Literature Review

Five key CDC leaders abruptly retire amid agency shakeup: What to know Newsweek; by Gabe Whisnant; 3/25/25 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is facing a major leadership shakeup, with five high-level officials stepping down in what marks the latest wave of internal turmoil for the nation's premier public health agency. According to the Associated Press, which confirmed the resignations through two CDC officials who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly, the resignations were revealed during a senior leadership meeting on Tuesday. The announcement follows three other recent departures, and together, these changes amount to nearly a third of the CDC's top management either having already left or planning to do so. ... Why It Matters: The CDC, headquartered in Atlanta, operates more than two dozen centers and offices. The five latest officials to exit lead critical divisions, and while their departures have been described internally as retirements, they were not publicly announced.

AGG, New Day’s Bill Dombi: Hospices’ ‘vibrant evolutionary path’ spurs legal growing pains  Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 3/26/25 Today’s hospice landscape is reaching a pivotal point of evolutionary growth that has come with increased oversight as regulators seek to curb fraudulent activity in the space, according to Bill Dombi, senior counsel for the law firm Arnall Golden Gregory (AGG). ... He previously served as president of the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) for 38 years prior to its affiliation with the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) in 2023 and was heavily involved in the establishment of the Medicare Hospice Benefit. ... [Dombi:] "... Hospice has been a very vibrant part of the health care world for quite a while now, but I think its energy levels are at an all-time high right now. And that’s energy levels in terms of not just public awareness and utilization of the services, but also the gained respect of recognizing that hospice is not a cottage industry anymore. Some people might label it as growing pains. I call it more of an evolution that naturally seems to occur in any field and in any organization."  [Continue reading ...]

5 must-watch TED Talks that will make you a better leader right now Inc; by Peter Economy; 3/21/25Back in 1978, historian and leadership guru James MacGregor Burns said, “Leadership is one of the most observed and least understood phenomena on earth.” While that assessment of leadership may have once been true, I think it’s no longer the case. Today, leadership is a well-understood phenomenon. There are a variety of ways to take your leadership to the next level. Here are five extremely popular—and powerful—TED Talks that will help you do just that. [TED Talk videos are embedded in this article.]

Family Hospice welcomes Charles Hall as new Chief Executive Officer EIN Presswire, Atlanta, GA; by BPR International; 3/11/25Family Hospice is pleased to announce the appointment of Charles (Charlie) Hall as its new Chief Executive Officer. With a distinguished career in healthcare leadership, Hall brings a wealth of experience in driving organizational growth, operational excellence, and strategic innovation to Family Hospice. “We are thrilled to welcome Charlie to Family Hospice,” said Mark Kimsey, chairman of the board and founder of Family Hospice. “His proven track record of leadership, team development, and strategic growth will be instrumental as we continue to expand our mission of providing compassionate, high-quality hospice care to the communities we serve.” "I  am honored to join Family Hospice and to work alongside such a skilled and dedicated team,” said Hall.  [Continue reading ...]

Bringing palliative care to every patient with cancer: A conversation with Janet L. Abrahm, MD, FACP, FAAHPM, FASCO The ASCO Post, in partnership with the American Society of Clinical Oncology; by Jo Cavallo; 3/25/25 Janet L. Abrahm, MD, FACP, FAAHPM, FASCO, ... has become a widely recognized leader in the field of supportive care and palliative medicine, serving for nearly a decade on the leadership team of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and helping to craft the first Hospice and Palliative Medicine certifying examination offered by the American Board of Internal Medicine. ... In a wide-ranging interview with The ASCO Post, Dr. Abrahm discussed the importance of providing every patient with cancer access to palliative medicine throughout survivorship, how oncologists can become more effective communicators, and strategies to alleviate patients’ suffering at the end of life.

Digital Transformation 101: A handy primerHealthcare IT News; by Bill Siwicki; 3/21/25 Robert Slepin, chief digital officer at SE Health and an emeritus CIO adviser at Epic, describes the key aspects of digital transformation that provider organizations need to understand, primary technologies involved and how to best organize the effort. Healthcare IT News sat down with him to discuss aspects of digital transformation efforts that provider organizations don't quite have a firm grasp on to begin with, the primary technologies involved in digital transformation, how to organize such a comprehensive effort as digital transformation, and his transformation effort at SE Health. [Continue reading ...]

