Literature Review

Learning to love fax again, courtesy of AI Forbes - Innovation; by Jeffrey Sullivan; 10/29/25 ... While other industries have moved on to less secure email and messaging platforms, fax still reigns supreme in healthcare. In fact, a majority of healthcare organizations still lean on fax as a primary source of communication, according to a recent survey ... The problem is that while fax is still healthcare’s go-to for sending and receiving information, many organizations haven’t updated their fax processes to adapt to current healthcare workflows that prioritize digital tools like EMRs and patient portals over traditional paper-centric practices.

The emerging role of osteopathic manipulative medicine in enhancing quality of life for palliative and end-of-life patients: A narrative review Cureus; Ambrose Loc T Ngo, Linda Nguyen, Cynthia Shahbandeh, Jared Nichols; 9/26/25... This narrative review synthesizes current clinical evidence on the application of OMM in palliative and end-of-life care, focusing on its potential to manage multiple distressing symptoms, including pain, respiratory distress, fatigue, gastrointestinal issues, edema, and psychological stress. The review aims to provide an integrative understanding of [osteopathic manipulative medicine] OMM's role in symptom management, identify evidence gaps, and propose directions for future research.

Religious traditions and grief in the USA: When it's less about G-d and more about the peopleJournal of Religion & Health; by Emily Scheinfeld, Cassidy Taladay-Carter, Kelly Tenzek; 9/25Many turn to religion or spirituality for personal meaning, purpose, and guidance throughout our lifetime, including in the context of death and dying. Through the qualitative analysis of 159 open-ended survey responses from adults in the USA who had experienced the death of a parent, we examined the types of religious traditions, practices, and/or rituals that participants engaged in during their bereavement. We then explored how those practices were helpful, harmful to, or revealing of emergent interfaith family dynamics throughout their grief journeys. By better articulating the communicative role of religion in death and dying, we broaden the understanding of religion and grief in these important sociocultural contexts. We discuss implications for families and religious communities alike.

End-of-life care in the austere military environmentMilitary Medicine; by Jason David, Stevan Fairburn, Hayden Fogle, Nicholas Dulin, Russell Day; 9/25Throughout the Global War on Terror (GWOT), the U.S. military built a revolutionary capacity to deliver life-saving care-even in austere environments-through rapid evacuation, far-forward providers and resources, and advances in prehospital and trauma-critical care. However, the operational reality of future Large Scale Combat Operations (LSCO), as evidenced by wars in Ukraine, Sudan, and Gaza, will be marked by high casualty rates and limited medical resources. [This review] ... explores how medical providers must shift from curative to comfort-focused care, often without formal palliative training, and how end-of-life care protocols must be integrated into doctrine, triage systems, and commander education. We offer pragmatic guidance on clinical decision-making, communication strategies with both medical and non-medical leaders, and the delivery of pain relief, emotional support, and dignity at the end of life-even in forward-deployed, under-resourced settings.

Hospice social worker and nurse perceptions of the usability of a hospice live discharge protocol (LDP)American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Medicine; by Stephanie P. Wladkowski, Susan Enguídanos, Tracy A. Schroepfer; 9/25Live discharges from hospice are often distressing for patients, caregivers, and hospice providers alike, disrupting care continuity and leading to emotional and logistical challenges. Despite Medicare’s discharge planning requirement, no standardized process currently exists for hospice-initiated discharges, resulting in variable quality of care transitions.  An explicit Live Discharge Protocol has strong potential to enhance the quality and consistency of a live discharge from hospice care. The LDP provides a framework to help smooth the transition from hospice care and provides patients and families with post-discharge support. Feedback from hospice professionals affirmed the relevance and usability of each step within the LDP, while also identifying opportunities for refinement for future implementation.

Correctional health and oncologist perspectives on strategies to improve cancer care in US prisons-A qualitative studyJAMA Network Open; by Christopher R. Manz, Brett Nava-Coulter, Emma Voligny, Daniel A. Gundersen, Alexi A. Wright; 10/25Individuals diagnosed with cancer while incarcerated in US prisons have worse mortality than nonincarcerated individuals. In this qualitative study of clinicians delivering cancer care for incarcerated individuals, participants identified pragmatic strategies to improve cancer screening and treatment that address most identified barriers to care in US prisons. Application of these strategies may be associated with mitigation of disparities in cancer survival for incarcerated individuals. Participants identified strategies to improve care addressing nearly all previously identified barrier themes, including strategies for (1) conducting screening in prisons; (2) bringing cancer treatment into prisons and centralizing care; (3) using telehealth, navigators, and early oncologist involvement to improve care coordination; (4) improving communication and social support; (5) improving symptom management, access to palliative medicine, and end-of-life care; and (6) delivering patient-centered care. Strategies require implementation by prisons, prison clinicians, oncologists, oncology practices, and policymakers.

Incarceration and quality of cancer careJAMA Network Open; by Oluwadamilola T. Oladeru, Ilana B. Richman, Jenerius A. Aminawung, Jason Weinstein, Lisa B. Puglisi, Rajni Mehta, Hsiu-Ju Lin, Emily A. Wang, Cary P. Gross; 10/25The incarcerated population in the US is aging, and an estimated 15% of incarcerated adults, or approximately 175,000 individuals, are now 55 years or older. With this demographic shift, diseases of aging have become more prevalent, and cancer now ranks as the most common cause of death among people who are incarcerated in the US. Despite the growing prevalence, cancer outcomes among those incarcerated lag behind those with no history of incarceration. Individuals diagnosed with cancer while incarcerated or immediately following release have an approximate 2-fold increase in cancer-related mortality compared with the general population, even after adjusting for stage at diagnosis. Along with other published literature, this work suggests that gaps in quality of care may contribute to observed disparities in outcomes.Assistant Editor's note: Most of us cannot imagine what it would be like to be in prison. With cancer. And perhaps even dying there. Steven Garner knows. He spent many decades as an inmate at a state penitentiary. While there, he became a hospice volunteer supporting dying inmates, training other volunteers, and he served to pioneer Hospice in Corrections programs throughout the US. Steven is out of prison now, living his best life in Colorado and consulting around the nation about ways to improve end of life care for incarcerated persons. Oprah Winfrey was involved in sharing Steven's story in a Netflix documentary called Serving Life. NPR published an article about Steven in February 2024. Additionally, Hospice Analytics has posted a link to a 20-minute video about Steven's life and work in prison: Angola Prison Hospice: Opening the Door. And finally, if you'd like more information, Steven Garner has a website. 

