Literature Review



Hospital assets before and after private equity acquisition

08/10/24 at 03:40 AM

Hospital assets before and after private equity acquisitionJAMA; by Elizabeth Schrier, Hope E M Schwartz, David U Himmelstein, Adam Gaffney, Danny McCormick, Samuel L Dickman, Steffie Woolhandler; 7/24Private equity firms spent $505 billion on health care acquisitions between 2018 and 2023. Financial infusions may augment resources for care. However, firms have sometimes sold acquired hospitals’ land and buildings, repaying investors with proceeds and burdening hospitals with rent payments for facilities they once owned. We assessed changes in hospitals’ capital assets after private equity acquisition. After private equity acquisition, hospital assets decreased by 24% relative to that of controls during 2 years. Private equity acquisitions appear to have depleted, rather than augmented, hospital assets. Although funds from asset drawdowns might be redeployed to enhance care or efficiency, previous studies suggest such effects may not occur.

Read More

Changes in registered nurse employment plans and workplace assessments

08/10/24 at 03:35 AM

Changes in Registered Nurse Employment Plans and Workplace AssessmentsJAMA Network Open; by Christopher R Friese, Barbara R Medvec, Deanna J Marriott, Lara Khadr, Marissa Rurka Wade, Melissa Riba, Marita G Titler; 7/24How have nurses’ workplace assessments and intention to leave their workplace changed from the 2022 to the 2023 Michigan Nurses’ Study? In this survey study of 9150 and 7059 nurse participants in the 2022 and 2023 surveys, respectively, significantly fewer nurses were planning to leave their workplace in 2023 than in 2022 (32.0% vs 39.1%). Workplace assessments improved in the 2023 survey; however, planned departure rates, abusive or violent events, and unsafe conditions remained high, and understaffing remained a primary concern. Findings of this study suggest that improved working conditions are likely to promote nurse retention; health system leaders and policymakers should prioritize initiatives that support nurse retention and reduce potential workforce instability.

Read More

AI and health insurance prior authorization: Regulators need to step up oversight

08/10/24 at 03:30 AM

AI And Health Insurance Prior Authorization: Regulators Need To Step Up OversightHealth Affairs; by Carmel Shachar Amy Killelea Sara Gerke; 7/24Artificial intelligence (AI)—a machine or computer’s ability to perform cognitive functions—is quickly changing many facets of American life, including how we interact with health insurance. AI is increasingly being used by health insurers to automate a host of functions, including processing prior authorization (PA) requests, managing other plan utilization management techniques, and adjudicating claims. In contrast to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) increasing attention to algorithms used to guide clinical decision making, there is relatively little state or federal oversight of both the development and use of algorithms by health insurers.

Read More

Kidney transplant outcomes from deceased donors who received dialysis

08/10/24 at 03:25 AM

Kidney Transplant Outcomes From Deceased Donors Who Received DialysisJAMA Network; by Yumeng Wen, Sherry G Mansour, Nityasree Srialluri, David Hu, Heather Thiessen Philbrook, Isaac E Hall, Mona D Doshi, Sumit Mohan, Peter P Reese, Chirag R Parikh; 5/24Are kidneys from deceased donors who underwent dialysis prior to kidney donation associated with adverse graft outcomes in kidney transplant recipients compared with kidneys from deceased donors who did not undergo dialysis? Compared with recipients of kidneys from deceased donors who did not undergo dialysis, receiving kidneys from deceased donors who underwent dialysis prior to donation was associated with a higher incidence of delayed graft function, but no difference in graft failure or death at longer-term follow-up.

Read More

Improving pain self-management among rural older adults with cancer

08/10/24 at 03:20 AM

Improving Pain Self-Management Among Rural Older Adults With CancerJAMA Network; by Megan J Shen, Tammy Stokes, Sarah Yarborough, Jill Harrison; 7/24Is the adapted version of Cancer Health Empowerment for Living without Pain (CA-HELP) feasible, acceptable, and able to improve pain outcomes among older adults with cancer living in rural settings? Study results highlight a potentially low-cost, low-burden intervention designed to improve pain communication and reduce pain severity and pain misconceptions among older adults with cancer in rural settings.

