Literature Review

30 moves from The Joint Commission in 2023Becker's Clinical Leadership, by Erica Carbajal; 12/29/23In 2023, The Joint Commission has overhauled accreditation standards, elevated health equity to a national patient safety goal, launched a new certification program and more. Below are 30 actions and updates from the accrediting body Becker's has covered since the start of the year, starting with the most recent.

2023 saw several health care deals that changed the landscapeThe Boston Globe, by Bob Herman and Tara Bannow; 12/30/23Every year, the health care industry behaves more like a balloon: Squeeze one side, and the other expands. Companies that were once just insurers or just pharmacies are tacking on new business lines. The idea is that when profit inevitably gets squeezed in one, it'll expand in another. That trend of vertical integration was on full display in 2023, a year when the country's biggest pharmacy chain bought a primary care provider, and the biggest private insurer branched further into home health. Hospitals, meanwhile, continued to push the boundaries of expansion — their leaders following through on their promises to grow market power. Here are some of the biggest and most consequential health care transactions in 2023.Editor Note: Article appears behind paywall.

A timeline of what’s happened since Colorado’s first legal recreational marijuana sales beganThe Denver Post, by John Aguilar and Tiney Ricciardi; 12/31/23Jan. 1, 2024, marks 10 years since the state pioneered cannabis sales and regulation. It’s been 10 years since Colorado launched the first legal recreational marijuana market in the world and became a pioneer in drug reform. But when it came to the nascent industry, the first sales on Jan. 1, 2014, were more a starting block than a finish line. In the decade since legalization, Colorado has refined laws, catalyzed new ones and served as a litmus test for the rest of the country as states followed its lead. Today, cannabis is recreationally available for sale in 24 states — where more than half of Americans live.

What do people dream about before they die? Doctors mention this one common detail24/7 News Agency, 12/25/23A study from 2020 confirms that patients who experienced such symptoms became stronger and mentally stronger. There was peace coming from them. The family and relatives of the dying person claimed that being aware of this information helped them go through the mourning process more smoothly. Christopher Kerr, a cardiologist and director of the Hospice and Palliative Care Center in Buffalo, as well as the author of the book “Death is Just a Dream”, is one of the first people who decided to explore the topic of dreams occurring just before death.

The 10 biggest Medicare Advantage stories in 2023Becker's Payer Issues, by Rylee Wilson; 12/21/232023 was an eventful year for Medicare Advantage. As the program continued to grow, with enrollment surpassing 30 million in 2023, some hospitals are beginning to push back on private Medicare plans. CMS also introduced new rates and regulations in 2023 that are taking effect in 2024. Here are 10 of the biggest Medicare Advantage stories Becker's reported in 2024...

Pettit Caps Remarkable 40-Year Career With VITAS HealthcareVitas press release, 12/29/23MIAMI, FL – VITAS Healthcare is bidding a heartfelt farewell to one of its most esteemed and dedicated professionals, Peggy Pettit, RN, who retired at the end of December 2023. Pettit’s four decades of unwavering commitment to VITAS and the hospice community have left an indelible mark, impacting countless lives and embodying the true spirit of compassionate care.

Other Business Headlines of Interest, 12/29/23

How do we change our current climate from one of contempt to one of kindness? Part of the answer involves big and little acts of kindness. Today, pick a little act of kindness and do it.

Chris Comeaux announces the release of first leadership book.News ReleaseNovember 30, 2023 Hendersonville, NC—Chris Comeaux, President/CEO of Teleios Collaborative Network announces the release of his timely book, The Anatomy of Leadership, on November 30, 2023. The Anatomy of Leadership provides a framework for leadership while providing tools and strategies for leaders to develop their skills. The Anatomy of Leadership is published by Teleios Communications and is available on Amazon and in print.Editor Note: While this press release occurred a couple weeks ago, we wanted to include it in our inaugural newsletter.

Terminally-ill dogs find love through hospice foster programFox7 Austin, by John Krinjak; 12/26/23AUSTIN, Texas - Some Austin-based volunteers are making sure terminally ill dogs get the love they deserve. Austin Pets Alive! recently launched a hospice foster program, and it was all inspired by a very special pooch named Opie.

Health system CEOs' tech wishlistBecker's Health IT, by Laura Dyrda, 12/19/23

Nurses ‘bridge the gap’ between patients, doctors to talk end-of-life careCure, by Alex Biese; 12/22/23For patients with cancer and their caregivers, nurses can play an integral role when it comes to communicating wishes for end-of-life care, as one expert explained to CURE®. “Nurses bridge the gap, I feel, oftentimes, between the medical community and patients and caregivers, because … especially with the patients with cancer, they may be getting infusions, or different kinds of treatments, so there's a fair amount of time when nurses are in and out of the room or they're attending to the patients, etc., where physicians obviously wouldn't necessarily be there,” said Sara Douglas, a Gertrude Perkins Oliva professor in oncology nursing at Case Western Reserve University’s Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing in Cleveland.

Pediatric palliative care: Jaisyn Reese's storyPortage Life, By Center for Hospice Care; 12/22/23Indiana: Jaisyn Reese, a pediatric patient, is another example of how CHC's interdisciplinary team helps patients and their loved ones.