Literature Review
Chapters CEO Andrew Molosky: Building an ecosystem of care around the seriously ill
02/16/24 at 03:00 AMChapters CEO Andrew Molosky: Building an ecosystem of care around the seriously illHospice News, by Jim Parker; 2/13/24Going forward, hospice and other post-acute providers are preparing to operate within a value-based ecosystem, and Florida-based nonprofit Chapters Health System is no exception. ... The organization has been hard at work in recent years to position itself for risk-based relationships and build out a continuum of care for chronically and terminally ill patients, while maintaining positive employee engagement.
Gentiva engineers unique palliative care payment system via AIM program
02/16/24 at 02:45 AMGentiva engineers unique palliative care payment system via AIM programHospice News, by Jim Parker; 2/12/24Gentiva Health Services has committed to expanding its recently established Advanced Illness Management (AIM) palliative care model in 2024, including its unique approach to reimbursement.
Chippewa Co. Health Department announces end of Home Health and Hospice services
02/16/24 at 02:30 AMChippewa Co. Health Department announces end of Home Health and Hospice services 9and10news.com, by Logan Kassuba; 2/14/24 The Chippewa County Board of Commissioners announced their decision to end the health department’s Home Health and Hospice division. ... CCHD was the only health department in Michigan that still had a Home Health and Hospice division. In the absence of Home Health and Hospice services, CCHD said hospice patients can choose to spend their final days at Ball House, Pennington Home, Harbor View Home and White-Wiles Home. Patients are also able to remain in their own homes and receive care there.
Tier - Palliative Care: A population-based care delivery model to match evolving patient needs to palliative care services for community-based patients with heart failure or cancer
02/16/24 at 02:15 AMTier - Palliative Care: A population-based care delivery model to match evolving patient needs to palliative care services for community-based patients with heart failure or cancer [This link goes to the more detailed National Institutes of Health (NIH) description of this clinical trial.]Genomics & Genetics Daily, by a news reporter-staff news editor; 2/14/24Staff editors report on the newly launched clinical trial, NCT06228209, which has the following summary description: "TIER-PC is an adaptive model of delivering palliative care that provides the right level of care to the right patients at the right time. It represents an adaption of the Mount Sinai PALLIATIVE CARE AT HOME (PC@H) program, which delivers home-based palliative care. TIER-PC increases the number and intensity of disciplines added to the patient's care team as their symptoms worsen and function declines."
Scaling palliative care requires adherence to best practices
02/16/24 at 02:15 AMScaling palliative care requires adherence to best practicesAJMC, by Tina Basenese, MA, APN, ACHPN; 2/14/24An important milestone came January 1, 2024, when a new add-on code [G2211] took effect for reimbursement for complex Medicare patient visits, including palliative care. ... Having patients map out their wishes through advance directives is an important metric, but it’s not the goal of palliative care, nor is it the only way to measure whether a program works. Rather, comprehensive palliative care must be truly patient centered. This requires building trust and training palliative care specialists in a manner similar to other subspecialties to create and scale processes that are infused with a culture of communication.
Advance planning values and end-of-life care among patients on dialysis
02/16/24 at 02:15 AMAdvance planning values and end-of-life care among patients on dialysisdocwirenews, by Victoria Socha; 2/12/24... Patients treated with dialysis are also more likely to die in the hospital and less likely to receive hospice care. [Researchers] conducted a survey designed to examine the association between patients’ health care values and engagement in advance care planning and end-of-life care. Analyses of survey responses were reported in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Umatilla County resident finds comfort in hospice care amid disparity study
02/16/24 at 02:15 AMUmatilla County resident finds comfort in hospice care amid disparity studyBNN, by Muhammad Jawad; 2/14/24 In the heart of Umatilla County [Oregon], Lila Transue, an 86-year-old Pendleton resident, has found solace in the care provided by Vange John Memorial Hospice. A recent study highlights the underutilization of hospice care, particularly for minority groups and patients with certain types of cancer, but Transue's experience offers a glimmer of hope.
Care Guide Partners PACE Center secures $500,000 grant
02/16/24 at 02:15 AMCare Guide Partners PACE Center secures $500,000 grantThe News-Enterprise; 2/14/24Care Guide Partners, an affiliate of Hosparus Health, recently was awarded a $500,000 lead grant from the Legacy Foundation of Kentuckiana. This contribution supports the launch of the Care Guide Partners PACE Center, at 109 Buffalo Creek Drive in Elizabethtown. Scheduled to open next quarter, the PACE Center will increase accessibility to comprehensive health care services for seniors in and around the region, a news release from the organization said.
The nexus between palliative care and PACE programs
02/16/24 at 02:00 AMThe nexus between palliative care and PACE programsHospice News, by Jim Parker; 2/14/24Palliative care is becoming an increasingly prevalent component of Programs for All-Inclusive Care of the Elderly (PACE) programs. PACE programs offer a comprehensive approach to care for participants who meet certain eligibility criteria, mainly to seniors who have significant medical and non-medical needs to help them age in place and avoid the hospital or nursing homes. PACE allows hospices to offer services to address social determinants of health, such as homemaking, transportation, home modification and others.
Essentia Health-Fosston Home Care and Hospice team recognized for excellence
02/16/24 at 02:00 AMEssentia Health-Fosston Home Care and Hospice team recognized for excellenceEssentia Health Newsroom, by Caitlin Pallai; 2/14/24The Essentia Health-Fosston Home Care and Hospice Team has been recognized for providing exceptional patient experiences. The team was named a 2023 Human Experience Guardian of Excellence Award winner by Press Ganey, which works with more than 41,000 health care facilities — including Essentia — to solicit patient feedback and create meaningful change. To receive a Guardian of Excellence Award, a team must rank in the top 5% of health care providers on patient surveys conducted by Press Ganey.
Understanding the discordance about prognosis between clinicians and terminally ill patients and their surrogates
02/16/24 at 02:00 AMUnderstanding the discordance about prognosis between clinicians and terminally ill patients and their surrogatesThe ASCO Post, by Jo Cavallo; 2/14/24A Conversation with Douglas B. White, MD, MASResearch shows that about half of adults near the end of life in the United States are too ill to participate in decisions about whether to accept life-prolonging treatment, requiring family members and other proxies to serve as surrogate decision-makers for their critically ill loved ones. However, research also shows that surrogates of patients with advanced illness often have optimistic expectations about prognosis, which often lead to the increased use of invasive treatment (including life support) in dying patients and delays in the integration of palliative care.
Scandal exposes flaws in Iowa elderly care system: Stricter hiring protocols needed
02/15/24 at 03:50 AMScandal exposes flaws in Iowa elderly care system: Stricter hiring protocols neededBNN, by Mahnoor Jehangir; 2/12/24[Two recent] cases ... reveal the urgent need for stricter hiring protocols in Iowa's elderly care system. ... In 2023, an Iowa nursing home and a hospice program found themselves in the crosshairs of a scandal that exposed the vulnerabilities of the elderly care system. The facilities ... had unwittingly hired individuals with troubling histories. [One] had a criminal record for felony theft of $25,00 or more; [the other] was listed on Nebraska's registry of abusers of the elderly.
How New Day Healthcare plans to be the face of a changing home health landscape
02/15/24 at 03:30 AMHow New Day Healthcare plans to be the face of a changing home health landscapeHome Health Care News; 2/12/24New Day Healthcare has been one of the most active acquirers in home health care over the last year. As it grows, it’s looking to set itself apart from the home health company archetype of yesteryear.
What the 4-day workweek looks like in healthcare
02/15/24 at 03:05 AMWhat the 4-day workweek looks like in healthcareBecker's Hospital Review, by Kelly Gooch; 2/7/24When it comes to a four-day workweek, the arguments for and against such an approach are varied, and its use depends on the industry and role. However, one thing is clear: There is data pointing to a growing trend.
NJ's 'medical aid-in-dying' law upheld by state Supreme Court
02/15/24 at 03:00 AMNJ's 'medical aid-in-dying' law upheld by state Supreme Court Public News Service, by Roz Brown; 2/13/24After a five-year court battle, New Jersey's medical aid-in-dying law has been affirmed by the state's Supreme Court, which rejected an attempt to overturn the statute. Signed by the governor in 2019, the law was soon challenged by a physician based on religious, personal and constitutional grounds. It allows mentally capable, terminally ill adults with six months or less to live to get a prescription they can use to end their lives.