Read More

Managing medications among individuals with mild cognitive impairment and dementia: Patient-caregiver perspectives

08/10/24 at 03:15 AM

Managing medications among individuals with mild cognitive impairment and dementia: Patient-caregiver perspectivesJournal of the American Geriatrics Society, by Rachel O'Conor, Andrea M Russell, Allison Pack, Dianne Oladejo, Sarah Filec, Emily Rogalski, Darby Morhardt, Lee A Lindquist, Michael S Wolf; 7/24With changing cognitive abilities, individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia face challenges in successfully managing multidrug regimens. We sought to understand how individuals with MCI or dementia and their family caregivers manage multidrug regimens and better understand patient-to-caregiver transitions in medication management responsibilities. To ease medication management transitions, balance must be sought between preservation of older adult autonomy and early family caregiver involvement. Clinicians should work to initiate conversations with family caregivers and individuals living with MCI or dementia about transitioning medication responsibilities as memory loss progresses, simplify regimens, and deprescribe, as appropriate.

Read More

Social isolation changes and long-term outcomes among older adults

08/10/24 at 03:10 AM

Social isolation changes and long-term outcomes among older adultsJAMA Network Open; by Chen Lyu, Katherine Siu, Ian Xu, Iman Osman, Judy Zhong; 7/24Is social isolation change associated with long-term outcomes in older adults? In this cohort study using a national longitudinal health survey of 13 649 adults aged 50 years or older in the US, data revealed that increased isolation was associated with an increased risk of mortality, disability, and dementia. Decreased isolation was associated with a lower risk of mortality only among individuals who were non-isolated at baseline. These results underscore the importance of interventions targeting the prevention of increased isolation among older adults to mitigate its adverse effects on mortality, as well as physical and cognitive function decline.

Read More

Recognising dying in motor neurone disease: a scoping review

08/10/24 at 03:10 AM

[UK] Recognising dying in motor neurone disease: a scoping reviewPalliative Medicine; by Elizabeth Abbey, Maimoona Ali, Matthew Cooper, Paul Taylor, Catriona R Mayland; 8/24Dying in motor neurone disease is associated with patterns of symptoms and signs, however evidence is limited compared with other terminal conditions and requires further exploration. The characteristic sudden and unpredictable terminal decline is a key barrier to recognition of dying by healthcare professionals. Dyspnoea, anxiety and pain were the most common symptoms associated with the dying phase. Worsening respiratory function, the development of specific new symptoms and deteriorating symptom control suggested approaching death. No studies reported changes in vital signs or biomarkers associated with dying.

Read More

Four years and more than 200,000 deaths later: Lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic in US nursing homes

08/10/24 at 03:05 AM

Four Years And More Than 200,000 Deaths Later: Lessons Learned From The COVID-19 Pandemic In US Nursing HomesHealth Affairs; by R. Tamara Konetzka, David C. Grabowski, Vincent Mor; 7/24Nursing home residents and staff were disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, drawing attention to long-standing challenges of poor infection control, understaffing, and substandard quality of care in many facilities. Evolving practices and policies during the pandemic often focused on these challenges, with little effect. Despite the emergence of best practices to mitigate transmission of the virus, even the highest-quality facilities experienced outbreaks, indicating a larger systemic problem, rather than a quality problem at the facility level. Here we present a narrative review and discussion of the evolution of policies and practices and their effectiveness, drawing on evidence from the United States that was published during 2020–23.

Read More

Saturday newsletters

08/10/24 at 03:00 AM

Saturday newsletters focus on headlines and research - enjoy!

Read More

Start of the COVID-19 pandemic and palliative care unit utilization: a retrospective cohort study

08/10/24 at 03:00 AM

Start of the COVID-19 pandemic and palliative care unit utilization: a retrospective cohort studyJournal of Pain and Symptom Management; by Michael Bonares, Kalli Stilos, Madison Peters, Lise Huynh, Debbie Selby; 7/24Despite historically poor palliative care units (PCU)/hospice access, the COVID-19 pandemic created circumstances that may have enabled unprecedented utilization in individuals with non-cancer diagnoses in our cohort. This substantiates that so long as it is concordant with their goals, individuals with non-cancer diagnoses can have enhanced PCU/hospice utilization.

Read More

Today's Encouragement

08/10/24 at 03:00 AM

Sometimes I look back on my life and I am seriously impressed I am still alive.

Read More

Virtual reality for pain management in hospitalized patients with cancer: A randomized controlled trial

08/10/24 at 02:00 AM

Virtual reality for pain management in hospitalized patients with cancer: A randomized controlled trialCancer; by Hunter Groninger, Diana Violanti, Mihriye Mete; 4/24Among hospitalized adult patients with moderate-severe pain related to cancer and cancer therapies, VR provided more nonpharmacologic pain relief than active control and this benefit sustained long after conclusion of the intervention.

