Literature Review

Editorial: Palliative care can drive change via new payment models Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 8/27/24 A range of emerging payment model demonstrations are integrating principles traditionally associated with “palliative care” into their structures, but without using that term. The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation’s (CMMI) has unveiled a series of models that incorporate elements designed to provide patient-centered care to improve seriously ill patients’ quality of life. Examples include the Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE), the Kidney Care Choices and Enhancing Oncology models. The GUIDE model, for example, includes language requiring “person-centered care meant to improve quality of life, delivered by interdisciplinary teams.” Thus, one could argue that palliative care principles are becoming more integrated into the larger system, even if stakeholders are not using the same terminology. ...

For-profit Idaho home health powerhouse seeks expansion in OregonThe Lund Report; by Nick Budnick; 8/27/24Pennant Group wants to acquire home health and hospice agencies from Signature Group, an affiliate of Avamere Health. State health officials are reviewing a giant for-profit Idaho-based home health care company’s $80 million effort to buy home care and hospice companies around Oregon operated by Signature Group, also known as Avamere Health Care. Officials in the Health Care Market Oversight office of the Oregon Health Authority announced a 30-day public comment period on Aug. 23.

The DEI Dilemma: Separate teams or embedded methods? Clinical Leader; by Denise N. Bronner, PhD; 8/28/24 In recent years, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) has become a focal point in many industries, with the pharma sector being no exception. As political forces shift the societal climate to be increasingly DEI-averse, pharma sponsors face critical decisions regarding the implementation of DEI initiatives: Should DEI efforts be managed by a separate, dedicated DEI team or woven into the fabric of existing processes and departments? To answer that question, we must examine the advantages and drawbacks of both strategies, focusing on key factors like resource allocation, implementation efficiency, cultural integration, and the long-term impact on trial inclusivity. ... Integrating DEI into all aspects of a business is a complex task that requires careful planning and coordination. Without a clear strategy, efforts can become fragmented and ineffective.Editor's Note: While this DEI discussion is written to the pharma industry, its DEI structures, strategies and outcomes apply to hospice and palliative care services. 

CareXM and Enhabit increase clinician capacity by 250% using virtual visits amid staffing shortages GlobeNewswire; by CareXM; 8/27/24 CareXM ... is proud to announce  some of the exciting results with Enhabit in their quick connect Virtual Visits platform. ... “We saw an increase in clinician capacity, allowing us to do more with less,” says Vice President of Care Management Shelley Baker of Enhabit, which provides care annually to 228,000 patients. “Completing visits virtually, when appropriate, has freed up our clinicians to better manage their schedules so they can be with patients who need hands-on care.” "While virtual visits do not replace the need for in-home visits, they do offer the ability to connect with patients more frequently, supplementing the visits that do need to be in-person,” said Si Luo, CEO at CareXM, “We see a growing need not just for visit utilization but for visit prioritization- let’s save our field nurses for those visits that truly do need to be in-person. ..."

Southern California doctor sentenced in $2.8 million hospice fraud schemeLos Angeles Daily News; by Sydney Barragan; 8/27/24A Southern California doctor was sentenced Tuesday to 37 months in prison for his role in a $2.8 million fraud scheme in which Medicare was billed for unneeded services, the U.S. Department of Justice announced. John Thropay, 75, of Arcadia was the medical director for several hospice companies, including Blue Sky Hospice Inc. in Van Nuys. From October 2014 to March 2016, Thropay certified terminal illnesses that patients did not have in order to bill Medicare for hospice services, officials said. According to the indictment, the owners of Blue Sky paid recruiters illegal kickbacks in exchange for referring “beneficiaries,” or patients. These recruiters paid the patients approximately $300 to $400 of the kickbacks for every month they remained on hospice care with Blue Sky. 

AHCA’s Access to Care report provides grim assessment of nursing home trends McKnights Long-Term Care News; by Jessica R. Towhey; 8/22/24 Nearly 800 nursing homes closed between February 2020 and July 2024, displacing nearly 30,000 residents, according to a new report from the sector’s largest provider advocacy group. The American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living added in its annual Access to Care report that the consequences to rural communities have been devastating. “It’s not hyperbole to say access to care is a national crisis,” Mark Parkinson, president and CEO of AHCA/NCAL, said in a press release announcing the report on Thursday. “Nursing homes are closing at a rate much faster than they are opening, and yet with each passing day, our nation grows older. Providers are doing everything they can to protect and expand access to care, but without support from policymakers, access to care remains under threat.”

