Literature Review

Cancer prevention, screening averted several million more deaths than treatment over 45 yearsJAMA; Samantha Anderer; 1/25In the US, cancer prevention and screening have saved more lives from 5 types of cancer combined than treatment advances over the past 45 years, according to a modeling study published in JAMA Oncology. An estimated 5.9 million breast, cervical, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancer deaths were avoided from 1975 to 2020 due to prevention, screening, and treatment efforts, but prevention and screening alone were responsible for averting about 4.8 million—4 out of 5—of those deaths. Still, the authors acknowledged that in all cancer types studied, less than half of total cancer deaths were averted, and they recommended increased investment in prevention and screening strategies.

California wildfires and healthcare: Compiled articlesCompiled from various news sources; 1/9/25Click on links below to go to the source articles.

Researchers compared hospital early warning scores for clinical deterioration—Here’s what they learnedJAMA Network; Roy Perlis, MD, MSc; Jennifer Abbasi; 1/24This conversation is part of a series of interviews in which JAMA Network editors and expert guests explore issues surrounding the rapidly evolving intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and medicine. Arecent head-to-head study at Yale New Haven Health System compared 6 different early warning scores designed to recognize clinical deterioration in hospitalized patients, including 3 proprietary AI tools. Among the best was the National Early Warning Score (NEWS), a publicly available non-AI tool, while the Epic Deterioration Index “was one of the worst” of the batch, the authors reported in October in JAMA Network Open.

Norovirus positivity rate hits 28%, double 2024's peak: 6 notes Becker's Clinical Leadership; by Alexandra Murphy; 1/15/25 A surge in norovirus infections this season has resulted in a 28% positivity rate, more than double 2024's high, alarming health officials, CBS News reported Jan. 14. The unprecedented spike is a part of a broader viral surge as the U.S. grapples with four major viruses — norovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, influenza and COVID-19. Hospitals across the country are also feeling the strain, as emergency departments struggle to accommodate the rising number of patients. ... Experts predict that the "quademic" — norovirus, syncytial virus, influenza and COVID-19 — could worsen as hospitals are already overwhelmed. With more outbreaks likely, health systems are implementing stricter protocols including visitor restrictions and increased coordination between hospitals to maintain trauma care capacity.

The Alliance on CMS Hospice Special Focus Program Implementation: “Doubling down on a dangerous decision, eager to work with incoming administration to fix” National Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC; Press Release; 1/16/25 The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) issued the following statement in response to the news of hospice providers filing litigation against the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) over their flawed implementation of the Hospice Special Focus Program (SFP). The Alliance and the broader hospice community, who have been engaged on this program since its inception, have repeatedly shared concerns directly with CMS staff at all levels. They warned that this approach would inflict unnecessary harm to patient care, cause confusion to families when selecting a hospice provider to care for their loved ones at the end of life, and will cause some providers to sustain irreparable damage. These concerns have been echoed by lawmakers, providers, and the leading national hospice trade organizations. “With CMS doubling down on a dangerous course of action by proceeding with the Hospice SFP in its current state—and offering no due process or administrative recourse to address or mitigate its flaws—some hospice providers will suffer irreparable harm and have no choice but to seek justice through the courts on behalf of their patients and mission,” said Dr. Steve Landers, CEO of the Alliance. [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

Daughter arrested for neglect after elderly mother found stuck to mattress The Augusta Press; by Greg Rickabaugh; 1/6/25 An elderly woman from Augusta was found in a state of severe neglect last week, prompting her daughter’s arrest. The 82-year-old was discovered incoherent and physically stuck to her mattress during a medical emergency on Dec. 30 at the home they shared on Rollingwood Drive, authorities said. When paramedics arrived at the family’s home, they found the woman non-responsive, with her skin literally adhered to the mattress due to untreated bedsores. She was rushed to Wellstar MCG Health, where she was stabilized. Authorities later arrested 54-year-old Tyrossale Peak, the woman’s daughter, charging her with neglect of a disabled or elderly adult. ... Investigators revealed that Peak had discontinued hospice care for her mother in June but failed to provide adequate care or maintain a safe living environment.

