Literature Review

Kaiser's Risant Health to become $35B system in 5 years: 14 things to know Becker's Hospital CFO Report; by Alan Condon; 12/5/24 Risant Health, a nonprofit formed by Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente, has acquired two health systems in the last 10 months and plans to acquire three to four more systems over the next five years to grow into a company with $30 billion to $35 billion in annual revenue. Fourteen things to know: [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

Nearly 5,000 Providence workers authorize strikes Becker's Hospital Review; by Kelly Gooch; 12/5/24 Nearly 5,000 nurses, physicians, and other healthcare professionals at nine Providence bargaining units represented by two unions have authorized strikes. Members of the Oregon Nurses Association and Pacific Northwest Hospital Medicine Association from 13 hospitals and clinics across Oregon voted over the past two months, according to a Dec. 4 news release shared with Becker's. Union representatives and Providence have been in contract negotiations for more than a year, and many bargaining units remain without agreements, the release said. ...  Strike authorizations do not mean strikes will occur. If leaders of individual bargaining units set a strike date, a 10-day notice will be issued to Providence's management.

Forcura and Axxess announce palliative care software integration Bluefield Daily Telegraph, Jacksonville, FL; Business Wire; 12/9/24 Forcura, a healthcare workflow management company, announced a strategic partnership enhancement with Axxess, the leading global technology platform for healthcare at home, by expanding connectivity to Axxess’ palliative care platform. Consequently, Axxess’ palliative care client organizations now can manage the workflow associated with onboarding and coordinating care for patients through a bi-directional API integration with Forcura. Together, Forcura and Axxess can provide shared home health, hospice, home care and palliative care clients a seamless interoperable experience.

Kimberly Duchossois donates $2 million to The HAP Foundation for Palliative Care Education The HAP Foundation - Hospice & Palliative Care Research & Education; by Rachel French; 12/9/24 The HAP Foundation receives a major gift from philanthropist and Board of Trustee Kimberly Duchossois to grow education on palliative care and increase collaboration among health care systems to ensure access to care for all. ... “Ms. Duchossois’ commitment to community and making an impact for families is inspiring and humbling. She has been a leader throughout the health care field and is always willing to listen and lead. With this gift, The HAP Foundation will strengthen our existing palliative care education programming and foster relationships for collaboration among health systems in Illinois." ...

72 hospitals, health systems cutting jobsBecker's Hospital CFO Report; by Kelly Gooch; updated 12/6/24 A number of hospitals and health systems are reducing their workforces or jobs due to financial and operational challenges. ... [This article lists] workforce reduction efforts or job eliminations announced this year. [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

Resources are expanding for older adults on their own California Healthline; by Judith Graham; 12/9/24 Jeff Kromrey, 69, will sit down with his daughter the next time she visits and show her how to access his online accounts if he has an unexpected health crisis. Gayle Williams-Brett, 69, plans to tackle a project she’s been putting off for months: organizing all her financial information. ... Until a few years ago, few resources were available for this growing slice of the older population. Now, there are several Facebook groups for solo agers, as well as in-person groups springing up around the country, conferences and webinars, a national clearinghouse of resources, and an expanding array of books on the topic. [Click on the title's link to read more.]

What adult children should know when discussing their parents’ end-of-life care StudyFinds; by StudyFindsStaff, reviewed by Christ Melore; 12/8/24 Talking about death can be difficult for anyone at any time. For adult children who need to know their parents’ final wishes, it can be excruciating. A new survey is revealing the stark disconnect between our beliefs and actions when it comes to end-of-life planning. While an overwhelming 90% of adults recognize the importance of these critical conversations, half have yet to take the first step with their closest loved ones. ... The numbers tell a revealing story. Twenty-six percent of respondents simply keep putting off the conversation, while 23% admit they don’t know how to approach the topic. Sixteen percent are outright scared to broach the subject, creating a wall of silence around a universal human experience. ... When people do open up, the conversations prove surprisingly rich and multifaceted.

