Literature Review

Positive aging: Can a broken heart kill you?

Local whistleblowers help in federal hospice investigation CBS WKBN-27, Austintown, OH; by Patty Coller; 7/22/24 The parent company that operates a hospice provider in Austintown has agreed to a settlement in a federal lawsuit alleging that the local location, along with others in the southern part of the country, defrauded the government, according to federal prosecutors. Gentiva, formerly known as Kindred at Home, has agreed to pay $19 million to resolve allegations that it and other entities of Gentiva knowingly submitted, or caused to be submitted, false claims for hospice services provided to patients who were ineligible for hospice benefits under Medicare and other federal health care programs because the patients were not terminally ill, according to Department of Justice. ... The Employment Law Group said in a news release that there were 20 whistleblowers in the case, including two from the Youngstown area involving SouthernCare, who helped to recover about $2.13 million in alleged fraudulent billing.

These are the most common jobs in each state in the US USA Today; by Sara Chernikoff; 7/22/24 The most common job in the U.S. is a three-way tie, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Home health care and personal aides, retail workers and fast food counter workers ranked at the top of the list with 3.6 million workers in each occupation. ... The desire for home health and personal care aides is on the rise as the share of the elderly U.S. population grows exponentially. This occupation is the fastest growing among most states, news outlet Stacker, reported. ... Home health care aides typically assist people living with disabilities or with chronic illness. Personal care aides are often hired to care for people in hospice care, according to BLS. Advanced degrees are not required for most home health aides, rather those employed by home health or hospice agencies may need to complete formal training or pass a standardized test.Editor's Note: Federal requirements for nursing aides in hospice care are defined in the CMS Hospice of Conditions Participation §418.76 and for home health in the CMS Home Health Conditions of Participation §484.80. Additionally, extensive state laws exist, with differences between states.

The top 10 geriatric hospitals, per US News Becker's Hospital Review; by Elizabeth Gregerson; 7/16/24 ... U.S. News evaluated 1,489 hospitals for their care of patients ages 75 and older, publishing the results July 16. Here are the top 10 geriatric hospitals, as ranked by the publication:

The Hospice of Davidson County hold annual 'Ride for Angels' event NBC WXII-12, Davidson County, NC; by Kara Peters; 7/21/24 The Hospice of Davidson County held its 17th annual 'Ride for Angels' event today. The purpose of the event is to raise money to help the community have access to quality end-of life care. The 75 mile ride led by the Davidson County Sherriff's Office started and ended at Denton Farm park. "I had a son that was in a near drowning accident and at the end of his life, the hospice team had to come out and minister to him." attendee Lahoma Workman said. "Just helped us through the hardest time that a family could go through. They were there for us and it was just an awesome experience." ... This year alone, the Hospice of Davidson County has given over $350,000 worth of charity care to families that couldn't afford to access their services.

5 takeaways from CEO and CFO compensation report Becker's Hospital Review; by Kristin Kuchno; 7/17/24 Compensation Advisory Partners' July 12 report highlighted compensation trends for CFOs and CEOs in 2023, based on data from 132 companies, including those in the healthcare sector, with a median revenue of $14.6 billion. Here are the key takeaways:

Exhausted by prior auth, many patients abandon care: AMA survey AMA News Wire - American Medical Association; by Tanya Albert Henry; 7/18/24 Among America’s physicians, more than nine in 10 surveyed say that prior authorization has a negative impact on patient clinical outcomes. Most telling is that 78% of physicians reported that prior authorization often or sometimes results in their patients abandoning a recommended course of treatment, according to the results of the AMA’s annual nationwide prior authorization survey (PDF) of 1,000 practicing physicians. In addition to patients forgoing care, physicians also see the burdensome insurance company practice known as prior authorization leading to care delays and serious adverse events. [Click on the title's link for more specific stats.]

