Literature Review

To guard themselves from sanctions, home health agencies need to invest in QAPI programs, NAHC experts say McKnights Home Care; by Adam Healy; 5/22/24 To protect themselves against the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ compliance enforcement mechanisms, home care providers must focus on quality assessment and performance improvement (QAPI) programs, experts at the National Association for Home Care & Hospice said during a webinar. ... Earlier this month, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released updates to its enforcement remedies and alternative sanctions for home health and hospice agencies. These remedies and sanctions may be imposed in lieu of termination for providers with condition-level deficiencies. They include civil money penalties, payment suspensions, temporarily-appointed management, directed plans of correction or in-service training.

How palliative care is changing in today’s health care environment Hospice News; by Molly Bookner; 5/29/24 As the palliative care field continues to grow and transform, understanding the current trends, outlook, relevant challenges and necessary skills for future leaders is critical. Two significant trends impacting the field of palliative care currently, according to experts, are the expansion of services and the integration of technology, particularly artificial intelligence (AI). Dr. Vicki Jackson, board president of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM), noted that palliative care has demonstrated a positive impact on patient-reported outcomes across various illnesses, including cancer, heart, liver, kidney disease and dementia. 

NHPCO speaks out on 2025 Proposed Medicare Hospice Rates Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 5/28/24 The proposed 2.6% payment increase for hospices is insufficient in today’s economic climate, the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) indicated in comments on the 2025 proposed payment rule. ... [Read more for multiple issues addressed.] ... For 2025, the hospice industry group also asked CMS to reconsider the proposed payment rate based on more recent data. ... “It is important to note that hospices, unlike certain other provider types, are at the mercy of these rate updates with no means to address inaccuracies in the market basket forecast. This results in payment rates that are not accurately aligned with the costs faced by hospice providers,” NHPCO indicated. 

Hospice CAHPS scores updated 5/22/24CMS CAHPS® website; multiple updates posted 5/22/24 CMS has posted numerous CAHPS® Hospice Survey updates. Click on the title's link to access the CMS site. Click on "Care Compare Reporting Updates" or the following 5/22/24 updates:

Publicly traded hospice companies poised for dealsHospice News; by Jim Parker; 5/24/24The nation’s publicly traded hospice companies are primed for more acquisitions after a 2023 slump, fueled by census and growth. Transaction volume declined in the hospice and home-based care space in 2023, following the two record-breaking prior years. [Examples include:]

Bereavement care, often an ‘afterthought,’ should be public health priority Healio; by Jennifer Byrne; 5/26/24 Health care institutions and their staffs must take action to ensure bereavement care shifts from “an afterthought to a public health priority,” according to a position paper published in The Lancet Public Health. Bereavement support often is considered part of palliative care; however, there often is a lack of continuity of care for bereaved individuals after a person dies in palliative or end-of-life care settings, the paper’s authors contend. Healio spoke with [co-author Wendy G. Lichtenthal,PhD] about what bereavement care encompasses, why it should be prioritized and how institutions can support grieving individuals who may require assistance.

Palliative care and harm reduction: Improving outcomes for patients with cancer, substance use disorderPharmacy Times; by Alexandra Gerlach; 5/24/24Pain management and substance use disorder (SUD) present unique challenges for patients with cancer. At the 2024 Society of Pain and Palliative Care (SPPCP) Virtual Conference, presenters Sachin Kale, MD, MBOE, and Kyle Quirk, PharmD, discussed challenges related to limited training of health care professionals (HCPs) in the management of patients with cancer-related pain and SUD. They highlight a need for a more comprehensive medical model that incorporates harm reduction strategies in palliative care and fosters a patient-centric approach to treatment.

Caring for an aging US population—the good news and the bad newsJAMA Health Forum; by Stuart M. Butler; 5/23/24The US is a rapidly aging society. The proportion of the population older than the retirement age is increasing, and more people will reach very old age. The proportion of people older than 65 years of age is projected to increase from 18% today to 23% by 2054, with the number of individuals older than 100 years of age quadrupling. This trend poses enormous challenges for the health care system and the social structure of the US. For instance, aging is associated with loss of social connections, which is linked to accelerating mental and physical deterioration, including dementia. Caring for very old people with dementia and other chronic conditions is costly, compounded by a desperate shortage of care workers. In 2023, the yearly average cost was more than $116 000 for a private room at a nursing home and the cost was more than $75 000 for a home health aide. Affordable housing options continue to be in short supply. Community and health service organizations are bracing for a major increase in older people experiencing homeless, especially among those with dementia and mental illness. An increasing number of older people may have to move into Medicaid-financed nursing homes as their private resources are depleted, which would also place increasing strain on state and federal budgets. However, there is some good news regarding innovations in health care, technology, and housing...

Would an 'unbossed' culture work in healthcare? Becker's Hospital Review; by Madeline Ashley; 5/24/24 The workforce has seen an influx of changes and trends come and go in a post-pandemic world, with more employees taking the reins and standing up for new, flexible ways to get their jobs done. One such trend catching on lately is the "unbossed culture." The term describes a work environment wherein management assumes more of a leadership role than a supervisor role. The hands-off approach makes for fewer check-ins, allowing employees to have more ownership over how they tackle and complete their tasks. While this new workforce trend spreads across multiple industries, the glaring question remains, "Would an unbossed culture work in healthcare?" 

Stoneridge Hospice expands services with launch of palliative care branch in Scottsdale, Arizona KNWA Fox24; by EIN Presswire; 5/26/24Stoneridge Hospice ... is proud to announce the establishment of its newest branch offering palliative care services in Scottsdale, Arizona. ... This new agency will offer a range of palliative care services, including pain and symptom management, emotional and spiritual support, coordination of care, and assistance with advanced care planning.

What AccentCare’s clinicians wanted from the company’s AI implementationHome Health Care News; by Joyce Famakinwa; 5/23/24Like many others, AccentCare has embraced artificial intelligence. However, the company wasn’t satisfied with implementing generative AI and looping in its clinicians afterwards. Instead, the company made its nurses a part of this process from the start. “It’s our philosophy at AccentCare that we don’t make changes to clinical practice without having a conversation with the people who are delivering clinical care,” Tracy Dent, vice president of clinical operations at AccentCare, told Home Health Care News. “They’re the people who are delivering care at the bedside. We want to make sure they have a voice in decisions that are going to impact their ability to do so.”Editor's Note: Pair this with another article in today's newsletter, "Three ways to communicate with Gen-Z—and why it’s important."

Three ways to communicate with Gen-Z—and why it’s importantForbes; by Clarissa Windham-Bradstock; 5/28/24"It’s not what you said, it’s how you said it!" ... Gen-Z (born 1996-2015) is leading the charge on this one, according to a new Gallup survey. ... They want to hear full transparency. ... How to Speak Gen-Z: ...

US News adds Medicare Advantage data to rankingsBecker's Hospital Review; by Laura Dyrda; 5/22/24U.S. News & World Report is now including Medicare Advantage data in the rankings for Best Hospitals, according to a U.S. News blog post. The publication previously relied on Medicare data, but as more beneficiaries opt for commercial Medicare Advantage plans, U.S. News decided to expand its scope. The next set of rankings, scheduled for publication on July 16, will include risk-adjusted mortality rates for Medicare Advantage beneficiaries in 11 adult specialties. U.S. News weighted mortality scores at 36% of the overall ratings with traditional Medicare data. The weight will shift with the combined mortality score from both Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans.