Literature Review

HHS to impose penalties on providers that block patients’ health information McKnights Home Care; by Adam Healy; 6/24/24In a bid to promote easier access and exchange of patients’ health records, the Department of Health and Human Services published a final rule Monday outlining penalties for providers that block access to electronic health information. ... Fragmented and inaccessible patient data can prevent long-term and post-acute care providers from seeing the full picture of a patients’ health. Hospitals, for example, are not required to share updates about a patient’s health with the patient’s post-acute care provider. As a result, home health and home care agencies frequently cannot access patients’ electronic health records to help assess and treat patients. Three disincentives: ... First, hospitals that commit information blocking can be subject to a reduction of three quarters of an annual market basket update. Second, clinicians eligible for the Merit-based Incentive Payment System will receive a zero score in the “promoting interoperability performance” MIPS category, which can be equivalent to roughly a quarter of the clinician’s MIPS score in a given year. Lastly, providers that participate in information blocking can have their Medicare Shared Savings Program or Accountable Care Organization eligibility revoked for at least one year. ...Editor's Note: Almost any solution raises additional challenges. How does HIPAA interface with this? How might a cyberattack at a hospital (or other healthcare agency) affect the patients' other agencies, putting them at risk as well?

7 of the top tech and IT jobs in demand for the future TechTarget; by David Weldon; 6/24/24 Businesses of the future will rely on workers with IT skills even more than they do today. Find out which jobs might be most in demand and what those roles entail. ... Organizations are having to create new tech roles and redefine existing ones to manage the integration of AI and data into core business functions. Meanwhile, cybersecurity continues to be a top concern, as do digital transformation and cloud computing. These challenges are increasing the demand for job roles that merge technical expertise with strategic business acumen. ... So, what will be some of the hottest IT jobs of the future? ... Roles are listed in alphabetical order. 

Executive Personnel Changes - 6/21/24

Fixing the hospital-to-home health care transition Home Health Care News; by Andrew Donlan; 6/25/24 The transition between hospital discharge and home health care is often fraught with issues. Unfortunately, it also happens to be one of the most crucial parts of a patient’s care journey. With more sick and complex patients coming into home health care than ever, a swift start of home health care is also arguably more important than ever. ... The Discharge to Assess (D2A) Model was a response to this issue in England. The Supporting Older Adults at Risk (SOAR) program, following a similar framework to D2A, was also recently established in the U.S. A study of SOAR’s results within a pilot program in Pennsylvania was recently published in the Journal for Healthcare Quality.

Nonprofit hospice to add 12-bed inpatient floor at its Colorado Springs headquarters The Gazette, Colorado Springs, CO; by Debbie Kelley; 6/26/24 Pikes Peak Hospice & Palliative Care — which holds the titles of the region’s only nonprofit hospice and the only inpatient provider of end-of-life services — is adding 12 family suites for inpatient care at its headquarters in Colorado Springs. “The benefit of us being able to design something on our own is it removes that hospital-type setting and makes it a homelike experience,” said Andy Petersen, executive director of the Pikes Peak Hospice Foundation, the organization’s separate fundraising arm. “It’s going to be a great service for the community.” The first floor of the organization’s large two-story building at 2550 Tenderfoot Hill St. off Lake Avenue will undergo an $8.5 million renovation and be transformed into an Inpatient Care Center.

'We may not ever be fully staffed': Health system C-suites plan for the future Becker's Hospital Review - Leadership & Management; by Laura Dyrda; 6/24/24 After the pandemic, most healthcare leaders experienced a "great resignation" as workers left for other service industries and ever since health systems have been dealing with a lack of skilled labor to backfill the vacancies. "As we have realized we may not ever be fully staffed to the degree we were pre-COVID, we now must augment our existing workforce with technology that extends their capabilities," said Mark Moseley, MD, president of USF Tampa General Physicians and executive vice president of Tampa General Hospital. "This is a two-part challenge. First, we need to deploy technology thoughtfully with sound blocking and tackling, which is expensive in both time and capital. Second, we must train our workforce to use these new technologies to aid them in their daily responsibilities in a manner that does not diminish the ethos of why many of us went into healthcare: the interactions with patients and members of the healthcare team." Physicians and nurses can fall on a wide spectrum of excitement or distaste for incorporating technology into their practice. Some may find it impersonal and challenging to understand while others see it as a tool boosting their capacity. ... [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

‘Lot of work to be done’: What home health leaders expect from payment rulemaking in 2024Home Health Care News; by Joyce Famakinwa; 6/24/24 In recent years, home health care has faced relentless cuts from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). It has plagued the industry, but providers and advocates alike are still hopeful a light at the end of the tunnel is ahead. ... Home Health Care News recently caught up with PQHH CEO Joanne Cunningham and David Totaro, the president and executive director of Hearts for Home Care. ... [Cunningham said,] "I anticipate that what we will see, given CMS’s posture and prior rulemaking cycles, is the continuation of the policy that will put in place permanent cuts to the Medicare home health program. We’re bracing ourselves for an additional sizable permanent cut. We don’t know exactly what CMS has planned for the temporary cuts, otherwise known as the clawback cuts. We will certainly see, at a minimum, CMS identify what their new projected value of the temporary cuts are. ...

