Literature Review

Hospice of Michigan Receives $10,000 Grant from the Fund for the Community of the Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community FoundationNews ReleaseDecember 5, 2023Petoskey, MI—Hospice of Michigan recently received a $10,000 grant from the Fund for the Community of the Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation in support of its grief support services. The grant will help individuals in Emmet County, both adults and children, who are coping with the loss of a loved one.

‘Nobody speaks about this’—Diana Rigg made impassioned plea for assisted dying law before deathThe Guardian (London, England)December 9, 2023Diana Rigg made an impassioned case to legalise assisted dying in a message recorded shortly before her “truly awful” and “dehumanising” death from cancer three years ago. The actor’s statement calling for a law that gives “human beings true agency over their own bodies at the end of life”, published today in the Observer, adds to the ongoing debate on assisted dying, with MPs [Members of the British Parliament] expected to publish recommendations to the government within weeks.

Ransomware group posts stolen Tri-City Medical Center documents to dark webSan Diego Union-TribuneDecember 8, 2023Though Tri-City Medical Center got its operations back up and running 17 days ago, ransomware extortion efforts appear to be ongoing against the Oceanside hospital. Earlier this week, a cyber security expert noted in a message on X, formerly called Twitter, that “INC RANSOM”, a well known group of cyber extortionists, announced its possession of records stolen from the health care provider on the dark web, an anonymous corner of the Internet where such information is often bought and sold.

Study—Black Patients Less Likely Receive A Home Health Referral Following A Hospital StintHome Health Care NewsDecember 8, 2023Home health services are a vital component of care continuity. But nurses are less likely to give Black patients, compared to white patients, home health referrals when being discharged from a hospital stay, a new University of Michigan study found. Specifically, researchers found that roughly 22% of Black patients were receiving home health referrals by discharge nurses, compared to 27% of white patients.

National HME Acquires Hospice SourceHospice NewsDecember 8, 2023The durable medical equipment provider National HME has acquired Hospice Source, also a DME company. The transaction beefs up National HME’s footprint, which currently includes more than 50 locations nationwide.

Hospice Staff Promotions and Additions Announced This Week

Future of LCHD-Hospice uncertainDaily Gate City (Keokuk, IA)December 8, 2023Keokuk, IA—Lee County Supervisor Chairman Garry Seyb is prepared for a lengthy workshop following the supervisors’ regular meeting Monday as officials look at the possible discontinuation of the Lee County Health Department’s hospice program. “It’s an emotional issue. It provides a needed, respectable service as far as I know,” Seyb told The Daily Democrat on Friday. “With that being said, we are looking at everything, not just the health department.”

Severna Park Teens Fold Hope Into Gifts For Hospice PatientsSeverna Park [MD] VoiceDecember 8, 2023... Kateri Jarvis and Hannah Kim hope classmates will help them make hundreds of origami cranes to give to Hospice of the Chesapeake patients. Inspired by the Wishing Crane Project, a nonprofit organization started by high schoolers in Arizona, the Severna Park High School juniors worked through the summer to start a chapter at their school.

Brookdale Reports November 2023 OccupancyPRNewswireDecember 8, 2023Nashville, TN—Brookdale Senior Living Inc. reported today its consolidated occupancy for November 2023. November 2023 weighted average occupancy increased 140 basis points year-over-year to 78.4%. Achieved twenty-five consecutive months of year-over-year weighted average occupancy growth.

How Health Equity Payment Models Are Impacting Hospice Staff DiversityHospice NewsDecember 8, 2023Recent health equity initiatives in hospice reimbursement may reverberate impacts into providers’ staff recruitment and retention strategies, particularly when it comes to leadership roles. ... While equity-focused reimbursement channels like ACO REACH hold promise in helping to reduce disparities, unknowns exist around how providers should shape their care delivery approaches and where to pour operational and financial resources, according to Hospice of Acadiana CEO Keith Everett. ... A key for hospices to understand about health equity payment programs is that strategies to improve disparities can come in a variety of ways, which can be both a challenge and opportunity for providers, Everett said. ... One area of focus is to grow a more diverse employee base—not just in terms of interdisciplinary staff who interact with patients and families, but also among leadership teams, according to André Lee, co-founder and administrator of Heart ‘n Soul Hospice. ... Community collaborations are key to knowing where to search for hospice professionals from diverse backgrounds, according to Agrace Hospice & Supportive Care CEO Lynne Sexten.

Teleios Collaborative Network Announces Teleios University GraduatesNews ReleaseDecember 7, 2023Hendersonville, NC—Teleios Collaborative Network announced its 2023 Teleios University graduates. Eleven individuals successfully completed the year-long program, earning their certificates in leadership excellence. TU’s Leadership Excellence program is unlike any other. This one-year course is provided through monthly webinars, experiential monthly activities, quarterly challenges and more. It culminates with a capstone project and earns each participant who completes the assignments a certification in leadership excellence. This year’s graduates include the following leaders in the Hospice and Serious Illness Sector:

Finding purpose in the journey—Hospice volunteer shares joy of finding life againWest Plains (MO) Daily QuillDecember 8, 2023West Plains, MO—For Kay “Katie” Dowler, volunteering one day a week at Ozarks Healthcare At Home: Hospice has become her way of giving and finding a renewed sense of purpose. The journey with Ozarks Healthcare At Home: Hospice has come full circle, from being patient’s partner to a grateful volunteer.

Summit County nursing homes testing robots to address staff shortagesAkron (OH) Beacon JournalDecember 6, 2023Two Akron-area nursing homes—Copley Health Center and The Village of St. Edward—are turning to robots to help alleviate staffing shortages in their facilities. The robots are part of a pilot program facilitated by the Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging & Disabilities. Each facility has adopted different procedures for their robot to help with. Examples of tasks the robots perform include meal and package delivery, hydration carts and cleaning food trays and dining areas.  ... So far during the pilot program, the two robots have traveled more than 163 miles and have made over 2,220 deliveries to residents. Though the robots are used daily and have been well received by staff and residents, they are not intended to replace human contact, according to the news release.