Literature Review

Optum closing clinics, laying off 500+ Becker's Health IT; by Jakob Emerson; 7/25/24 Optum is closing clinics in multiple states and laying off 524 employees across California. According to regulatory documents filed July 18, the UnitedHealth Group company will terminate the California employees from Sept. 16 through January 2025 at clinic and administrative office locations in Hayward, Glendora, Montbello, Covina, Pasadena, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Irvine, Beaumont, Redlands, Highland, El Segundo, and Cerritos. The layoffs include some remote employees in other states. At Optum California's corporate office in El Segundo, 64 individuals will be laid off. Another 157 employees will be laid off at an office in Cerritos.

Following the CrowdStrike outage, healthcare stresses the importance of prevention HealthCare Brew; by Cassie McGrath; 7/25/24... [The recent CrowdStrike outage] affected millions across all sorts of industries, from healthcare to travel. ... However, amid the chaos, what has largely gone untold are stories of the companies that emerged unscathed. And within those unaffected companies lies a lesson for others, according to Andrew Molosky, president and CEO of Tampa-based Chapters Health System. ... “We’ve really focused on business continuity, redundancies, safety nets, and understanding of the difference between cybersecurity as a task and cybersecurity as a cultural commitment of your organization,” Molosky said. ... These investments, Molosky said, included protocols for documenting on paper, using a backup application that provides patient information when electronic medical records and other systems are offline, and allowances for bringing in personal devices to use if company devices go down. 

Hospice market surge: Expected to hit $182.1 billion by 2033 Market.us Media; by Trishita Deb; 7/29/24 The global hospice market is projected to grow significantly from USD 72.8 billion in 2023 to around USD 182.1 billion by 2033, achieving a CAGR of 9.6%. This expansion is primarily driven by an aging population requiring increased palliative and end-of-life care. The demographic shift necessitates services that address chronic illnesses and provide compassionate care, predominantly offered by hospices. Additionally, technological advancements, particularly in telemedicine, facilitate broader access to comprehensive care, especially in remote areas. Interdisciplinary approaches in palliative care are also pivotal, involving collaborative efforts from doctors, nurses, social workers, and chaplains. This holistic method not only enhances the quality of care but also boosts patient and family satisfaction, key metrics in healthcare evaluations. 

Loss of a loved one early in life may accelerate aging: StudyThe Hill - Health Care; by Miranda Nazzaro; 7/29/24 The experience of losing a loved one early in life could make a person age faster, according to a new study published Monday in the Journal of the American Medical Association. ... Losing a parent or sibling early in life can often be traumatic, causing mental health or cognitive issues, higher risks of heart disease and earlier mortality, researchers noted, adding repeated losses can increase the likelihood of heart disease, dementia or mortality. ... “Future research should focus on finding ways to reduce disproportionate losses among vulnerable groups. For those who experience loss, providing resources for coping and addressing the trauma is essential.”Editor's Note: Click here for the study, "Familial Loss of a Loved One and Biological Again: NIMHD Social Epigenomics Program." Calling all executive leaders who decide staffing and resources for your hospice's bereavement services: examine the long-term mission of your bereavement services for (1) children and teens, (2) young adults, (3) persons with racial and ethnic disparities. 

‘Good’ death different for everyone Altoona Mirror, Altoona, PA; 7/26/24 The social and economic inequities patients suffer in life often shapes their death” was a key point of a July 13-14 article in the Review section of the Wall Street Journal. ... In the article, which was written by Dr. Sunita Puri, a palliative care physician and the author of “That Good Night: Life and Medicine in the Eleventh Hour,” Puri focuses on the conundrum many families face when dealing with the question of where to spend the final days of life. ... “New research classifies the rise in home deaths as progress,” the message immediately under the article’s headline begins, “but we need to look more closely at what these deaths look like.” ... Puri, now 10 years into her physician career, says it is now clear to her that there is much more to a “good” death than where it occurs. “Presuming a home death is a success obscures important questions about the process,” she wrote. “Did this person die comfortably? Did their caregivers have the resources and guidance they needed? Was dying at home a choice or simply the only option?” 

Despite past storms’ lessons, LTC residents again left powerless: How a long-term care facility prepares for and handles power outages is one of the first questions potential residents should ask KFF Health News - Rethinking65; by Sandy West; 7/29/24 ... Even after multiple incidents of extreme weather — including a 2021 Texas winter storm that caused widespread blackouts and prompted a U.S. Senate investigation — not much has changed for those living in long-term care facilities when natural disasters strike in Texas or elsewhere. ... [While] nursing homes face such federal oversight, lower-care-level facilities that provide some medical care — known as assisted living — are regulated at the state level, so the rules for emergency preparedness vary widely. ... Editor's Note: While this article is written for the public, its content applies to all hospices that (1) provide hospice facility care, and/or (2) partner with senior care facilities: nursing homes, long-term care, assisted living, senior living communities, and PACE. This can be an important QAPI analysis and gap improvement. 

