Literature Review
Highlighting Nurses Week: From aerospace manufacturing to health care, this hospice nurse found his true calling
05/06/24 at 02:00 AMFrom aerospace manufacturing to health care, this hospice nurse found his true callingSt. Louis Post-Dispatch; by Dana Fouchia; 5/1/24 Kevin Ross didn’t start out in health care. Far from it. With a degree in computer science, Ross was using his talents working for an aerospace manufacturer. When a friend’s mother, who was a nurse, encouraged him to find a job that brought him joy, he not only listened to her, he also found his life’s calling. “I’ve come to conclude that eventually we need to take care of each other, and we’ve got to keep that in mind when we have our complaints every day,” Ross said. ...Editor's Note: We celebrate Kevin and the many hospice and palliative nurses who--like Kevin--find joy in their chosen work. Honoring Nurses Week, May 6-12, 2024!
Cigna Medicare Advantage sale advances as company raises outlook
05/06/24 at 02:00 AMCigna Medicare Advantage sale advances as company raises outlook Modern Healthcare; by Lauren Berryman; 5/2/24 Cigna Group has taken a big step forward to exit the Medicare Advantage business, a strategy that may pay off given industry headwinds. ... The deal, announced in January for $3.3 billion, is on track to close in the first quarter of 2025, he said. Medicare Advantage carriers, including heavyweights CVS Health and Humana, are battling pressures related to higher medical costs, heightened regulatory scrutiny and slower enrollment growth.
Patients, caregivers more willing to spend extra for home-based care, study finds
05/06/24 at 02:00 AMPatients, caregivers more willing to spend extra for home-based care, study finds McKnights Home Care; by Adam Healy; 4/30/24 [According to a new study published in JAMA Network Open:] ... On average, respondents were willing to spend an extra $51.81 for care that takes place in the home, compared to facility-based care such such as that in a skilled nursing facility. They were also more willing to pay more for care that can reduce their recovery time or reduce caregivers’ burden. Caregivers, meanwhile, also prioritized higher-quality care, even if it came with a heftier price tag.
Tenet adds 45 ASCs, sells 9 hospitals in Q1
05/06/24 at 02:00 AMTenet adds 45 ASCs, sells 9 hospitals in Q1Becker's Hospital CFO Report; by Alan Condon; 5/1/24 In the first quarter, Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare sold nine hospitals while its outpatient business United Surgical International Partners acquired 45 ambulatory surgery centers and added 32 service lines. Tenet has increased the number of ASCs in its portfolio to 512 and decreased the number of hospitals it operates to 49, highlighting the company's expectation that its ASC business will drive long-term growth as care continues to shift from inpatient to outpatient settings. Tenet posted a net income of $2.2 billion in the first quarter — up from $143 million in the same period last year — and aims to spend about $250 million a year on ASC mergers and acquisitions.
Sunday newsletters focus on headlines and top read stories of the last week (in order) - enjoy!
05/05/24 at 03:00 AMSunday newsletters focus on headlines and top read stories of the last week (in order) - enjoy!
Today's Encouragement: Preservation of one's own culture ...
05/05/24 at 03:00 AMPreservation of one's own culture does not require contempt or disrespect for other cultures. — Cesar ChavezEditor's Note: Happy Cinco de Mayo!
Drug discount program is exploiting poor patients while corporate giants profit
05/05/24 at 02:55 AMDrug discount program is exploiting poor patients while corporate giants profit Minnesota Reformer; by David Balto; 4/26/24 ... The federal 340B drug discount program was created three decades ago to help economically vulnerable Americans access affordable prescription medications and providers in underserved areas expand and improve services. Under the program, drug companies participating in Medicaid — known in Minnesota as Medical Assistance — provide sizeable discounts as high as 50% to these ‘safety net’ health care facilities. ... Unfortunately, over time, the tens of billions of dollars flowing through this program have proven irresistible to for-profit corporate entities, including giant health systems and big box chain pharmacies — and there is no guarantee those discounts are reaching patients.
Quality in Motion: Acting on the CMS National Quality Strategy
05/05/24 at 02:50 AMQuality in Motion: Acting on the CMS National Quality Strategy CMS - Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; 4/22/24In 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) launched the CMS National Quality Strategy (NQS), a plan aimed at improving the quality and safety of health care for everyone, with a special focus on people from underserved and under-resourced communities. ... The CMS National Quality Strategy has four priority areas, each with two goals. This action plan provides details on how CMS is putting these eight goals into action.
End-of-life and palliative care for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, or another diverse gender identity older adults
05/05/24 at 02:45 AMEnd-of-life and palliative care for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, or another diverse gender identity older adultsClinics in Geriatric Medicine; by Evie Kalmar MD, MS, Jeffrey Mariano MD; 5/24Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, or another diverse gender identity (LGBTQ+) people are more likely to have alternative family structures. It is important to engage in advance care planning to understand their values, clarify surrogate decision makers, and contribute to goal-concordant care at the end of life. Clinicians can follow recommendations in this article to ensure they are providing LGBTQ-inclusive palliative and hospice care.
