Literature Review

Introvert CEOs poised to thriveBecker's Hospital Review, by Alexis Keyser; 2/15/24Historically, extroverts have been promoted to leadership roles at higher rates than their peers. But in the post-pandemic C-suite, a new leadership style is taking hold — one better suited to introverts.

Healthcare's Oppenheimer moment Becker's Health IT, by Laura Dyrda; 2/16/224The thing that makes C-suite executives most excited about the future is also making them incredibly nervous: artificial intelligence. AI exploded in healthcare over the last 18 months as ChatGPT ushered in a new era of capabilities to automate repetitive tasks, analyze data and generate sophisticated chatbot communications. But there are risks with AI, including trained biases, information security and accuracy.

Back from the Super Bowl: Terminally ill Oak Hill man gives update on his trip of a lifetimeWVVA, by Gailyn Markham; 2/16/24Last week, WVVA shared the story of a terminally ill man from Oak Hill who had been selected by the NFL and Dream Foundation to go to the Super Bowl in Las Vegas. Well, John Dean, 63, is back home in West Virginia and shares some details of his trip of a lifetime. Dean was one of two sports fans chosen to attend the 58th Super Bowl and watch the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers go head-to-head. He says the experience was an emotional one that he will never forget, and shares more in a video diary he took on the big day. ... “We are finally at the Super Bowl! My dream come true...Go Kansas City! Thank you, NFL, and, thank you, Dream Foundation for making this dream possible!” 

Is the patient dead?AMA Journal of Ethics; email 2/14/24Debate over the criteria by which doctors declare brain death has some bioethicists concerned. The AMA Journal of Ethics offers the following educational resources:

Causes and ways of death in patients with head and neck cancerJAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg; by Boyd N. van den Besselaar, MD; Aniel Sewnaik, PhD; Arta Hoesseini, MD; et al; 2/15/24 The results of this study potentially illuminate causes and ways of death in patients with HNC and support health care professionals in providing more patient-centered care, particularly for those in the palliative phase.

A race against time: Cancer patient's touching keepsake for his familyBNN; 2/15/24When time was running out, 44-year-old cancer patient Yiu created a heartfelt keepsake for his family. With the help of an art therapist, he cast a realistic mold of his intertwined hands with his wife's symbolizing their love and unity. This touching story highlights the power of love and hope in the face of adversity.

Petals for Patients blossom smiles to hospice patientsKNWA & KFTA News, northwest Arkansas, by Elena Ramirez and Brad Horn; 2/15/24When Becky Davis decided to retire, she wanted to help those in hospice in some capacity, and she found it in Petals to Patients. Volunteers of Circle of Life, a hospice center, put together bouquets from donated flowers for hospice patients every week.

This hospice volunteer program is transforming end-of-life care for inmates in MaineYouTube - News Center Maine, video news; 2/16/24The prisoner hospice volunteer program started in 2001 as a partnership among the Maine Hospice Council, Maine State Prison, and Maine Department of Corrections.

Medicare program; strengthening oversight of Accrediting Organizations (AOs) and preventing AO Conflict of Interest, and related provisionsFederal Register, Proposed Rule by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; 2/15/24This proposed rule would set forth a number of provisions to strengthen the oversight of accrediting organizations (AOs) by addressing conflicts of interest, establishing consistent standards, processes and definitions, and updating the validation and performance standards systems. Additionally, this proposed rule would revise the psychiatric hospital survey process, add a limitation on terminated deemed providers and suppliers when reentering the program, and provides technical corrections for End-Stage Renal Disease facilities and Kidney Transplant Programs.

Live discharge of hospice patients with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias: A systematic reviewAmerican Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, by Stephanie P Wladkowski, Cara L Wallace, Kathryn Coccia, Rebecca C Hyde, Leslie Hinyard, Karla T Washington; 2/24This systematic review summarizes the growing body of evidence on live discharge among hospice patients with Alzheimer's Disease and related dementias (ADRD), a clinical subpopulation that disproportionately experiences this often burdensome care transition.

A study of how Americans die may improve their end of lifeMedical Xpress, by Rutgers University; 1/24/24A Rutgers Health analysis of millions of Medicare records has laid the groundwork for improving end-of-life care by demonstrating that nearly all older Americans follow one of nine trajectories in their last three years of life.

Senior living providers can tap into $25 million grant to develop dementia-specific respite servicesMcKnights Senior Living, by Kimberly Bonvissuto; 2/7/24Senior living operators who provide, or are considering providing, respite services for family caregivers of people living with dementia can apply for a piece of $20 million in grant funding. The Alzheimer’s Association will use a $25 million, five-year grant award from the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Community Living to establish a new Center for Dementia Respite Innovation tasked with making respite services and service providers more dementia-capable. 

Hospice providers must be better regulatedScientific American, 2/1/24 (updated from last week's publication)Too many hospice providers in the U.S. are run by private equity and for-profit corporations. A lack of regulation allows them to provide abysmal end-of-life care.