Hospice Care of The Lowcountry rebrands as MiraSol Health Cision PRWeb; by Hospice Care of the Lowcountry; 12/9/24 Bluffton, SC: Hospice Care of the Lowcountry, a leading nonprofit provider of compassionate end-of-life care, palliative and grief care services in Beaufort, Jasper, Colleton, and Hampton counties, proudly announces its rebranding as MiraSol Health. This new name reflects the organization's growing range of services unified under one umbrella as it redefines its care delivery approach to support patients facing serious illness, terminal diagnosis, or grief, while also providing vital support to caregivers. ... Today, MiraSol Health serves over 3,200 community members annually and encompasses four distinct programs: Hospice Care of the Lowcountry, Lowcountry Palliative Care, Rays of Hope Behavioral Health and The Maggie Clark Volunteer Program. The organization is supported by a dedicated team of 55 physicians, nurses, employees, and counselors, along with more than 200 volunteers. This rebrand signals a renewed commitment to delivering compassionate, innovative, and comprehensive healthcare in the Lowcountry.

A call to action for business leaders in health care: Prioritizing employees’ mental health is a necessity Las Vegas Sun - Veagas Inc; Guest column by Karen Rubel; 12/9/24 As mental health continues to be recognized as a vital component of overall well-being, businesses—especially those in health care—must stay vigilant and proactive in addressing mental health challenges within the workplace. The importance of this issue has never been greater,  ... In a hospice setting, the emotional toll on caregivers is significant. Health care workers often form close bonds with their patients and their families, and the loss of a patient can be deeply affecting. At Nathan Adelson Hospice, our teams regularly come together to review patient care plans, but they also take time to discuss their personal experiences and challenges. These discussions provide an opportunity for our staff to offer mutual support and care. This peer-to-peer connection fosters a sense of community and helps staff process their emotions in a healthy way. ...

Life is a balance of holding on and letting go. ~ Rumi

How to support loved ones experiencing cognitive decline while securing their financial well-being Nasdaq, Peronsal Finance; by Deanna Ritchie; 12/6/24 Supporting a loved one with cognitive decline can be one of life’s most challenging challenges. Those with cognitive impairments, such as dementia or Alzheimer’s, often need to be emotionally resilient and make practical adjustments. However, proactive financial planning to secure their well-being is frequently overlooked. The reason? The Wall Street Journal reported that those with undiagnosed memory loss are prone to significant financial declines. Researchers at the University of Michigan found that people without knowledge of their memory problems lost an average of $31,000 in net worth, while people with knowledge lost $5,400. Keeping this in mind, here’s a guide for providing compassionate care while protecting their savings and financial stability. [Click on the title's link for more.]

Killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO brings resentment of the health care system to the fore STAT Business, Boston, MA; by Bob Herman and Tara Bell; 12/6/24 The targeted killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has become a defining moment in the zeitgeist of American health care. The attack was a tragedy that adds to the country’s grim tally of gun deaths. But instead of eliciting sympathy, it opened the floodgates for an outpouring of rage, captured across social media and online forums, over the health care system — one that charges people the highest prices in the world, erects financial and bureaucratic barriers to getting care, and has plunged millions of people into debt. Social media posts have ranged from mournful to apathetic to joyful, including morbid celebrations of Thompson’s death. That deluge has forced people across the country to grapple with two heavy subjects at once: the callousness of a slaying, and an undercurrent of deep-seated anger at a health care industry that makes a lot of money by exploiting Americans. ... [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

Dr. James O’Connell on caring for the homeless in Boston Simmons University, Boston, MA; by Simmons University; 12/6/24 “A mile from here, people are experiencing the same health disparities as they have in Third World countries,” said Dr. James O’Connell, founder and president of Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program (BHCHP) and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. ... In 1985, O’Connell was the founding physician of a program to support the people experiencing homelessness in Boston. The program received funding through a four-year grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Pew Charitable Trust. ... [Story about getting a homeless man into hospice care at a nursing home.] When [O'Connell] questioned him about hospice, Santo shared his perspective. “He told me, ‘I appreciate all you’ve done, but I didn’t know anyone there. I don’t want to die there. I want to die with my friends.’” After that, they arranged end of life care for Santo at the shelter. “I had never thought to ask him what he wanted,” said O’Connell. “I have since learned that I have to listen to what people want.”