Read More

Today's Heartwarming Story [MHPCA Hospice in Corrections]

08/09/24 at 03:30 AM

Over the past decade, the Missouri Hospice and Palliative Care Association has trained hundreds of residents of Missouri state prisons to become hospice volunteers, providing comfort and companionship to terminally ill peers. The newest group recently completed training at Farmington Correctional Center. Volunteers develop skills in helping with daily activities, practicing empathy and active listening, and learning to recognize and respond to patients’ spiritual and emotional needs.

Read More

Ten-Minute VR Therapy Provides Sustained Pain Relief for Patients With Cancer

08/09/24 at 03:00 AM

Ten-Minute VR Therapy Provides Sustained Pain Relief for Patients With CancerPhysician's Weekly; 8/7/24A new study suggests virtual reality pain relief interventions may be effective at reducing pain in hospitalized populations with cancer. Virtual reality (VR) provides pain relief in various health settings, but few studies investigate its impact on hospitalized patients with cancer. A recent study in Cancer intends to fill that gap. The researchers completed a randomized control trial in which patients received a VR pain relief intervention or a 2D alternative. While both provided pain relief, the VR intervention was more effective. The researchers also found that pain relief lasted up to 24 hours after the intervention. “Virtual reality is a relatively new, rapidly developing technology that has capabilities to influence the patient experience in innovative ways,” said Hunter Groninger, MD, in an interview. Dr. Groninger is the director of Palliative Care at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, where the study was conducted, and a professor of medicine at Georgetown University.

Read More

Hundreds of rural hospitals may face closure: report

08/09/24 at 03:00 AM

Hundreds of rural hospitals may face closure: reportModern Healthcare; by Mari Devereaux; 8/6/24Around 700 rural hospitals are at risk of closing, with more than half of those at a high risk of closing in the next several years due to steep debt levels and low revenue, according to a recent report from the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform. Twelve rural hospitals have closed since the start of 2023 as a result of severe financial issues, and 28 eliminated inpatient services in order to qualify for higher pay under the rural emergency hospital program, the July report said. The closures and loss of inpatient services have had detrimental impacts on vulnerable rural communities, in many cases eliminating jobs and causing patients to lose access to chemotherapy, surgery and obstetrics-gynecology services, experts say.

Read More

Local hospice and palliative care center starts virtual reality (VR) program to better patient experience

08/09/24 at 03:00 AM

Local hospice and palliative care center starts virtual reality program to better patient experienceKYMA (Yuma, AZ); by Danyelle Burke North; 8/6/24The Southwestern Palliative Care and Hospice is bringing a new virtual reality experience program to its center. They added the Oculus VR device to their program to better their hospice and palliative patient experience. They say it provides a therapeutic escape and a way for patients to digitally see new environments without needing to leave their bed.

Read More

Executive Personnel Changes - 8/9/24

08/09/24 at 03:00 AM

Executive Personnel Changes - 8/9/24

Read More

CVS launches $2B in cost cuts, Aetna president out

08/09/24 at 03:00 AM

CVS launches $2B in cost cuts, Aetna president outModern Healthcare; by Fiona Rutherford; 8/7/24CVS Health Corp. lowered its 2024 earnings outlook for the third straight quarter and announced cost-cutting measures to save $2 billion over several years as healthcare expenses continue to soar. The company also announced the departure of Brian Kane, who took the helm as the president of the Aetna insurance unit just under a year ago. CVS Chief Executive Officer Karen Lynch and Chief Financial Officer Tom Cowhey will temporarily take over his duties during the search for a successor. CVS is slashing spending and streamlining operations as its insurance arm faces pressure from rising US medical costs. Aetna accounts for about a third of the company’s revenue, but its struggles this year are largely to blame for a downturn in earnings and slump in the stock price.

Read More

Jelly Roll stops concert to help ‘cancer survivor’ find better seat

08/09/24 at 03:00 AM

Jelly Roll stops concert to help ‘cancer survivor’ find better seatYahoo!Entertainment; by Erin Carlson; 8/5/24When Jelly Roll spotted a woman at his concert using an IV drip, he pointed her out from the stage. “I've seen a lot of crazy s—t at my shows. But this young lady is out here with a full-blown IV," the country star (real name Jason Bradley DeFord) declared while performing at the Tailgates N’ Tallboys festival in Midland, Michigan in late July. In footage uploaded on TikTok, the woman told Jelly Roll, 39, that she’s a “cancer survivor.” After hearing this, he turned to his team and said, “Let’s get her a chair” to watch the rest of the show. He then looked at the fan standing in the crowd and assured, “We'll get you off your feet, baby. OK?” ... But while his career takes off, he has been known to make time for fans battling cancer. In July 2023, Taste of Country reported that Jelly Roll met with 65-year-old Suzanne Durham, a Nashville-based hospice patient with lung cancer whose dying wish was to see him perform live. He gave Durham and her friends a private show...

