transfers when their hospice stays before death are very short, and what drivers lead to these ED-to-hospice transfers.

Trellis Supportive Care supports CMS efforts to strengthen hospice oversight The Stokes News, Winston Salem, NC; by Ann Gauthreaux; 6/3/25 [Background information about the CMS Hospice six-month moratorium] “Hospice care should always represent dignity, compassion, and trust,” said Dr. Mike Lalor, CEO of Trellis Supportive Care. “Actions that address bad actors in our industry are necessary to preserve the integrity of hospice and ensure that patients receive the quality care they deserve.” Trellis Supportive Care wants to reassure patients, families, referral partners, and the broader community that this moratorium does not impact its services or operations. The organization continues to provide hospice, palliative, and supportive care throughout the region without interruption.

Interim HealthCare celebrates 60th anniversary, relaunches strategic franchise expansion, and recognizes 24 months of corporate momentum BusinessWire, Sunrise, FL; Press Release; 6/2/26 Interim HealthCare Inc., the nation’s leading network of home healthcare and staffing services that span the care continuum, is celebrating its 60th anniversary this month. The company is recognized as the nation’s first home-based care franchise opportunity and is marking this milestone by recognizing the strength of its franchise partners, all locally owned and operated, so patients, clients, families, and employees stay connected to their communities. ... Interim HealthCare successfully completed several milestones leading up to this important point in the brand’s history: ...

Leading with purpose creates a vision for the future of oncology nursing Oncology Nursing Society - ONS; by Ryne Wilson, DNP, RN, OCN; 6/1/26 Momentum is not accidental; it is built through courageous decisions and shared purpose. As ONS moves forward to advancing oncology nursing excellence across clinical practice, policy, and scientific discovery, we are guided by our 2026–2028 Strategic Plan.

West Coast fraud and AI: DOJ expands healthcare fraud enforcement into technology-driven markets JDSupra | Proskauer Health Care Law Brief; by Devin Cohen, Lara Feder, Matthew Westbrook; 6/3/26 On April 30, 2026, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) announced the creation of the West Coast Health Care Fraud Strike Force, a coordinated enforcement initiative focused on healthcare fraud in Arizona, Nevada, and Northern California. ... DOJ’s announcement also reflects the government’s growing focus on technology-enabled healthcare fraud risks. ... In its announcement, DOJ specifically highlights recent prosecutions involving digital health executives and healthcare technology-related fraud schemes in Northern California and Arizona.

Pennant expands senior living presence with Pleasant Hill, California community NEWSnet, Eagle, ID; by Pennant Group, Inc.; 6/3/26 The Pennant Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: PNTG), the parent company of the Pennant group of affiliated home health, hospice, home care and senior living companies, today announced that it assumed operations of a senior living community in Pleasant Hill, California, known as Memory Care of Contra Costa, on Monday, June 1. This acquisition marks Pennant’s first senior living expansion into California since becoming an independent publicly traded company in 2019. Memory Care of Contra Costa is a 46-unit memory care community serving seniors in the Pleasant Hill area. 

Golfing for a cause:Tournament raises more than $190,000 for hospice Herald-Advocate, Laurinburg, SC; by Lauren Monica; 6/2/26 Hospice of Scotland County raised more than $190,000 during its 40th annual golf tournament May 5-6 at Scotch Meadows Country Club, continuing a longtime fundraiser that supports hospice care for patients regardless of their ability to pay. ... The tournament, which serves communities in Scotland and Marlboro counties, has raised more than $5 million over four decades. Organizers said the 2025 total exceeded last year’s by $14,842. The tournament drew 250 golfers and featured about 300 auction items ...

Symptom-monitoring app helps patients with advanced cancer maintain quality of life The ASCO Post; by The ASCO Post Staff; 6/2/26 Use of a mobile app for proactive symptom monitoring helped patients with advanced cancer who were no longer receiving active anticancer treatment maintain their quality of life and reduced hospital utilization, according to findings from a randomized controlled trial presented at the 2026 ASCO Annual Meeting. The study evaluated SUPPORT+, a digital symptom-monitoring platform designed for patients receiving palliative care. The app sends weekly automated reminders prompting patients—or their caregivers—to complete a brief questionnaire about physical and emotional symptoms. Based on responses, the app provides self-management recommendations for mild or moderate symptoms and automatically alerts palliative care nurses when severe or worsening symptoms are reported. Nurses then follow up with patients through the app or by telephone.

FBI Public Service Announcement: Emerging hospice fraud targeting Medicare recipients Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Public Service Announcement, Alert Number I-060326-PSA; 6/3/26 The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is issuing this Public Service Announcement to warn the public of an emerging hospice fraud scheme that targets vulnerable Medicare recipients who are not in need of hospice services. Scammers are enrolling Medicare patients in hospice care for services they do not need or for services that are not provided. ... Tips to Protect Yourself: