Literature Review
North Carolina restaurant fulfills woman’s dying wish
04/02/24 at 02:45 AMNorth Carolina restaurant fulfills woman’s dying wishABC News WGNO, by Raven Payne; 4/1/24It’s an act of kindness that cleared away a cloud of grief, crossing state lines. A North Carolina restaurant owner drove six hours to deliver what ended up being the last meal for a woman on her death bed. ... On her deathbed, Bowers had one last wish, a pork plate from Outer Banks restaurant Mama Kwans. But Simmons wondered how they could make it happen. After all, they lived six hours away in West Virginia.
Code status discussions; difficult but necessary
04/02/24 at 02:30 AMCode status discussions; difficult but necessary The Hospitalist, by Mark Menet, MD, MPH; 4/1/24 I thought it was just where I practiced, but it turns out that, in the medical field, we’re really bad about having code discussions, which is a significant issue. When some of my patients revealed that no one had ever asked them about their code status before, I decided to conduct some research on this topic. It turns out that, at most, 41% of patients recall discussions about their code status, however, the 10.3% as documented by another study seems much more accurate.
Glendale, California men sentenced for role in $9M hospice fraud scheme – owner of San Gabriel Hospice and Palliative Care Inc. and Broadway Hospice Inc.
04/02/24 at 02:30 AMGlendale, California men sentenced for role in $9M hospice fraud scheme – owner of San Gabriel Hospice and Palliative Care Inc. and Broadway Hospice Inc.Sierra Sun Times; 3/31/24The owner of two California-based hospice companies, along with his biller and consultant, were sentenced last Thursday for their respective roles in a scheme that resulted in stealing over $9 million from Medicare in false and fraudulent claims for hospice services. ... According to court documents, ... [Gayk] Akhsharumov concealed his ownership and control over the hospice entities from Medicare, inserted nominee owners, paid kickbacks to patient recruiters, and profited from the scheme. In April 2020, after San Gabriel had ceased operations, Akhsharumov used the company to fraudulently obtain COVID-19 relief funds.
The indispensable role of critical thinking in healthcare leadership
04/02/24 at 02:15 AMThe indispensable role of critical thinking in healthcare leadership Forbes, by Dr. Hudson Garret, Jr and the Forbes Business Council; 4/1/24 In the fast-paced and complex landscape of healthcare, where decisions can have life-altering consequences, the value of critical thinking cannot be overstated. Critical thinking is not just a skill; it's a mindset—an essential tool for healthcare leaders to navigate uncertainty, make informed decisions and drive positive outcomes. ... Here are three examples of how I've applied critical thinking in leadership.
Integrating palliative care screening in the intensive care unit: A quality improvement project
04/02/24 at 02:15 AMIntegrating palliative care screening in the intensive care unit: A quality improvement projectCritical Care Nurse; by Traci N. Phillips, DNP, APRN, ACNP-BC, CCRN; Denise K. Gormley, PhD, RN; Sherry Donaworth, DNP, APRN, ACNP-BC, FNP-BC; 4/1/24Background: Patients admitted to the intensive care unit have complex medical problems and increased rates of mortality and recurrent hospitalization for the following 10 years ... Delayed access to palliative care can result in untreated symptoms, lack of understanding of care preferences, and preventable admissions. Conclusion: The screening process can maximize the benefit of palliative care services with early patient identification, improved consultation efficiency, decreased critical care resource use, and reduced readmission rates.
CMS releases Hospice Payment rate update proposed rule [Industry voices]
04/02/24 at 02:10 AMCMS releases Hospice Payment rate update proposed rule [Industry voices] HomeCare News; 3/29/24... "While the proposed rule may appear to be fairly innocuous," said NAHC President William A. Dombi, in response to the rule announcement, "the hospice community should pay attention to the information request on high cost services as it may signal an emerging interest in payment model reform. What is missing is also notable, CMS has not proposed any program integrity measures to address continued concerns on the surge in hospice growth in certain parts of the country despite the warning signs presented." ...Editor's Note: Additional responses from "industry voices" include NACH Vice President Davis Baird; NAHC's Director of Home Health and Hospice Regulatory Affairs Katie Wehri; and CEO Leading Age Katie Smith Sloan.
Pediatric Division - National Coalition for Hospice and Palliative Care
04/02/24 at 02:00 AMPediatric Division - National Coalition for Hospice and Palliative Care National Coalition for Hospice and Palliative Care; 3/28/24The National Coalition for Hospice and Palliative Care’s Pediatric Division represents a multi-disciplinary, volunteer team of pediatric palliative care (PPC) leaders. The Division membership is comprised of representatives from all 14 members of the Coalition, three family advocates, as well as representatives from aligned stakeholder organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychological Association, Association for Child Life Professionals, and the State Coalition Network.
[Utilization] Hospice care for those with dementia falls far short of meeting people’s needs at the end of life
04/02/24 at 02:00 AMHospice care for those with dementia falls far short of meeting people’s needs at the end of life ArcaMax, Maria J Silveira, University of Michigan; 4/1/24... Strikingly, only 12% of Americans with dementia ever enroll in hospice. Among those who do, one-third are near death. This is in stark contrast to the cancer population: Patients over 60 with cancer enroll in hospice 70% of the time. In my experience caring for dementia patients, the underuse of hospice by dementia patients has more to do with how hospice is structured and paid for in the U.S. than it does patient preference or differences between cancer and dementia.
How’s Your Soul?
04/02/24 at 02:00 AMHow’s Your Soul? JAMA Network, by Daivd Vermette, MD, MBA, MHS; 3/28/24 "Brother David, how’s your soul?” The question took me by surprise. It was time for my first advisement meeting with my residency program director. In medicine, the machine runs on competence and achievement of “milestones.” Yet, as I braced for a meeting to trudge through performance evaluations and in-training exam scores, I awoke to humanity. ... Medical education has numerous models for coaching, advising, and mentoring. While these models helped develop my professional life, they missed the fundamental core of who I am: a human being. Perhaps instead we could embrace a model in medical education built on the tenets of pastoral care. ...
I'm 34 and terminally ill, but I'm not scared of death anymore
04/02/24 at 02:00 AMI'm 34 and terminally ill, but I'm not scared of death anymore Metro / Microsoft Start, by Jyoti Smith; 3/31/24 I’ve spent the last nine years living with the idea of dying. In 2015, aged 25, I received my terminal diagnosis. ... My prognosis: three-to-five years. But here I am, almost 10 years on, at 34, and I’m living life to the fullest – if on the edge – and it’s largely down to one thing. Embracing hospice care. ... Editor's Note: Jyoti describes her journey and the care she now received from Marie Curie (hospice), in the United Kingdom.
A multicentre survey on the perception of palliative care among health professionals working in haematology
04/01/24 at 03:00 AMA multicentre survey on the perception of palliative care among health professionals working in haematology Multicenter Study / PubMed; by Sara Di Lorenzo, Lisa Mozzi, Flavia Salmaso, Claudia Silvagni, Silvia Soffientini, Vanessa Valenti, Vittorina Zagonel; 3/27/24Purpose: Patients with haematologic malignancies have less access to palliative care and are referred later than patients with solid tumours. We developed a survey to investigate this phenomenon, with the intention of analysing palliative care perceptions among health professionals who treat haematology patients and identifying barriers and facilitators to referrals to palliative care services.
Today's Encouragement: ... Fools talk because ...
04/01/24 at 03:00 AMWise men talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something. - Plato
[Rural Hospitals] A popular healthcare myth debunked
04/01/24 at 03:00 AM[Rural Hospitals] A popular healthcare myth debunked Becker's Hospital CFO Report, by Laura Dyrda; 3/28/24Many in the healthcare industry assume rural hospitals are inherently worse off financially than urban hospitals. It's easy to see why. ... But a February Kaufman Hall report refutes the financial divide between rural and urban hospitals. When comparing rural and urban hospitals as a collective, the firm found no statistically significant difference in average operating margin. Rural and urban hospitals on average have similar operating margins and financial performance. So why do we often associate more dire financial struggles with rural hospitals over urban ones?
14 Joint Commission patient safety goals for post-acute facilities
04/01/24 at 03:00 AM14 Joint Commission patient safety goals for post-acute facilities Becker's Hospital Review, by Mariah Taylor; 3/21/24 The Joint Commission released a breakdown of patient safety goals for post-acute care facilities in 2024. The organization published an easy-to-read resource outlining goals for nine sectors of healthcare, including nursing facilities, surgery, hospitals and behavioral care. For post-acute facilities, the goals mostly revolved around identifying patients correctly, using medicines safely, and preventing infections and falls. Here are the patient safety goals for post-acute facilities: ...
New Federal Health IT Strategy sets sights on a heathier, more innovative, and more equitable health care experience
04/01/24 at 03:00 AMNew Federal Health IT Strategy sets sights on a heathier, more innovative, and more equitable health care experienceU.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 3/28/24The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), today released the draft 2024–2030 Federal Health IT Strategic Plan (the draft Plan) for public comment. The draft Plan:
$45B worth of physician group acquisitions since 2019
04/01/24 at 03:00 AM$45B worth of physician group acquisitions since 2019 Becker's ASC Review, by Paige Haeffele; 3/28/24 Here are 10 of the biggest-budget acquisitions of physician groups, totaling approximately $45.3 billion, as reported by Becker's since 2019: ...
High intensity of end-of-life care for minority patients with lung cancer
04/01/24 at 03:00 AMHigh intensity of end-of-life care for minority patients with lung cancerU.S. Medicine; 3/27/24While disparities in lung cancer mortality among racial and ethnic minorities are well documented, not as much is understood about how racial and ethnic minority patients with lung cancer are treated at the end of life. A study led by researchers from the Indiana University School of Medicine and the Richard L. Roudebush VAMC, both in Indianapolis, sought to determine if those patients experience higher rates of intensity of care at the end of life (EOL) compared with non-Hispanic white (NHW) patients.