Read More

Pennant’s home health, hospice growth ‘significantly ahead’ of prior expectations

08/09/24 at 03:00 AM

Pennant’s home health, hospice growth ‘significantly ahead’ of prior expectationsHome Health Care News; by Audrie Martin; 8/7/24The Pennant Group Inc. (Nasdaq: PNTG) leaders highlighted the company’s significant home health growth Tuesday. They also teased continued expansion in the East Coast and elsewhere. “We are thrilled to report record-breaking second quarter results as we continue to experience momentum across all our service lines and create meaningful growth opportunities for local leaders and teams,” Pennant CEO Brent Guerisoli said during the company’s second-quarter earnings call. “Our financial performance and growth trajectory reflect the consistent efforts we have applied to every aspect of our business through our five key focus areas: leadership development, clinical excellence, employee engagement, margin and growth.” The Pennant Group is a holding company based in Eagle, Idaho, with independent operating subsidiaries that provide health care services through 117 home health and hospice agencies and 54 senior living communities across 13 states.

Read More

R1 RCM to be acquired by TowerBrook and Clayton, Dubilier & Rice for $8.9 Billion

08/09/24 at 03:00 AM

R1 RCM to be acquired by TowerBrook and Clayton, Dubilier & Rice for $8.9 BillionTowerbrook press release; 8/1/24R1 RCM Inc. (NASDAQ: RCM) (“R1” or the “Company”), a leading provider of technology-driven solutions that transform the patient experience and financial performance of healthcare providers, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by investment funds affiliated with TowerBrook Capital Partners and Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, in an all-cash transaction with an enterprise value of approximately $8.9 billion.Publisher's note: Both TowerBrook and Clayton, Dubilier & Rice are active in the hospice private equity space.

Read More

Hospice care uplifts and encourages patients' families during difficult times

08/09/24 at 03:00 AM

Hospice care uplifts and encourages patients' families during difficult timesWLOS (NC); 8/6/24When a loved one becomes ill and needs extra assistance, it is vital for family members and caregivers to step up to the challenge. It is also important to find support that prioritizes what is important to the patient and their kin. Four Seasons, The Care You Trust, emphasizes that they are always “here for you,” but what does that mean? Learn the answer through the words of Larry Moore, who found the resources and guidance he needed from Four Seasons as he served as the primary caregiver for his mother, Joan, while she was living with dementia... That’s the highlight of my Four Seasons story. The care that they give the patient is phenomenal, but I think people expect that. What they don’t realize is the care Four Seasons gives to the family is equally as important. Don’t pass up the opportunity to ask them for help.”

Read More

Tenet to sell majority stake in 5 hospitals in $910M deal

08/09/24 at 03:00 AM

Tenet to sell majority stake in 5 hospitals in $910M dealModern Healthcare; by Caroline Hudson; 8/5/24Tenet Healthcare is selling its majority stake in Brookwood Baptist Health to Florida-based Orlando Health in a $910 million cash deal. The transaction is expected to close this fall and involves five Alabama hospitals: Brookwood Baptist Medical Center, Princeton Baptist Medical Center, Walker Baptist Medical Center, Shelby Baptist Medical Center and Citizens Baptist Medical Center, as well as affiliated physician practices and other operations, according to a Monday news release.

Read More

Enhabit walks away from UnitedHealthcare after ‘9 months of unsuccessful negotiations’

08/09/24 at 03:00 AM

Enhabit walks away from UnitedHealthcare after ‘9 months of unsuccessful negotiations’Home Health Care News; by Joyce Famakinwa;8/7/24Staying on course with its payer innovation strategy, Enhabit Inc. (NYSE: EHAB) has decided to walk away from certain Medicare Advantage (MA) payers – and namely UnitedHealth Group’s (NYSE: UNH) UnitedHealthcare. That decision, and the recent home health proposed payment rule, were top of mind for Enhabit leaders on Tuesday.

Read More