Literature Review

What hospices need to know about whistleblower lawsuits Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 10/22/24 Hospices need to understand the range of risks involved in qui tam cases and how best to navigate whistleblower concerns amid an evolving regulatory landscape. Qui tam actions occur when a whistleblower, called a “relator” by the courts, files a False Claims Act suit on behalf of the government. The relator has the potential to receive a portion of any funds recovered by the government via the lawsuit, with amounts typically ranging from 15% to 25%. A federal judge recently found the qui tam clause unconstitutional, ruling that the relator’s role in sparking enforcement actions effectively makes them an executive branch officer appointed without due process.

If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door. ~ Milton Berle

What the best leadership teams do right Harvard Business Review; by Ron Carucci, Mindy Millward, and Eric Hansen; 10/22/24 Given the unique responsibilities of executive teams, it would seem obvious that they require a specialized set of skills and approaches to be effective. And yet few have cracked the code on building and sustaining such effectiveness. There are three critical, highly interdependent roles they must play to have lasting impact on the company’s performance, culture, and ability to adapt. Executive teams often perform one or two of these reasonably well but fall short in integrating all three. The good news is that, with persistent effort, executive teams willing to put in the work can learn to play all three of these roles — setting themselves apart from the many willing to settle for much less.

Dombi scholarship established HomeCare, Tampa, FL; 10/21/24The National Alliance for Care at Home and its legacy organization have established a scholarship fund in honor of retiring National Association for Homecare and Hospice (NAHC) President Bill Dombi, leaders announced Monday at the organization’s transitional conference in Tampa, Florida. ... The William A. Dombi Scholarship Fund at the University of Connecticut, Dombi’s alma mater, topped its initial fundraising goal of $50,000 and was on the way to $100,00, said Marcylle Combs, a NAHC board member who organized the gift. NAHC and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) merged this year to create the new Alliance, ... The scholarship announcement followed a moving video send-off to Dombi, who has been with NAHC since 1987, when he came aboard as lead counsel and helmed the landmark lawsuit that reformed the Medicare home health services benefit. (Read his retirement interview with HomeCare here.)

Lawsuit filed against Visiting Nurse Service entities and individual defendant for assault of hospice patient NewRamp; by NewRamp Editorial Staff; 10/22/24 The Law Offices of Robert E. Brown has filed a lawsuit against three Visiting Nurse Service entities and individual defendant Joy Odunze-Matthew following the violent assault of Carolyn Albanese, a terminally ill hospice patient under their care. The complaint alleges gross negligence by VNS and its affiliates for failing to properly vet, train, and supervise their staff, specifically the defendant Odunze-Matthew. The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages to address the physical, emotional, and psychological harm suffered by Ms. Albanese and her family. 

Research synthesis related to oncology family caregiver spirituality in palliative care Journal of Palliative Medicine; by Betty R. Ferrell, Tami Borneman, Marianna Koczywas, and Paul Galchutt;  10/21/24 online ahead of print Family caregivers are central to the delivery of serious illness care and also have needs related to their role and experience. One aspect of the family caregiver quality of life (QOL) that has received less attention is caregiver spirituality. The research objectives for this analysis were (1) Describe spirituality in oncology family caregivers. (2) Determine the impact of palliative care interventions on spirituality and related variables in oncology family caregivers. (3) Describe findings from the research literature related to spirituality in family caregivers. The authors include two nurse researchers (BF, TB) and a physician (MK) who conducted these studies and a board-certified chaplain (PG) who contributed his expertise in chaplaincy.  ... The authors' research synthesis and the literature support the importance of additional research and clinical focus in family caregiver spirituality in serious illness care. 

Palliative care access for indigenous populations: Removing barriers and reducing disparities ECRI, Plymouth Meeting, PA; by Eileen Cornish; 10/22/24 ... Indigenous populations across North America face barriers to healthcare due to a combination of historical, social, economic, and systemic factors. Key barriers include historical trauma and distrust, remote or rural geography, economic disparities, cultural differences, systemic racism, and discrimination.  ... For this topic, ECRI librarians identified 35 studies, including six systematic reviews, that discuss barriers to palliative care for Indigenous people across North America. ...  Removing Barriers: Here are several key takeaways from the studies we identified. Other barriers are likely exist; however, these common themes emerged from the studies identified in ECRI’s review.

Southern Tier Health helps HomeCare & Hospice, Total Senior Care on USDA grant Olean Times Herald, Olean, NY; by Kellen M. Quigley; 10/22/24 A collaboration between three local agencies looking out for the health and well-being of their clients is getting a modern technological boost thanks to a federal grant. The Southern Tier Health Care System, Inc. (STHCS) was recently awarded nearly $140,000 through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Rural Utilities Service Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Program. This funding is meant to empower rural communities by leveraging advanced technology to connect residents and healthcare providers, overcoming the challenges of distance and low population density. Of the total grant, $114,606.80 was allocated to HomeCare & Hospice and Total Senior Care for state-of-the-art digital communication and remote learning tools, including high-definition displays, advanced cameras and integrated audio systems.

Nonprofit repurposes wedding bouquets for seniors Spectrum News 1, Columbus, OH; by Taylor Bruck; 10/21/24 Todd Davis, a resident of Columbus, knows it’s the simple things in life that mean the most. That’s why every weekend, he and volunteers pick up leftover flowers from weddings and other events and repurpose them into beautiful bouquets. They then deliver them to senior citizens all over Columbus and people in hospice care. ... Every week, volunteers turn thousands of flowers into about 200 bouquets, equating to nearly 10,000 this year and endless smiles.

Death is no enemy of life; it restores our sense of the value of living. Illness restores the sense of proportion that is lost when we take life for granted. To learn about value and proportion we need to honor illness, and ultimately to honor death. ~ Arthur W. Frank 

De-Escalating angry people: A critical safety skill in education and healthcare Campus Safety; by Jacob Milner; 10/15/24 These five de-escalation disciplines will help you effectively deal with angry students, family members, visitors, and patients. ... But before we dive into de-escalation itself. It’s crucial to remember that no matter the situation, your primary goal should always be safety, then de-escalation. If you don’t feel safe attempting to de-escalate someone, then don’t. But if you feel that you are in a situation where de-escalation can be attempted, carry on. Now that being said, let’s get into it. ...

Enhabit Home Health & Hospice Becomes Age-Friendly Health Systems participant HomeCare, Dallas, TX; 10/21/24 Enhabit Inc., a home health and hospice provider, announced it has been recognized by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) as an Age-Friendly Health Systems participant. The Age-Friendly Health Systems is an initiative of the John A. Hartford Foundation and the IHI, in partnership with the American Hospital Association and the Catholic Health Association of the United States. The Age-Friendly Health Systems aims to follow a set of evidence-based practices, cause no harm and align with what matters to the older adult and their family caregivers. Age-Friendly Health Systems participants are recognized for aiming to become an Age-Friendly Health System and have submitted examples of how they put four elements of care—the “4Ms”—into practice with older patients. ...

In memoriam: Dr. Robert TwycrossIAHPC press release; 10/21/24The International Association for Hospice & Palliative Care (IAHPC) mourns the death of Dr. Robert Twycross, an outstanding pioneer of the global palliative care movement. A lifetime member of the IAHPC, Dr. Twycross made a significant contribution to the IAHPC List of Essential Medicines, developed years before the World Health Organization added a special section for essential medicines for pain relief and palliative care. Dr. Twycross was born on January 29, 1941, and died yesterday, October 22nd, 2024. He was a pioneer of the hospice movement, helping to establish palliative care in the 1970s as an accepted field of modern medicine.