Hospice providers serving assisted living residents: Association of higher volume with lower quality
04/01/24 at 03:00 AMHospice providers serving assisted living residents: Association of higher volume with lower qualityJournal of American Geriatrics Society; by Wenhan Guo MS, MA, Helena Temkin-Greener Phd, Brian E. McGarry PT, PhD; 3/27/24Background: Assisted living (AL) community caregivers are known to report lower quality of hospice care. However, little is known about hospice providers serving AL residents and factors that may contribute to, and explain, differences in quality. We examined the association between hospice providers' AL patient-day volume and their quality ratings based on Hospice Item Set (HIS) and Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) Hospice Surveys.
MultiCare healthcare workers in Spokane might go on strike
04/01/24 at 03:00 AMMultiCare healthcare workers in Spokane might go on strike NBC KHQ - NonStop Local, by Laura Erickson; 3/28/24Over 1,400 healthcare workers at MultiCare Deaconess and Valley Hospitals plan to strike for seven days beginning April 7, denouncing what they’re calling “bad faith bargaining” from institution executives in response to short staffing crises in their hospitals. The SEIU Healthcare 1199NW union consists of over 33,000 caregivers throughout hospitals, clinics, mental health, skilled home health and hospice programs in Washington and Montana.
Sutter Health Partners with Abridge on generative AI solution to improve patient, physician experience
04/01/24 at 03:00 AMSutter Health Partners with Abridge on generative AI solution to improve patient, physician experienceBusiness Wire Press Release, by Jill O'Brien and Liz Madison; 3/27/24Abridge and Sutter Health announced they will make Abridge’s generative AI platform for clinical documentation available to groups of its physicians across California. ... For physicians and advanced practice clinicians, Abridge generates a draft note in real-time based on the clinical conversation that flows directly into the electronic health record. Once clinicians review and verify the note, their paperwork is complete.
Death is inevitable. Doctors should be prepared to manage it appropriately.
04/01/24 at 03:00 AMDeath is inevitable. Doctors should be prepared to manage it appropriately. MedPageToday, by Gabrielle Kis Bromberg, MD; 3/28/24In preparation for my clinical year, my medical school instructors taught me about the importance of assessing the goals and wishes of patients at the end of life. ... [My Aunt] Daniella shared with my mom and me that she was tired of being so sick and tired of feeling stuck in the hospital's revolving door. So, I asked my aunt the questions I'd just learned in class. "What is most important to you?" "If you were sicker and could not share your own medical wishes, what would you want us to tell your doctors about your goals?" "Would you accept another ICU stay, CPR, a breathing tube?" My mom and I drove home with crystal clear instructions from Daniella. If she got sicker, she wanted to die without prolonged suffering. ... [Months later] Despite many doctors, hospitalizations, a years-long decline, and countless healthcare touch points, no one had asked Daniella how she was faring as her body failed. Why did it require a medical student -- me -- just 4 months into training, to achieve an end of life consistent with her wishes?
Hospital charity care falls short of nonprofit tax breaks: Lown
04/01/24 at 03:00 AMHospital charity care falls short of nonprofit tax breaks: Lown Modern Healthcare, by Caroline Hudson; 3/26/24The vast majority of nonprofit hospitals aren't providing a level of community support equal to the value of what they are receiving in tax breaks, according to a study published Tuesday. ... Using 2021 Internal Revenue Service data, Lown found about 80% of nonprofit hospitals, or more than 1,900 out of 2,425 hospitals, received more in tax break benefits than the support provided to communities.
WhidbeyHealth Hospice - $600,000 donation toward new building
04/01/24 at 03:00 AMWhidbeyHealth Hospice - $600,000 donation toward new buildingSouth Whidbey Record, WA; by Jessie Stensland; 3/26/24Thanks to an anonymous donation, the staff members of WhidbeyHealth Hospice will soon have their own space outside of the hospital in Coupeville. The board of Whidbey Island’s public hospital district voted last week to purchase a 3,100-square-foot building at 101 Northeast Birch Street in Coupeville. ... The [hospice] staff currently works out of an awkward space inside the hospital that’s not always easy for families to find. The office space acts as a hub for the employees and a place to store supplies. It’s also the site of volunteer training, patient care meetings and bereavement support. ... The hospital’s palliative services will also share the building.
Hospice of the Chesapeake’s culinary event raises $100K for care in Calvert County
04/01/24 at 03:00 AMHospice of the Chesapeake’s culinary event raises $100K for care in Calvert CountySouthern Maryland News Net; 3/28/24The Calvert County community came together to enjoy fine cuisine, local wines and spirited dancing, helping to raise more than $100,000 for Hospice of the Chesapeake at the 11th annual Culinary Event held March 22 at The Hall at Huntingtown. ... Funds from this year’s event will continue to benefit programs at the Burnett Center as well as hospice and supportive care for residents of Calvert County.
Kaiser Permanente, Town Hall ventures to launch PACE Program ‘Habitat Health’
04/01/24 at 03:00 AMKaiser Permanente, Town Hall ventures to launch PACE Program ‘Habitat Health’ Home Health Care News, by Andrew Donlan; 3/27/24 Kaiser Permanente and an investment firm are teaming up to launch a Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) venture. Specifically dubbed Habitat Health, Kaiser and Town Hall Ventures will begin building out the program in California in 2025 – in Sacramento and Los Angeles.