Hospice in a hurricane: How Empath Health responded to back-to-back disasters 
Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 10/11/24 
Hospice providers in the southeastern United States are reeling from the impacts of two massive hurricanes that have occurred during the past two weeks. ... The Florida-based hospice and senior services provider Empath Health saw the majority of its service region affected by [Hurricane Milton], which caused substantial damage to infrastructure in many communities. Empath reported no major injuries among its employees, according to CEO Jonathan Fleece. However, some employees did lose entire homes or experienced significant damage, as well as cars and other essentials. ... “We do our best through pre-storm planning to come up with our communication plans with our patients and their families, ...” Fleece told Hospice News. “When we can’t reach people by phone, once we have any kind of access to roads, we will do our very best to do some sort of a check in.” These efforts are coordinated through an emergency management team, led by commander Matt Chaloux, that engages in disaster planning and response, Fleece said. Building on lessons learned from Hurricane Ian in 2022, Empath also established a mobile response unit — a vehicle designed to provide clinical, communications and logistical support during catastrophic events. The unit is modeled after similar vehicles used by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Empath Health has set up a fund to aid employees who were affected by the hurricanes, helping to provide them with housing, transportation, child care and other needs, according to a statement posted by Fleece on LinkedIn. The organization's board of trustees has pledged to match donations dollar-for-dollar up to $500,000.
Editor's note: Click here to donate to Empath Helath's fund to aid employees. 

Healey Brothers’ Foundation donates $50K to area hospice 
The Chronicle, Goshen, NY; 10/13/24 
Healey Brothers’ Driven to Give Foundation has donated $50,000 to Hudson Valley Hospice and Hospice of Orange & Sullivan, with each nonprofit organization receiving $25,000. The funds will be used to provide care and comfort to patients with a short life expectancy in the region. According to the company, the money was raised through the Third Annual Driven to Give Foundation Golf Outing held Oct. 4 at the Osiris Country Club in Walden. ... Jason Healey, chief marketing officer at Healey Brothers [said],“These Hospice organizations offer essential, thoughtful support for patients in the final stages of life and their families, with a focus on care and comfort. They are well-respected organizations that safeguard the efficient use of donor dollars while partnering with families when it matters most. ..."

Hospices seek creative hiring, retention solutions as labor costs rise 
Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 10/11/24 
Fierce competition for clinical resources amid widespread workforce shortages has hospices taking nimble approaches to their recruitment strategies, including pivoting financial investments and building stronger educational partnerships. Competition in the health care market has been driving up salaries, particularly among nurses, according to Jennifer Lemere, vice president of clinical operations at St. Croix Hospice, a portfolio company of the private equity firm H.I.G. Capital. But rising compensation trends are also occurring across the interdisciplinary spectrum, Lemere added. ...

A new Hope(West CEO): HopeWest CEO resigns, assures smooth transition 
The Daily Sentinel, Grand Junction, CO; by Jace Dicola; 10/13/24 
HopeWest is on the search for a new Chief Executive Officer. According to current HopeWest CEO Cassie Mitchell, her departure is bittersweet, but the 30-year-old organization couldn’t be in better shape for a smooth transition. Mitchell will remain CEO until the end of this year after her successor is selected. HopeWest is a nonprofit provider of the county’s Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly and regional hospice, palliative and grief services. “It’s been a good two and a half years,” Mitchell said. “The organization is in a really strong place: quality is good, sustainability is good and we’re still 100% committed to our nonprofit, community-based mission.” The departure from HopeWest — to return to her home state of Kentucky — stems from a job opportunity in Mitchell’s old stomping grounds that will allow her to help with her faraway family’s “pressing” needs. She will serve as COO for another serious-illness health care provider currently amid a merger between two nonprofits.

Pa. nonprofit to close; more than 100 people to be laid off 
Penn Live Patriot News; by Daniel Urie; 10/14/24
More than 100 people will be laid off at a Philadelphia nonprofit. The Visiting Nurse Association of Greater Philadelphia has filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification notice with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry informing the state it will close, and that 114 people will be laid off at 4601 Market St. The nonprofit is expected to close on Oct. 28 but is subject to change based on client needs and operational issues. The Visiting Nurses Association of Greater Philadelphia is closing after 138 years, according to WHYY. The VNA’s home health care program had about 239 patients as of last month, and another 54 patients were being cared for in hospice and palliative care, the WHYY report said. The following employees will be laid off: [Click on the title's link for the list of roles and number of employees.] 
Editor's note: Click here for the initial article we posted 9/18/24, describing that "All services, including hospice and palliative care, will cease Oct. 28."