Governor’s Invitational Golf Classic raises money for Central Wyoming Hospice Oil City News, Casper, WY; by Tommy Culkin; 7/26/24 On Friday, dozens of golfers took part in the 11th annual Governor’s Invitational Golf Classic, one of the biggest fundraisers of the year for Central Wyoming Hospice. All proceeds raised from the tournament will be used to ensure as many people receive hospice care as possible, Central Wyoming Hospice Executive Director Kilty Brown said. “The money will primarily be going back to our hospice homes,” Brown said. “We have 14 beds that are open to the public, and anyone can come in, whether they have insurance or a way to pay or not.” Brown estimated that the event will bring in upwards of $70,000 ... 

New proposed federal legislation takes aim at concerns regarding perceived “looting” of health care systems by private equity investors JDSupra - Epstein Becker Green; by Melissa Jampol, Enrique Miranda, Kathleen Premo; 7/26/24On June 11, 2024, U.S. Senators Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren from Massachusetts, introduced proposed legislation titled The Corporate Crimes Against Health Care Act (“CCAHCA”), aimed at addressing a perceived “looting” of health care systems by for profit private equity investors. According to Sen. Warren, the bill was introduced to “root out corporate greed and private equity abuse in the health care system,” “prevent exploitative private equity practices,” and to specifically ensure that actions such as “looting” do not happen again by addressing trigger events and targeting real estate investment trusts. ... Finally, the CCAHCA would require health care entities, including, but not limited to:  ... a hospice program, a home health agency, ... to publicly report to the Secretary of Health and Human Services on an annual basis: (i) transactions entered into ... [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

Hiring, Covenant Care transaction propelling growth at Vitas Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 7/25/24 Vitas Healthcare, a subsidiary of Chemed Corp., is reaping the benefits of this recent $85 million purchase of Covenant Health and Community Services hospice business, along with one assisted living facility location. The deal is structured as an asset purchase, which allows the buyer to assume liability for assets included in the transaction. It also brought Vitas into the Alabama market and expands its geographic footprint in Florida and marked the company’s entry into the assisted living space. This is Vitas’ first deal in several years, but more are likely on the way, according to Chairman and CEO Nick Westfall.

Skagit Regional Health nurses five months into contract negotiations Skagit Valley Herald, Mount Vernon, WA; 7/27/24 Nurses at Skagit Regional Health have been negotiating a new contract for nearly five months. Their latest contract ended May 31. The contract covers more than 600 registered nurses at Skagit Valley Hospital, its clinics and at Hospice of the Northwest, said Skagit Regional Health nurse Liz Rainaud, who is the local chair of the nurses' union, the Washington State Nurses Association. She said the nurses at Skagit Regional are the lowest paid in the region. During the most recent negotiating session July 9, tentative agreements were made on items such as bonus shifts, shift rotation, calculation of shift differential and sick leave accumulation. 

Edinburgh 2024: "One Sugar, Stirred to the Left" guest blog BroadwayWorld, UK; by Jon Lawrence / Kat Mokrynski; 7/27/24 Jon Lawrence guest blogs for BroadwayWorld about bringing One Sugar, Stirred to the Left to the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. ... "The play is set in a hospice like the one my father was in before he passed away. I wanted to change people’s ideas of what a hospice is. For me, I learned more about life and love in the hospice than I did about death, such was the kindness and compassion of those who worked there. But I also wanted the show to ask people to think about different approaches to death, such as those from other cultures." ... "Hopefully, you’ll find the same truth in humanity that I saw in the eyes of the nurses and doctors who cared for my father during his last days; Hopefully, you’ll find a little of the love I have for my mother and father in the lines. Most of all, I hope you see a little of yourself in all of the characters in the play. If you do, then it will have all been worth it." 

Humana to takeover 23 Walmart Health locations with new CenterWell senior care clinics. Here's where Louisville Courier Journal; by Olivia Evans; 7/25/24 Humana, the Louisville-based health insurance giant, has announced its health care services branch of the company, CenterWell, will open 23 senior primary care centers in Walmart Supercenters. The centers will operate under the CenterWell Senior Primary Care and Conviva Care Centers brand names, according to a press release from Humana.

Hospice of the Ozarks accepting submissions for Pet Peace of Mind Calendar Contest KTLO.com; by Staff; 7/27/24 Hospice of the Ozarks is holding its annual contest to benefit the program supporting the bond between hospice patients and their pets. There is still time to enter a photo submission for the Pet Peace of Mind Calendar Contest. ...Pet Peace of Mind is a national program the staff at Hospice of the Ozarks has been proud to be associated with for more than 10 years. ... Calendars are expected to be available in October. The cost for the 2025 calendar will be $10.Editor's Note: Typically, we do not post hospice fundraisers until results are complete. (Typically, you--our readers--will not be attend or contribute to events in process.) However, we post this fundraiser as an example of exceptionally creative, fun, meaningful initiative that focuses on the organization's patients, families, and community. These photo calendars are sure to be keepsakes for years ahead. Click here for Hospice of the Ozarks' 2025 Calendar Contest information. Click here for Pet Peace of Mind.