New York Department of Health previews proposed PACE regulations Lexology; by Greenberg Traurig, LLP; 7/16/24 In December 2022, New York Gov. Hochul signed legislation establishing a new streamlined licensure process for the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) under Article 29-EE of the New York Public Health Law. The Department of Health (DOH) previewed the Commissioner of Health’s proposed implementing regulations at a June 2024 meeting of the Public Health and Health Planning Council (PHHPC). The proposed regulations will be subject to the procedures of the State Administrative Procedure Act, which requires that they be published in the State Register and that the public be given a comment period. [Click on the title's link for details.]

How well does Medicare cover end-of-life care? It depends on what type Medical Xpress; by Mark Harden, CU Anschutz Medical Campus; 7/19/24 Not all versions of Medicare are created equal—and when it comes to end-of-life care, some versions may serve a patient's needs better than others. That's the focus of newly published research by Lauren Hersch Nicholas, Ph.D., MPP, a University of Colorado Department of Medicine and CU Cancer Center health economist, and her colleagues. The researchers analyzed the experiences of more than a million people receiving Medicare-funded services in the last six months of their lives. ... Their paper was published July 19 in JAMA Health Forum. What Nicholas and her colleagues found is that the kind of Medicare a patient is enrolled in can make a difference in whether that patient gets certain treatments, and whether the patient dies in a hospital or in hospice care.

Palliative pharmacotherapy for cardiovascular disease: A scientific statement from the American Heart Association Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes - American Heart Association (AHA) / American Stroke Association (ASA); by Katherine E. Di Palo, PharmD, MBA, MS, FAHA, Shelli Feder, PhD, APRN, ACHPN, FPCN, FAHA, Yleana T. Baggenstos, PharmD, Cyrille K. Cornelio, PharmD, Daniel E. Forman, MD, Parag Goyal, MD, MSc, Min Ji Kwak, MD, MS, DrPH, and Colleen K. McIlvennan, PhD, DNP, FAHA on behalf of the American Heart Association Clinical Pharmacology Committee of the Council on Clinical Cardiology and Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing; 7/24 ... Compared with other serious illnesses, medication management that incorporates a palliative approach is underused among individuals with cardiovascular disease. This scientific statement describes palliative pharmacotherapy inclusive of cardiovascular drugs and essential palliative medicines that work synergistically to control symptoms and enhance quality of life. We also summarize and clarify available evidence on the utility of guideline-directed and evidence-based medical therapies in individuals with end-stage heart failure, pulmonary arterial hypertension, coronary heart disease, and other cardiomyopathies while providing clinical considerations for de-escalating or deprescribing. Shared decision-making and goal-oriented care are emphasized and considered quintessential ... across the spectrum of cardiovascular disease.

Tips to secure hospice volunteers through engagement, education Home Health Line; by Mary Kent Wolff; 7/18/24 Many hospice providers are struggling to find volunteers and maintain Medicare compliance after the pandemic. Providers that strengthen training programs and consider participant and patient needs and interests could see an increase in long-term volunteers. [Additional subscription may be required.]

Celebrating growth: NPHI welcomes new members to its mission-driven family NPHI, Washington, DC; 7/15/24 The National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), the national voice for not-for-profit hospice and palliative care providers, is thrilled to announce the addition of several not-for-profit hospice organizations to its ever-growing community. Over the past year, the organization has experienced remarkable growth, underscoring its collective commitment and mission to providing the highest quality end-of-life care. ... [These include:] Byt The Bay Health; Blue Ridge Hospice; Center For Hospice Care; Community Nursing Services; Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice; Hospice Austin; Hospice of Northwest Ohio; Hospice & Palliative Care Association of New York State (HPCANYS); Hudson Valley Hospice; Hudson Valley Hospice; Kaua'i Hospice; Midland Care Connection; Navian Hawaii (formerly Hospice Hawaii); Sutter Care at Home; Tillery Compassionate Care. Notable Mentions: Tom Koutsoumpas, CEO of NPHI and Carole Fisher, President of NPHI

End-of-life care is a profound and essential aspect of medical practice Market.US Media, New York; by Samruddhi Yardi; 7/19/24 According to End-of-Life Care Statistics, End-of-life care, also known as palliative care, refers to the comprehensive medical, emotional, and psychological support provided to individuals who are nearing the end of their lives, often due to terminal illnesses or conditions. [This article includes data on the following:]