Crafting holiday joy for Hernando Pasco Hospice patients Hernando Sun, New Port Richey, FL; by Megan Hussey; 8/26/24 It is the mission of Hernando Pasco Hospice and HPH Hospice Women of Giving to make this coming holiday season a brighter one for all patients served by HPH, and for HPH staff and team members, with the help of beautiful, jubilant holiday cards custom-made for them. It is their goal, in fact, to create at least 1,000 cards for these deserving individuals based in Hernando, Pasco and Citrus counties through the Crafty Christmas Campaign. ... “This is our second year for Crafty Christmas,” said Andrea Arflack, Director of Philanthropy Chapters Health Foundation In support of HPH Hospice. “It was created by one of our staff members in the spirit of giving. We made more than 1,000 cards last year for HPH patients and workers and plan to do the same thing this year.”Editor's Note: Now's the time to adapt this easy, meaningful community engagement with your volunteers and community partners. 

A leadership exodus looms as HR leaders consider leaving their jobs HR Dive; by Carolyn Crist; 8/23/24 About 57% of CHROs and 75% of people leaders are considering leaving their roles in the next 8-12 months, which could damage business continuity and growth, according to an Aug. 20 report by Blu Ivy Group. Major HR attrition could destabilize organizations due to a drop in institutional knowledge, a decrease in productivity and a weakening culture, according to the report. ... In more than 500 surveys and 50 interviews with CHROs and people leaders in the U.S. and Canada, 43% said they spend less than 10% of their time on long-term strategic planning. Continuous crisis management compromises strategic oversight and undermines growth, the report found.

Bonners Ferry Class of 1991 celebrates classmate in hospice care Coeur d'Alene/Post Falls Press, Coeur d'Alene, ID; by Staff Report; 8/26/24 No amount of time or distance can weaken the bonds of true friendship. The Bonners Ferry High School Class of 1991 proved that recently when they gathered at Hospice of North Idaho’s Schneidmiller House for a surprise reunion. Teresa Skeen, 52, is battling terminal cancer, ... buoyed by the support of family and friends who have visited day and night since she was admitted to hospice care at Schneidmiller House. She often spoke fondly of her high school years, reminiscing about the close-knit Bonners Ferry community and the cherished friendships she forged at school. “When we heard about her diagnosis, we knew we had to do something special for her, something that would remind her of how much she means to us,” said Laura, a friend and classmate. ... Unbeknownst to Skeen, her classmates worked with Schneidmiller House staff to plan a special celebration. ...

Health systems brace for the 'silver tsunami'Becker's Hospital Review; by Laura Dyrda; 8/23/24Around 10,000 Americans turn 65 years old every day, gaining access to Medicare benefits. The number of Medicare beneficiaries is expected to continue growing in the next five years, and health systems are making changes to keep up. In 2020, around 73 million Baby Boomers were eligible for Medicare benefits, and by 2030 all Baby Boomers will be Medicare-eligible, according to the Census Bureau. Advances in medicine and healthy lifestyle mean people are living longer and demanding more from their care. "In the next five years, the most significant disruptor to healthcare will be the capacity challenges associated with the 'silver tsunami' of baby boomers hitting the age of healthcare consumption," said Jonathan D. Washko, MBA, FACPE, NRP, AEMD, Assistant Vice President, CEMS Operations, Northwell Health; Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Pre-hospital and Disaster Medicine, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra, Northwell Health. "In this environment, coupled with lowering revenues, staffing shortages and higher expenses, healthcare is being forced from an abundance mindset to one of scarcity."

New ASCO Guidelines stress importance of early palliative care Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 8/26/24 The 2024 update to the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s (ASCO) clinical practice guidelines place renewed emphasis on palliative care. The guidelines are updated periodically by a multidisciplinary team, including a patient representative and experts in medical and radiation oncology, hematology and palliative care. For the 2024 revisions, this panel reviewed 52 randomized controlled trials that evaluated outcomes among cancer patients who received palliative care, ASCO reported. “This is a pivotal time,” the panel’s co-chair Betty Ferrell of City of Hope Cancer Care told the ASCO Post. “This guideline is a call to action for everyone to think about how they are integrating palliative care for all patients with cancer. There are great advances in cancer care, but none of these will be fully effective unless we fully integrate palliative care.”

10 CEOs transforming healthcare Becker's Hospital Review; by Kelly Gooch; 8/21/24 The CEO Forum Group, a media and marketing company focused exclusively on CEOs, has unveiled its latest list of the "Top 10 CEOs Transforming Healthcare in America" for 2024. CEOs on the list were selected after interviews with Robert Reiss, Forbes contributor and founder and CEO of the forum group, and then criteria-based evaluation and approval by the forum group's editorial board. The criteria is based on "creating new value that helps advance healthcare in America," Mr. Reiss told Becker's. Each CEO on the list was awarded by the editorial board a specific category where they led the transformation of healthcare. [These categories include:] Holistic health... Community impact... Culture... Innovation... Vision... Behavioral  health... Urban healthcare... Leading with humanity... Patient-centered care... Leadership...Editor's Note: These categories alone indicate healthcare values that are considered to be transformative for now and ahead. . Click on the title's link to read the names and their organizations.