Health care in the USA: money has become the missionThe Lancet; by Adam Gaffney, Steffie Woolhandler, David U Himmelstein, Danny McCormick; 10/21/25Despite extraordinary scientific and medical resources, the US health-care system underperforms. In this Review we consider the damage wrought by decades of market-based policies that have stimulated profit-seeking by insurers and health-care providers.

Study: Nearly two-thirds of nursing home residents were exposed to med combos linked to potential drug-drug interactions McKnights Long-Term Care News; by Foster Stubbs; 10/17/25 About 62% of nursing home residents experienced one or more drug-drug interactions (DDI) between 2018 and 2020, according to an October study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. Researchers examined 485,251 Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries 66 years or older living in nursing homes with observable Medicare Part D prescription drug data. Data were drawn from Medicare claims linked to Minimum Data Set 3.0 clinical assessments. 

Study examines biological causes of cancer deaths: Tumors invading large blood vessels may be to blame, UTSW researchers say UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX; by Newsroom; 10/16/25 The ultimate cause of death from cancer may not be metastatic disease, as researchers have long surmised, but an infiltration of tumors into major blood vessels that cause blood clots and multiorgan failure, a one-of-a-kind clinical study led by UT Southwestern Medical Center suggests. These findings, published in Nature Medicine, could spur interventions that extend the lives of patients with advanced cancers. 

Perinatal bereavement rooms: A narrative review of physical space in perinatal griefArchives of Gynecology and Obstetrics; by Ruby Castilla-Puentes, Azul F. Isidoro, Alfonsina Orosito, Samantha Eaton, Manuela Goyeneche, Liliana González Cabrales, Gabriela Santaella; 9/25 Perinatal loss is a profoundly complex form of grief, often linked to heightened risk of prolonged bereavement and adverse mental health outcomes. Perinatal grief rooms—private, supportive spaces within healthcare settings—aim to help families process their loss, spend time with their baby, and create meaningful memories in a respectful environment. Despite increasing recognition of the importance of bereavement care, dedicated grief rooms remain under-researched and inconsistently implemented. Advancing this field will require rigorously designed studies, development of design standards, and collaborative partnerships among healthcare providers, researchers, policymakers, and design experts to ensure equitable access to therapeutic spaces for grieving families.Assistant Editor's note: It strikes me that those experiencing grief of any kind, not just perinatal grief, could benefit from a grief room--a private, comfortable, inviting space--where loved ones can be together and grieve. Many hospice in-patient facilities have such a room. Wouldn't it be wonderful if every hospital, nursing home, assisted living facility, etc., had a grief room?! Perhaps hospice organizations could explore a multi-facility collaboration to make that happen. 

Pulse check: Status update on pediatric palliative and hospice community-based coverageJournal of Palliative Medicine; by Meaghann S Weaver, Alix Ware, Deborah Fisher, Betsy Hawley, Holly Davis, Lisa C Lindley, Steven M Smith, Conrad S P Williams, Tej Chana, Christy Torkildson; 9/25Half (49%) of [the country's surveyed hospice and palliative] organizations reported increasing the number of pediatric patients accepted into their care over the past five years. Programs are less likely to include perinatal (61%) patients compared to infants through young adults (94%). Trauma increased as a reason for pediatric enrollment. Nonmetro geographies are less likely to provide services for children. The pediatric palliative average annual census was 271, and the pediatric hospice average annual census was 74. The pediatric patient's average length of stay for palliative care was 154 days and for hospice was 96 days, [with] Medicaid (47%) [being] ... the most common form of reimbursement. Lack of trained personnel, low referrals, and funding were depicted as the most common barriers.

Size of the financial incentives in Medicare’s Skilled Nursing Facility Value-Based Purchasing ProgramJAMA Network Open; Robert E. Burke, Franya Hutchins, Jonathan Heintz, Syama R. Patel, Scott Appel, Julie Norman, Atul Gupta, Liam Rose, Rachel M. Werner; 9/25The Skilled Nursing Facility Value-Based Purchasing (SNF VBP) program seeks to reduce all-cause 30-day readmissions from SNF for traditional Medicare beneficiaries recently discharged from the hospital. Under SNF VBP, most SNFs receive a financial bonus or penalty up to 2% of their total traditional Medicare revenues each year, on the basis of their performance on 30-day readmission rates compared with other SNFs, or their own improvement in readmission rates over time. In this cohort study, we found that the size of the financial incentives at the SNF level are relatively small in terms of dollars and as a proportion of net operating income, and that most SNFs experienced substantial variability from year to year in their incentive payments. These 2 factors may have contributed to the relative lack of effectiveness of the SNF VBP program. First, if the level of the penalty is not sufficient to hire additional staff, purchase equipment (such as an x-ray machine or laboratory testing), or invest in new care processes, then SNFs will not be able to improve their ability to manage changes in patient condition.