Writer survey: 42% of c-suite say Gen AI is tearing their companies apart Inside AI News, San Francisco, CA; by Staff; 3/19/25 Writer, a generative AI platform for the enterprise, today announced the release of its 2025 AI Survey: “Generative AI Adoption in the Enterprise.” The study, conducted in partnership with independent research firm Workplace Intelligence, is intended to provide a lens into the experiences of knowledge workers and C-suite executives actively using AI in the workplace.

Trump’s first 60 days: The impact on the home health industry Home Health News; by Audrie Martin; 3/20/25 Tax, immigration and diversity, equity and inclusion policies are some of the top-of-mind regulatory concerns for home health agencies in 2025. The first 60 days of the Trump Administration and their impact on the home health care industry were highlighted during a webinar hosted by the Polsinelli Law Firm on Thursday. National Alliance for Care at Home CEO Steve Landers and Home Care Association of America (HCAOA) CEO Jason Lee joined representatives from Polsinelli to discuss potential Medicaid cuts, the importance of extending telehealth services, and the need for workforce expansion. The webinar also explored how executive orders and administrative actions are affecting home care and hospice services. [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

‘Disturbing’ outlook: Hospices’ top regulatory concerns in 2025 Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 3/20/25 Telehealth policies and program integrity concerns represent two of the leading regulatory issues on hospices’ radar this year. Regulatory changes and increasing oversight were the second-most cited concerns among nearly a quarter (21%) of 112 hospice professionals who participated in this year’s Outlook Survey by Hospice News and Homecare Homebase. Challenges around staffing and improved public awareness also topped the list of providers’ concerns. This is the third piece of this three-part Hospice News series that explores the significant regulatory challenges facing hospice providers in 2025. 

Health care system adaptation and resilience during the wildfire crisisJAMA Network; by Attila J. Hertelendy, PhD, Jeremy Maggin, MD, MS, and Gregory Ciottone, MD; 3/19/25 ... Within a span of hours, the Palisades and Eaton fires, propelled by record-breaking Santa Ana winds reaching 150 miles per hour, consumed more than 37,000 acres, destroyed more than 16,000 structures, and claimed 29 lives. All told, greater than 186,000 residents were placed under evacuation orders. ... The experience in Los Angeles County demonstrates the value of maintaining dual-purpose resources: facilities and personnel who can transition between routine operations and emergency response functions. This approach is exemplified by Kaiser Permanente’s successful deployment of mobile health vehicles and the use of clinically trained administrative leaders in direct patient care roles during crisis events. Key elements of successful resource mobilization include:

Hospice community responds to proposed DEA telehealth prescribing rule Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 3/20/25 A proposed rule by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) could impede timely access to medications for hospice and palliative care patients, according to members of the hospice community. ... If finalized, this proposed rule would require prescribers to register with the DEA before they are allowed to prescribe schedule II-V controlled substances, along with some monitoring and other requirements.  ... Implementation of the proposed rule would have adverse consequences for hospice and palliative care patients, according to the National Alliance for Care at Home. ... The Alliance made several recommendations to the DEA regarding the proposal: 

The challenges ahead with Jeanne Chiricohallenges ahead with Jeanne Chirico, HPCANYS President/CEO

Medicare Payment Advisory Commission [MedPAC] releases report to Congress on Medicare Payment Policy 2025 report on Medicare payment policy Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, Washington, DC; News Release, contact Stephanie Cameron; 3/13/25Today [3/13/25], the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) eleases its March 2025 Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment Policy. The report presents MedPAC’s recommendations for updating provider payment rates in fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare for 2026, providing additional resources to acute care hospitals and clinicians who furnish care to Medicare beneficiaries with low incomes, and eliminating certain Medicare coverage limits on stays in freestanding inpatient psychiatric facilities. The report reviews the status of ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs), the Medicare Advantage (MA) program (Medicare Part C), and the Part D prescription drug program (Medicare Part D). ... Fee-for-service payment rate update recommendations. ... MedPAC recommends ... payment reductions relative to current law for hospice providers, skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, and inpatient rehabilitation facilities.  [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]