Signify Health President: ‘We’re just scratching the surface’ on what can be done in the home
05/05/24 at 02:40 AMSignify Health President: ‘We’re just scratching the surface’ on what can be done in the home Home Health Care News; by Andrew Donlan; 4/26/24 Signify Health was purchased by CVS Health for $8 billion in March 2023. Now, it’s one of the core tenants of CVS Healthspire, the health care services segment that CVS executives are banking on to drive future growth for the company. Paymon Farazi, the president of Signify Health, recently joined Home Health Care News’ Disrupt podcast to talk about Signify’s direction over a year after the CVS deal was closed, how the company could work with traditional home-based care providers in the future and where Farazi sees Signify – and health care – headed in the near- and long-term future.
HHS issues new rule to strengthen nondiscrimination protections and advance Civil Rights in health care
05/05/24 at 02:35 AMHHS issues new rule to strengthen nondiscrimination protections and advance Civil Rights in health careHHS Press Office; 4/26/24Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule under Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) advancing protections against discrimination in health care. By taking bold action to strengthen protections against discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, and disability, this rule reduces language access barriers, expands physical and digital accessibility, tackles bias in health technology, and much more.
Hospice Claims Edits for Certifying Physicians
05/05/24 at 02:30 AMHospice Claims Edits for Certifying PhysiciansCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Related CR Release Date 4/18/24; Effective Date: 5/1/24; Implementation Date: 10/7/24Related CR Title: Additional Implementation Edits on Hospice Claims for Hospice Certifying Physician Medicare EnrollmentStarting May 1, 2024, we’ll deny hospice claims if the certifying physician, including hospice physician and hospice attending physician, isn’t on our PECOS hospice ordering and referring files. This addresses hospice program integrity and quality of care per Section 6405 of the Affordable Care Act.
E-book: "Combating loneliness in senior living residents: A call to action"
05/05/24 at 02:25 AME-book: "Combating loneliness in senior living residents: A call to action"McKnights Senior Living; 4/24/24Discover in [this] e-book:
Executive Personnel Changes - 5/3/24
05/05/24 at 02:20 AMExecutive Personnel Changes - 5/3/24
45 top healthcare workplaces for mental well-being: Newsweek
05/05/24 at 02:15 AM45 top healthcare workplaces for mental well-being: Newsweek Becker's Hospital Review; by Alexis Kayer, 4/22/24Newsweek has named 45 hospitals and health systems among its 750 greatest employers for mental well-being. The publication partnered with data researchers Plant-A to rank the top U.S. workplaces "making a positive difference in the mental wellness of their workers," according to a five-stage evaluation. ... Here are the 45 hospitals and health systems included on the list, excluding organizations that exclusively provide long-term, hospice, rehabilitative and medical care, or staffing and management services: [Click on the title's link for the list.]Editor's Note: Is your organization on the list? Or perhaps a colleague's organization? Forward this to them with your congratulations! Invite them to join our newsletter for free at www.HospicePalliativeCareToday.com/registration.
Examining how improper payments cost taxpayers billions and weaken Medicare and Medicaid
05/05/24 at 02:10 AMExamining how improper payments cost taxpayers billions and weaken Medicare and Medicaid HHS-OIG; by Christi A. Grimm, Inspector General, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 4/16/24 HHS Inspector General Christi A. Grimm Testifies Before the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations on April 16, 2024. IG Grimm briefs members on HHS-OIG's work to address improper payments in Medicare and Medicaid managed care programs. Click here to watch the testimony.
UK survey finds 65% of adults are worried about access to palliative care
05/05/24 at 02:05 AMUK survey finds 65% of adults are worried about access to palliative care Medical Xpress; by King's College London; 4/30/24 A survey commissioned by King's College London, and carried out by YouGov, has found that 65% of people across the U.K. are worried about access to palliative and end of life care, and 41% think there is too little NHS resource allocated to palliative care. The survey of 2,164 adults across the U.K. was commissioned by the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care at King's to explore people's knowledge and experiences of palliative and end of life care. ... Findings from the survey conducted in January 2024 show that nearly a quarter of people (24%) across the U.K. say they don't know much about or have not heard of palliative care, with disparities in knowledge between white and ethnic minority groups.
Measuring decision aid effectiveness for end-of-life care: A systematic review
05/05/24 at 02:00 AMMeasuring decision aid effectiveness for end-of-life care: A systematic reviewPEC Innovation; M. Courtney Hughes, Erin Vernon, Chinenye Egwuonwu, Oluwatoyosi Afolabi; 4/24A total of 715 articles were initially identified, with 43 meeting the inclusion criteria. Outcome measures identified included decisional conflict, less aggressive care desired, knowledge improvements, communication improvements, tool satisfaction, patient anxiety and well-being, and less aggressive care action completed. The majority of studies reported positive outcomes especially when the decision aid development included International Patient Decision Aid Standards.Publisher's note: Also by these co-authors, please see The effectiveness of community-based palliative care program components: A systematic review (Age and Ageing, 2023) and Measuring effectiveness in community-based palliative care programs: A systematic review (Social Science & Medicine, 2022).
Today's Encouragement: I wanted to run. I wanted to fly. ...