7 reasons leadership soft skills are imperative for growth 
Forbes; by Brent Gleeson; 10/11/24 
In high-performance organizations, leaders often prioritize technical know-how and measurable metrics. But dismissing soft skills as unimportant is a critical mistake that can lead to team breakdowns, missed opportunities, and poor results. According to a 2023 Harvard Business report, 76% of respondents identified empathy, communication, and the ability to manage conflict as essential leadership skills for driving team effectiveness, especially in diverse and remote work environments. Leaders who lack these soft skills may struggle to build trust and create psychologically safe workplaces, which are essential for team cohesion and innovation in high-performance settings​. But organizations must adopt a deliberate, strategic, and deeply integrated approach to developing soft skills in order to maximize ROI, ensuring that these efforts are aligned with the company’s culture, core values, and business objectives. ... [Click on the title's link for its list.]

Fun Run participants honor loved ones while raising funds for hospice care 
The Baynet, Waldorf, MD; by Hospice of the Chesapeaker; 10/14/24 
Wearing commemorative T-shirts, flouncy tutus and colorful socks, the runners and walkers in Hospice of the Chesapeake’s Blue Crab Fun Run came to have fun while supporting an essential Charles County not-for-profit organization. They were cheered on by Reuben B. Collins, II, Esq., President of the Charles County Board of Commissioners, who served as Grand Marshal for the inaugural event. Collins said he was grateful for the support and guidance he received while his father was cared for by Hospice of the Chesapeake in 2022. “I am thinking of my father today and I know he is smiling down on us this morning,” Collins said. He encouraged participants to dedicate each of their steps to the memory of a loved one. ... The event raised nearly $30,000, with all proceeds benefitting patients and families in Charles County, ensuring they have access to expert and compassionate supportive, hospice and grief care.

A compassionate guide to caring for someone with dementia: 5 essential tips 
NBC-4 Washington, DC; 10/14/24 
According to the World Health Organization, more than 55 million people worldwide are living with dementia, with over 10 million new cases each year. Dementia encompasses a range of brain conditions that lead to a decline in cognitive function, affecting a person's ability to manage everyday tasks. While the disease can present unique challenges for both medical professionals and caregivers, there is hope in the growing understanding of how to best support those affected. ...

• Develop helpful routines ...
• Don't help too much ...
• Create a safe living environment ...
• Make yourself a priority ...
• Plan for the future: legal, financial, and care decisions ...

‘It’s more like hope’: New hospice patient’s Halloween wish come true 
WTOC 11, Pooler, GA; by Jasmine Butler; 10/14/24 
Tons of candy, a bunch of costumes and hundreds of people. That is what a neighborhood in Pooler looked like as people gathered for a Layla Alacan, who recently entered Hospice Care. “She is so sweet when she wants to be and she’ll cuddle up and give kisses, she’s the definition of a sour patch kid. She’s super sour and then super sweet after,” said Layla’s mother, Courtney Alacan. She has a big personality, but she’s fighting a big battle. Layla has a rare terminal disorder called 4H Leukodystrophy. ... It’s an experience her parents Courtney and Nick Alacan know all too well. “Our first child Jamie also had the condition. And she unfortunately passed in April of 2023,” said Alacan. So, they’re vowing to make her wildest dreams come true. ... “[We]  asked her what her favorite holiday was and she said Halloween," said Alacan. “Thinking we would have 40 or 50 kids come through and just you know, have a nice little night. Then, it blew up and now we’re here and we couldn’t be more grateful," said Alacan. An entire community, celebrating Halloween a little early but also rooting on the six-year-old with enough spunk, for them all. 

Breaks for caregivers: Atlanta nonprofit helps parents of medically fragile children 
GPB PBS - NPR, Atlanta, GA; by Ambria Burton; 10/14/24 
... The Georgia Division of Family & Children Services (DFCS) defines medically fragile children as children with "medical status that can rapidly deteriorate, resulting in permanent injury or death; one that requires medical care and/or technology to maintain health; and/or a condition that requires extraordinary supervision and observation." The Georgia-based Fragile Kids Foundation reports that there are about 13,000 medically fragile children in Georgia, and the Georgia Pediatric Program (GAPP) requires a waiver to provide services to medically fragile children with multiple system diagnoses, including nursing and personal care support services at homes and communities. The National Center for Pediatric Palliative Care Homes (NCPPCH) aims to provide a pediatric respite home in every state, and Life House Atlanta is a nonprofit public charity aiming to open the first pediatric palliative care home in Atlanta — the first in the Southeast overall.

More health care teamwork means less burnout: physician survey 
American Medical Association (AMA); by Georgia Garvey; 10/8/24 
Physician burnout is largely influenced by workplace structure and experiences. That is where team-based and safe-care delivery can help, according to a study published in The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety. In the study, “Teamwork Climate, Safety Climate, and Physician Burnout: A National, Cross-Sectional Study,” 1,218 U.S. doctors nationwide were surveyed about burnout and workplace experiences, including teamwork and safety climate. ... The researchers concluded that there is a strong relationship between the amount of teamwork and safety in physicians’ work environments and burnout. It is a relationship that showed improvements on those metrics even when compared with slightly different work climates. Among the physicians surveyed, 27.4% reported high depersonalization, 39.9% reported high emotional exhaustion and 45.6% met the criteria for burnout. But even small increases in teamwork and safety climate were related to improvements in physicians’ feelings of depersonalization, burnout or emotional exhaustion.