South Dakota campaign joins state and federal efforts to expand rural telehealth access
02/15/24 at 03:00 AMSouth Dakota campaign joins state and federal efforts to expand rural telehealth accessMcKnights Senior Living, by Aaron Dorman; 2/12/24The continued need for telehealth options is particularly important for older adults living in rural areas. That reality may explain, in part, why South Dakota is working on legislation that would grant $5 million to assisted living communities and nursing facilities in the state to implement telehealth and telemedicine technology.
10 of the largest US healthcare companies by revenue - 2024
02/15/24 at 03:00 AM10 of the largest US healthcare companies by revenue - 2024Becker's Hospital Review, by Laura Dyrda; 2/9/24Below is a list ranking 10 of the largest healthcare copmanies, including health plans and systems, by revenue over the most recent four quarters.
Legislative proposal on end-of-life options: The MMA’s take (February 2024)
02/15/24 at 03:00 AMLegislative proposal on end-of-life options: The MMA’s take (February 2024) Minnesota Medical Association; 2/12/24Among the many important issuesthat the Minnesota Legislature will consider this year,at least one is expected to generate significant passions both in support and in opposition. That proposal, known as the End-of-Life Option Act, addressesa practice referred to as medical aid-in-dying or, for some, assisted suicide. It is a proposal that merits scrutiny and robust deliberation.
Could Illinois become a ‘right to die' state? The latest on a newly proposed bill
02/15/24 at 03:00 AMCould Illinois become a ‘right to die' state? The latest on a newly proposed billNBC 5 Chicago; 2/13/24A newly introduced bill in Illinois could make the state the latest so-called "right to die" state in the U.S., if it is passed. The proposed legislation, SB3499, would create end-of-life options for the Terminally Ill Patients Act in Illinois.
Pharmacy in suit files for bankruptcy
02/15/24 at 03:00 AMPharmacy in suit files for bankruptcySan Antonio Express News, by Patrick Danner; 2/12/24County's litigation targets Trinity along with major retailers for the amount of opioids it dispensed. ... A lawyer for the county dubbed it a "pill mill." ... Trinity Pharmacies said in a court filing that 99% of prescriptions it fills are for patients in hospice care.
MIDEO Systems Inc. secures contract with city of Austin for innovative end-of-life care solution
02/15/24 at 03:00 AMMIDEO Systems Inc. secures contract with city of Austin for innovative end-of-life care solution BBN, by Waqas Arain; 2/13/24MIDEO Systems Inc., a groundbreaking platform offering video-based advance care planning services, has secured a contract with the City of Austin. The partnership aims to streamline and digitize the process of documenting patients' medical preferences, making it more accessible and understandable for medical professionals.
Private equity Medicare Advantage investment slumps: report
02/15/24 at 03:00 AMPrivate equity Medicare Advantage investment slumps: reportModern Healthcare, by Nona Tepper; 2/13/24Private equity investment in Medicare Advantage has declined in recent years amid rising interest rates and an unfavorable regulatory environment, according to a report the Private Equity Stakeholder Project published Tuesday.
Changes in hospice care experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic
02/15/24 at 03:00 AMChanges in hospice care experiences during the COVID-19 pandemicRand, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society; by Maria DeYoreo, Rebecca Anhang Price, Ann C. Haas, Anagha Alka Tolpadi, Joan M. Teno, Marc N. Elliott; 2/12/24Demand for hospice and palliative care services increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hospices strove to meet this demand despite staffing shortages and visitation restrictions that sometimes prevented family members and hospice staff from visiting patients in institutional settings such as nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and hospitals. We examine how the COVID-19 pandemic may have influenced the characteristics of patients receiving hospice care, the settings in which they received care, and their care experiences using national data from the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) Hospice Survey. The survey is completed by bereaved family caregivers following the death of the hospice patient, and is the national standard for assessing patient- and family-centeredness of hospice care.