05/04/24 at 03:00 AMI wanted to run. I wanted to fly. I was cryin’. I wanted to tell the whole world who he was and what we had done with him, you know, and he was our horse. Other than when my four children and my grandchild was born, I’ve never been happier. You want to see the greatest, and the greatest of all races is the Kentucky Derby. That is the race, the Kentucky Derby, the Run for the Roses. - John Sosby, former manager of Claiborne Farm Editor's Note: Posted from Louisville, KY! (Home of Joy Berger, Editor-in-Chief)
Social Model Hospice: Providing hospice and palliative care for a homeless population in Salt Lake City, Utah
05/04/24 at 03:00 AMSocial Model Hospice: Providing hospice and palliative care for a homeless population in Salt Lake City, UtahJournal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing; by Francine Bench Jensen, PhD, RN; Deborah Thorpe, PhD, APRN; 4/24Abstract: Health care for the homeless population is a complex challenge and represents a significant gap in care, particularly for those at the end of life. Hospice care may be desired but is rarely an option for people without residences, social support, and payment sources. Social model hospice is a unique paradigm of care delivery that offers a viable solution to make hospice and palliative care possible for this population. ... Recommendations for establishing social model hospices are made: key strategies include identifying stakeholders dedicated to alleviating end-of-life homelessness needs, doing a formal needs assessment to identify community resource deficits, and forming mentoring relationships with established programs.
Saturday newsletters focus on headlines and research - enjoy!
05/04/24 at 03:00 AMSaturday newsletters focus on headlines and research - enjoy!
Association between opioid use disorder and palliative care: a cohort study using linked health administrative data in Ontario, Canada
05/04/24 at 02:55 AMAssociation between opioid use disorder and palliative care: a cohort study using linked health administrative data in Ontario, CanadaCMAJ; by Jenny Lau, Mary M. Scott, Karl Everett, Tara Gomes, Peter Tanuseputro, Sheila Jennings, Rebecca Bagnarol, Camilla Zimmermann and Sarina R. Isenbergl; 4/29/24Background: People with opioid use disorder (OUD) are at risk of premature death and can benefit from palliative care. We sought to compare palliative care provision for decedents with and without OUD.Conclusion: We identified important differences in palliative care provided at the end of life between people with and without OUD. People with OUD were less likely to receive palliative care despite accessing palliative care earlier, which may reflect their end-of-life illness trajectories and underlying structural vulnerability that may prompt them to receive palliative care primarily in acute care. Health care providers should receive training in palliative care and addiction medicine to support people with OUD.
Substance use disorders in hospice palliative care: A narrative review of challenges and a case for physician intervention
05/04/24 at 02:45 AMSubstance use disorders in hospice palliative care: A narrative review of challenges and a case for physician interventionCambridge University Press; by Lauren Rudy and Emilie Lacroix; 2/29/24Objectives: Substance use disorders (SUDs) are frequently encountered in hospice palliative care (HPC) and pose substantial quality-of-life issues for patients. However, most HPC physicians do not directly treat their patients’ SUDs due to several institutional and personal barriers. ...Results: ... Recommendations for physicians and training environments to address these challenges include developing familiarity with standardized SUD assessment tools and pain management practice guidelines, creating and disseminating visual campaigns to combat stigma, including SUD assessment and intervention as fellowship competencies, and obtaining additional training in psychosocial interventions.
An exploration of managing emotional labour and maintaining professional integrity in children's hospice nursing
05/04/24 at 02:35 AMAn exploration of managing emotional labour and maintaining professional integrity in children's hospice nursing International Journal of Palliative Nursing; by Mandy J Brimble, Sally Anstey, Jane Davies, Catherine Dunn; 4/17/24Aim: To investigate how children's hospice nurses manage emotional labour and professional integrity in their long-term relationships with parents. Findings: Three overarching, cross-cutting themes were identified—purposeful positioning; balancing personability and professionalism; coping with and counterbalancing emotional labour. All themes were indicative of and/or built upon emotional intelligence constructs, such as self-awareness, self-regulation, appropriate (managed) empathy, social skills and intrinsic motivation. Innate features of children's hospice work were important for perpetuating intrinsic motivation and satisfaction.
When a parent dies: A scoping review of protective and risk processes for childhood bereavement
05/04/24 at 02:30 AMWhen a parent dies: A scoping review of protective and risk processes for childhood bereavementDeath Studies; by Rebecca Hoppe, Marcia A. Winter, Chelsea D. William, and Irwin Sandler; 4/15/24Abstract: The death of a parent can have profound effects on child development. ... A scoping review was conducted in samples of parentally bereaved children to identify key processes, synthesize results, and determine research gaps. This scoping review identified 23 studies (mainly from the United States), published between 1990 and 2023, that reported child (ages 3–22 years) individual and/or environmental protective and/or risk processes that contributed to bereavement outcomes. Findings can be used to apprise clinicians, families, and policymakers of the unique nature of childhood bereavement and to identify malleable processes to target in interventions designed to prevent problematic outcomes in bereaved children.Funding: This work was supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development through the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award [F31HD110247].