Delaware legislature passes Medical-Aid-in-Dying law CBS WBOC, DOver, DE; by Sean Curtis; 6/25/24 The Delaware State Senate is sending House Bill 140, or the End-of-Life Options Law, to Governor John Carney’s desk after passing it Tuesday [6/25/24]. ... Medical aid in dying would only be available to adult Delawareans diagnosed with an incurable disease or illness who have been given a prognosis of six months or less to live. The prognosis must come from at least two medical professionals, according to lawmakers. Advanced age, disability, mental illness, or chronic health conditions would not qualify a person, under the law. Those seeking medical aid in dying under HB 140 would need to demonstrate an ability to understand and grasp the consequences of their decision, as determined by a licensed psychiatrist or psychologist. ... It will now head to the Governor’s Office for Carney’s signature before becoming law, unless Carney chooses to veto the legislation. 

Nancy Streber Memorial Golf Classic continues record-breaking fundraising for McLaren Hospice The County Press, Davison, MI; 6/26/24 The 76th Annual Nancy Streber Memorial Golf Classic held May 11 at Heather Hills Golf Course near Romeo, raised more than $15,000 for McLaren Hospice’s end-of-life care services — breaking its fundraising record previously reached in 2023. The event, founded by Dave Streber and his family, honors the memory of his mother, Nancy, and the care her father received as a McLaren patient. In addition to the fundraising milestone, the event hosted 140, making it one of the largest, most successful events in the memorial outing’s history. “We are profoundly grateful for the 27 years of dedication from Dave Streber and his family, as well as the numerous organizations and all of individuals who have contributed to this event and supported McLaren Hospice over the years,” said Cindy Tomlinson, MSN, RN, vice president of hospice at McLaren Health Management Group.

UAB Health to acquire Ascension St. Vincent's Becker's Hospital Review; by Laura Dyrda; 6/25/24 The University of Alabama System's board of trustees unanimously approved an agreement to acquire Ascension St. Vincent's Health System. Birmingham-based UAB will assume ownership of all Ascension St. Vincent's care sites under the agreement, announced June 25. The transaction still needs approval from federal regulators and the Catholic Church. UAB and Ascension expect thes deal to close in the fall of 2024. "Patients will continue to have access to the healthcare services and providers they've come to trust and ultimately gain access to a larger care network," said Dawn Bulgarella, CEO of UAB Health System, in a news release. The two organizations have worked closely together in the past, launching UAB/Ascension St. Vincent's Alliance in 2020 to improve access to care. ... UAB Health, a $6.4 billion system, aims to strengthen hospitals in the state, especially as financial hardship has caused other hospitals nationwide to close.

Supporting the Sandwich Generation: Taking care of the caregiver The Examiner News, Mount Kisco, NY; by Mary K. Spengler; 6/25/24 Many Westchester residents struggle to find a balance between work and home responsibilities. Those who fall in the “sandwich generation,” typically qualified as those in their 30s or 40s, can find themselves with the unique role of bringing up their dependent children while also caring for their aging parents, all while juggling their careers. Multigenerational needs became even more pressing during the pandemic, with record numbers of adult children moving back home, younger children having to switch to virtual or hybrid learning and elderly parents needing new forms of care. Sandwich generation caregivers provide an important source of support and love to family members, and often experience feelings of satisfaction and meaning in their lives from being in this role. However, many also feel highly strained and overwhelmed due to the emotional, physical and financial burden weighing on them. Implementing positive strategies to better care for themselves while they care for others is imperative to combating caregiver burnout. ... Editor's Note: Mary K. Spengler is a registered nurse and social worker and serves as CEO of Hospice of Westchester.

Sometimes, it’s enough to just be there for someone in need. A quiet presence speaks volumes. A friend who volunteers for Hospice said, “Don’t just do something, sit there." - Julie Smith, in her "Dear grads ..." Commencement Speech

Risant Health plans to acquire North Carolina system Becker's Hospital Review; by Alan Condon; 6/24/24 Risant Health, a nonprofit formed under Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Greensboro, N.C.-based Cone Health. The news comes less than three months after Risant acquired its first health system, Danville, Pa.-based Geisinger Health. If the transaction closes, Cone Health will operate independently as a regional and community-based health system under Risant, which supports organizations with technology and services to improve outcomes and lower care costs in diverse business models.