Humana, UnitedHealthcare, Aetna fall in new MA star ratings 
Modern Healthcare; by Nona Tepper; 10/10/24 
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services sought to make it more challenging for Medicare Advantage insurers to win top quality scores and the payment bonuses that go along with them. It's working. On Thursday, CMS released the latest Medicare Advantage star ratings, and the contrast to just a few years ago is stark. In 2022, 74 Medicare Advantage with prescription drug coverage contracts garnered five-out-of-five stars. For the 2025 plan year, only seven did.

FTC finalizes premerger rule: 9 things to know 
Becker's Hospital Review; by Alan Condon; 10/10/24 
The Federal Trade Commission voted 5-0 to finalize changes to premerger notifications under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act, which requires organizations to report large transactions to the FTC and Justice Department for antitrust review. "Premerger review is a critical task for the antitrust agencies and to do it well, we need information about each deal's potential antitrust risk," Shaoul Sussman, associate director for litigation of the FTC's bureau of competition, said in an Oct. 10 news release. "This rulemaking is a much needed update to address changes in the marketplace that have undermined the agencies' ability to detect and prevent illegal mergers, while at the same time creating a more efficient review process. Nine things to know: [Click on the title's link for this list.]

Kaiser Health Care: Navigating Aging: Older men’s connections often wither when they’re on their own 
Tahlequah Daily Press; by Judith Graham; 10/12/24 
At age 66, South Carolina physician Paul Rousseau decided to retire after tending for decades to the suffering of people who were seriously ill or dying. It was a difficult and emotionally fraught transition. … Seeking a change of venue, Rousseau moved to the mountains. … Soon, a sense of emptiness enveloped him. … His work as a doctor had been all-consuming. Former colleagues didn’t get in touch, nor did he reach out. His wife had passed away after a painful illness, … His isolation mounted as his three dogs, his most reliable companions, died. Rousseau was completely alone — without friends, family, or a professional identity — and overcome by a sense of loss. “I was a somewhat distinguished physician with a 60-page resume,” Rousseau, now 73, wrote in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society in May. “Now, I’m ‘no one,’ a retired, forgotten old man who dithers away the days.” In some ways, older men living alone are disadvantaged compared with older women in similar circumstances. Research shows that men tend to have fewer friends than women and be less inclined to make new friends. Often, they’re reluctant to ask for help.

A Life: James Heffernan ‘made a life out of appreciating and loving literature’ 
Valley News, Hanover, NH; by Elle Muller; 10/12/24 
As a Dartmouth professor, writer, and father, James Heffernan inspired those around him with his love of literature and passion for life. Heffernan’s children, Virginia and Andrew, affectionately called their father’s lust for life, “Heffervessence.” “His life was shaped by what he loved,” Heffernan’s son, Andrew, said. “He found literature early on and he was deeply passionate about it.” Demonstrating the vivacity and enthusiasm that had long characterized him, Heffernan, who died in July at age 85 of metastatic prostate cancer, wrote 100,000 words of his memoir in the first few months of hospice care.

2,400 Kaiser mental health workers to begin open-ended strike: 6 things to know 
Becker's Hospital Review; by Kelly Gooch; 10/11/24 
Members of the National Union of Healthcare Workers are set to begin an open-ended strike Oct. 21 at Kaiser Permanente locations in Southern California. Six things to know:

1. The union represents about 2,400 mental health workers at Kaiser facilities throughout Los Angeles, San Diego, Bakersfield, Orange County and the Inland Empire ...
2. Union members authorized a strike in early October.  ...
3. Kaiser told Becker's via statement that its offer during negotiations "has no takeaways. ..." 
4. The union contends that during bargaining, Kaiser has refused to extend benefits from last year's contract for Northern California mental health workers — such as providing therapists with seven hours per week for critical patient care — to their Southern California counterparts. 
5. "We want to be with our patients, but we can't keep working in a system that doesn't meet their needs and treats us like assembly line workers trying to meet a quota," ...
6. "We will stay at the table until this deal is done," Kaiser said in its statement.

[Podcast] Ethics teaching and learning: How can dying be healthy?
AMA Journal of Ethics; by Helen Stanton Chapple; recorded 9/28/22
Dr Helen Stanton Chapple joins Ethics Talk to talk about teaching health professions students and trainees about acknowledging and realizing dying in a healthy way.

If you love the work you are doing, then you will love Tuesday! ~ Catherine Pulsifer