Literature Review

Part 2, Latest updates from CMS Office of Minority Health: Advancing health equity in rural, tribal, and geographically isolated communities FY2023 year in reviewCMS Office of Minority Health (CMS OMH); released 2/7/24 The Advancing Health Equity in Rural, Tribal, and Geographically Isolated Communities FY2023 Year in Review report, which outlined the FY 2023 CMS actions and initiatives aimed to enhance health care access and quality for rural, tribal, and geographically isolated communities, including the CMS Health Equity Framework and CMS Framework for Advancing Health Care in Rural, Tribal, and Geographically Isolated Communities.

Sunday NewslettersTop read stories of the last week (in order) is the focus of Sunday newsletters - enjoy!

How good are we at reporting the socioeconomic position, ethnicity, race, religion and main language of research participants? A review of the quality of reporting in palliative care intervention studiesPalliative Medicine, by Keerthika Selvakumaran, Katherine E Sleeman, Joanna M Davies; 2/24[UK] In 2018, a review of 18 clinical trials on the integration of palliative care into oncology, found that one-third did not report the race or ethnicity of participants, and a further one-third provided only broad categorisations such as ‘white’ versus ‘other’. The aim of this pragmatic review is to describe the quality of reporting in palliative and end-of-life care intervention studies, for social characteristics including socioeconomic position, ethnicity or race, religion and the main language of participants.

Palliative sedation: ethics in clinical practice guidelines - systematic reviewBJM Supportive & Palliative Care, by Martyna Tomczyk, Cécile Jaques, Ralf J Jox; 8/23Effective cooperation between palliative care clinicians and ethicists should be encouraged, in order to integrate in particular the crucial ethical issues of continuous deep sedation until death when developing or updating clinical practice guidelines on palliative sedation.

Perspectives on transfusions for hospice patients with blood cancers: A survey of hospice providersJournal of Pain and Symptom Management, by Helen P Knight, Caitlin Brennan, Susan Lysaght Hurley, Anna J Tidswell, Melissa D Aldridge, Kimberly S Johnson, Edo Banach, James A Tulsky, Gregory A Abel, Oreofe O Odejide; 1/24We received 113 completed surveys (response rate = 23.5%). Of the cohort, 2.7% reported that their agency always offers transfusions, 40.7% reported sometimes offering transfusions, and 54.9% reported never offering transfusions... Most respondents (76.6%) identified lack of transfusion access in hospice as a barrier to hospice enrollment for blood cancer patients. The top intervention considered as "very helpful" for increasing enrollment was additional reimbursement for transfusions (72.1%).

Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias: Caregiver perspectives on hospice re-enrollment following a hospice live dischargeJournal of Palliative Medicine, by Stephanie P Wladkowski, Susan Enguídanos; 10/23Three-quarters of participants (n = 16) would consider re-enrolling their loved one in hospice. However, some believed they would have to wait for a medical crisis (n = 6) to re-enroll, while others (n = 10) questioned the appropriateness of hospice for patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias if they cannot remain in hospice care until death.

Patient Focus: When Should People With Heart Failure Who Were Admitted to the Hospital Think About Palliative or Hospice Care? An Explanation of “Factors Associated with Mortality and Hospice Use Among Medicare Beneficiaries With Heart Failure Who Received Home Health Services”Journal of Cardiac Failure, by Spencer Carter, MD; Jennifer T. Thibodeau, MD, MSCS; 12/23Hospital stays for patients with heart failure are serious events that mean that the heart may be sicker. Some people with heart failure who are in the hospital are at higher risk of dying within 6 months after their hospital stay. This study describes differing characteristics of people who might be at higher risk of death and who may benefit from palliative or hospice care to better support them.Publisher's note: Also see https://onlinejcf.com/article/S1071-9164(23)00922-3/abstract. 

Character is power. – Booker T. Washington

Other Business Headlines of Interest, updated 2/15/24 per nasdaq.com

Bristol Hospice’s quest to help patients sleepHospice News, by Jim Parker; 2/14/24Salt Lake City-based Bristol Hospice has developed a branded program designed to help their patients get better sleep, which can significantly impact quality of life.

Chapters CEO Andrew Molosky: Building an ecosystem of care around the seriously illHospice News, by Jim Parker; 2/13/24Going forward, hospice and other post-acute providers are preparing to operate within a value-based ecosystem, and Florida-based nonprofit Chapters Health System is no exception. ... The organization has been hard at work in recent years to position itself for risk-based relationships and build out a continuum of care for chronically and terminally ill patients, while maintaining positive employee engagement.

Experts see for-profit firms, rural areas as drivers of future PACE growthMcKnights Home Care, by Adam Healy; 2/14/24InnovAge, the only publicly traded Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly company, revealed last week that it continues to grapple with regulatory challenges. But its stumbling blocks of late are not curbing interest in PACE. The program — funded by Medicare and Medicaid — has continued to grow in recent years, leading states to explore new and innovative ways to bring PACE to a greater share of residents.

7 recent hospital, health system CEO moves - updated Feb. 14Becker's Hospital Review, by Alexis Kayser; 2/14/24[Click on the title above for] ... hospital and health system CEO moves recently reported by Becker's.