2025 begins with growth: NPHI adds Hospice of Hope and North Hawaii HospiceNational Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), Washington, DC; 1/7/25The National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), the voice for nonprofit hospice and advanced illness care, is thrilled to commence 2025 by announcing the addition of two new outstanding members to our compassionate, mission-driven community: Hospice of Hope and North Hawaii Hospice.  ... Tom Koutsoumpas, NPHI CEO remarked: “We are thrilled to welcome Hospice of Hope and North Hawaii Hospice to our mission-driven, innovative community. Their commitment to delivering compassionate, high-quality, community-based care reflects the core values of NPHI, and we’re excited to join forces in advancing innovative care for patients and their families.” 

Re-imagining childhood grief: Children as active agents in a transactional processOmega-Journal of Death and Dying; Ceilidh Eaton Russell, Meg Chin, Georg Bollig, Cheryl-Anne Cait, Franco A. Carnevale, Jody Chrastek, Bianca Lavorgna, Catriona Macpherson, Stacy S. Remke, Lies Scaut, Jane Skeen, Regina Szylit, Camara van Breemen, Ronit Shalev; 12/24While undoubtedly, the death of a parent or sibling causes considerable distress for children, the transactional model argues that an individual’s ability to adapt to challenges and problems arises from the transactions - interactions - that occur between them and their environment (Sameroff, 2009). After a loss, it is critical to be aware of the fact that children do grieve, that they impact and are impacted by those around them, reflecting influences on their social environments at any and every age. Their impressions, the feedback they receive, the messages they interpret about what is and is not deemed acceptable by those around them, can have immediate and life-long influences on their thoughts, behaviours, emotional and physical wellbeing. We propose that rather than placing the burden solely on children to seek support, adults have responsibilities to engage in a collaborative process whereby children have opportunities to express their interests and needs.

Head and neck cancer mortality in the Appalachian regionJAMA Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery; Todd Burus, MAS; Pamela C. Hull, PhD; Krystle A. Lang Kuhs, PhD, MPH; 12/24In contrast to non-Appalachian US, where HNC [head and neck cancer] mortality rates declined considerably between 1999 and 2020, HNC mortality rates in the Appalachian region have remained stubbornly stable. Moreover, statistically significant increasing rates of HNC mortality in rural Appalachia provide evidence that the lack of rural HNC mortality improvements nationwide are associated with Appalachian disparities. While the exact factors driving these trends are unknown, the Appalachian region has an increased prevalence of multiple risk factors associated with cancer mortality, such as adverse social determinants of health, heightened alcohol and tobacco use, later stage at diagnosis, and limited access to care. Investments in the Appalachian region—such as through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law or by expanding coverage of the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program among Appalachian states—could help reduce the burden of HNC mortality by improving cancer surveillance and serving the unique needs and experiences of the Appalachian population. These investments could also aid efforts to improve other cancer sites with known disparities in Appalachia, such as lung and colorectal cancers. 

Winter snow storm slams into over a dozen states in the East, Midwest USA Today; by Julia Gomez; 1/6/25 The Central Plains and Midwest are getting slammed by a winter storm , according to officials, and it's leaving over a dozen inches of snow in some places. Here's a look at what the storm is leaving behind. Over 60 million people in the Central Plains, Midwest and along the East Coast are being bombarded by heavy snowfall because of the "disruptive" winter storm moving through the area, according to the National Weather Service. Some areas could see snowfall anywhere between 8 to 14 inches. The storm is also expected to impact travel in Kansas City, St. Louis, Indianapolis and Cincinnati and bring the cities to a standstill.Editor's note: Are you ready for emergencies in your service areas? Click here for the CMS.gov Emergency Preparedness Rule. Click here for Wisconsin's CMS Emergency Preparedness Rule Toolkit: Hospices.

The Alliance celebrates the Dole Act becoming law, expanding access to care and benefits for veteransNational Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC; Press Release; 1/7/25 The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) issued the following statement in response to President Biden signing S. 141, the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act, into law on Thursday, January 2. This landmark legislation includes several key provisions to enhance care and benefits for Veterans and their families, including Section 301, Gerald’s Law. Gerald’s Law addresses a critical gap in benefits for Veterans by ensuring that families of terminally-ill Veterans receiving Veterans Affairs (VA)-furnished hospice care—whether at home, in a nursing home, or in another non-VA setting—retain access to their full VA burial allowance. ... “We are deeply grateful for the bipartisan support that made these critical reforms possible,” said Dr. Steve Landers, CEO for the Alliance. “This legislation ensures that Veterans and their families have greater flexibility and support when accessing the care they need, whether through hospice services, home care, or other settings. ...”

The Jimmy Carter White House Connection to Hospice & Palliative Care TodayCohen-Fyfe Communications; by Mark Cohen; 1/3/25Jimmy Carter’s impact on the hospice movement goes further than his very public decision to be admitted to hospice in February 2023 ... and even further than his administration’s decision in 1980 to launch the Hospice Demonstration Project that directly led to congressional passage of the Medicare Hospice Benefit, with strong bipartisan support, in 1981 during the first year of the Reagan Administration. How much further? You might not be reading this daily newsletter if were not for the Carter White House. If you were a fan of Hospice News Today, which I published from 2012 to 2023, and/or if you’re a fan of Hospice & Palliative Care Today, then you should know that Jimmy Carter(and his long-time senior aides Jody Powell and Hamilton Jordan) deserve some of the credit for these two unique daily environmental scans that have served the hospice movement now for more than a dozen years. ... [Fascinating story and with this spoiler alert:] So, Inauguration Day in 1977 found me walking into the Old Executive Ofice Building as the youngest person on the 369-person staf of The Office of the President. My job? One of six stafers who produced the daily News Summary for the President and nearly 200 senior oficials throughout the White House and the Cabinet and executive agencies. [Click on the title's link to read more.]Editor's note: As President Carter's body is taken to the Capitol today, we celebrate the simple moments that can change the course of another's life. Did you read Jimmy Carter's questions to the young Mark Cohen? At Hospice & Palliative Care Today, we are grateful for Mark's journey and long-lasting impact. What interest are you taking in the lives of those who serve in your organization? May we pause. Learn. And live.

Family advocates for hospice care, says it doesn't always mean end-of-life: Highlights case of the late Former President Jimmy Carter who spent nearly 2 years in hospice CBS WTKR 3, Hampton Roads | Northeast NC; by Jay Greene; 12/20/24 Dana Romano's mom, Marilyn, headed home from the Dozoretz Hospice House of Hampton Roads in Virginia Beach on Monday evening after spending a few days in respite care while her family was out of town. "The whole reason not to have my mom in a facility is we want her with us. But when you're doing long periods of time, every once in a while, you need a break, so having a place where you know they're going to take care of her and treat her like, almost like family," Dana said. "We kind of look at this more like a resort than a hospice." ... When at home Marilyn receives hospice care, but it's not because she needs care, the Romano's said. It's because she needs supervision. ... The family told News 3's Jay Greene this is a case where hospice does not mean end-of-life. It actually helped alleviate some stress. ... The Romano's told News 3's Jay Greene hospice ["has no time limit"] is all about extending life as comfortably as possible, citing Former President Jimmy Carter who died at the age of 100 this weekend.Editor's note: These misunderstandings by the family about hospice care is both alarming and expected. Throughout Jimmy Carter's extended hospice Length Of Stay (LOS), far too many hospice organizations misused messaging for its marketing purposes. We have addressed this discrepancy in a dozen posts throughout the year. Click here for the CMS "Face-to-Face Requirement Affecting Hospice Recertification." Disclaimer: We do not specifics about what this hospice communicated with this family. We simply refer readers to this as publicly reported news story.