Literature Review



Today's Encouragement: Let us never consider ourselves finished nurses ...

05/09/24 at 03:00 AM

Let us never consider ourselves finished nurses ... we must be learning all of our lives. - Florence Nightingale, 1820-1910Editor's Note: Executive leaders, what ongoing learning do you provide for your nurses? Do you simply give directives (which are important) or do you also foster the individual's curiosity, confidence, and increased competence? Whatever your hospice and palliative role, discipline, and education, may we ALL be learning, all of our lives. Celebrating National Nurses Week, May 6-12, 2024

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4 ways to mitigate breaches and security crises in healthcare

05/09/24 at 03:00 AM

4 ways to mitigate breaches and security crises in healthcare Health IT Answers; by Matt Betts and Carlos Estrada; 5/7/24 ... In this age of ransomware attacks and data breaches, organizations are turning to the experts in change management: healthcare services partners that have relevant experience with volatile contact volumes and strategies to best support these consumers. When evaluating a solutions partner, focus on these four areas to adequately assess a competitive edge:

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Caring for the Caregiver: A Guide for Home Care Providers

05/09/24 at 03:00 AM

Caring for the Caregiver: A Guide for Home Care Providers Forbes; by Joan Ekobena; 5/8/24This article proposes that nurturing the psychological and physical well-being of caregivers [employees] is essential. It’s not just a matter of ethical responsibility but a fundamental factor for maintaining quality care, promoting continuity of care and boosting employee retention. This can create a positive ripple effect, which can not only increase customer satisfaction but also boost business revenue. ... A recent decision by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) underscores the increasing awareness of the need to invest in caregiver wellness. Guides are listed as "Strategies for Supporting Caregiver Wellness and Mindset": ... [Note: "Caregiver" denotes employees who provide home care, not the family "caregiver" in the home.] 

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Fresno State honors three with honorary doctorates this commencement season: Nancy Hinds, founder of Hinds Hospice

05/09/24 at 03:00 AM

Fresno State honors three with honorary doctorates this commencement season: Nancy Hinds, founder of Hinds Hospice Fresno State News; 5/7/24Fresno State will award honorary doctorates to three individuals this year — advocate for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Robert R. Davila; Hinds Hospice founder Nancy Hinds; and Fresno arts proponent Lilia Gonzales-Chavez. ... Nancy Hinds is nationally and internationally recognized for her work with the terminally ill and as the founder of Hinds Hospice, a non-profit hospice and grief organization serving Fresno, Madera and Merced Counties. A 2021 Business Journal article said Hinds’ “name is synonymous with compassion and quality care.” Editor's Note: Read more of Nancy's life-story and profound contributions to hospice and palliative care. Congratulations Dr. Nancy Hinds!

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Spiritual distress, hopelessness, and depression in palliative care: Simultaneous concept analysis

05/09/24 at 03:00 AM

Spiritual distress, hopelessness, and depression in palliative care: Simultaneous concept analysisMDPI; by Helga Martins, Rita S. Silva, Joana Braganca, Joana Romeiro, and Silvia Caldeira; 5/7/24The results highlight that the three concepts are different but also share some overlapping points. Spiritual distress is embedded in the rupture of their spiritual/religious belief systems, a lack of meaning in life, and existential issues. Hopelessness is a sense of giving up and an inability to control and fix the patient’s situation. Finally, depression is a state of sadness with a multi-impaired situation. In conclusion, refining the three concepts in palliative care is essential since it promotes clarification and enhances knowledge development towards intervention.

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Opioid manufacturer Endo Health Solutions Inc. ordered to pay $1.536B in criminal fines and forfeiture for distributing misbranded opioid medication

05/09/24 at 03:00 AM

Ordered to pay $1.536B in criminal fines and forfeiture for distributing misbranded opioid medication Office of Public Affairs, U.S. Department of Justice; Press Release; 5/3/24Endo Health Solutions Inc. (EHSI) was ordered to pay $1.086 billion in criminal fines and an additional $450 million in criminal forfeiture — the second-largest set of criminal financial penalties ever levied against a pharmaceutical company —for violations of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act related to the distribution of the opioid medication Opana ER with INTAC (Opana ER). ...

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'Take Me Out Feet First' docuseries about end of life options debuts on Amazon Prime Video

05/09/24 at 03:00 AM

‘Take Me Out Feet First’ docuseries about end of life options debuts on Amazon Prime Video Variety; by Addie Morfoot; 5/7/24 In “Take Me Out Feet First,” a new docuseries now streaming on Amazon Prime Video, director Serene Meshel-Dillman chronicles people’s right to choose medical aid in dying. The six-part docuseries, made in partnership with the nonprofit advocacy organization Compassion & Choices, profiles 25 terminally ill people, their families, and friends, as well as experts in the medical field who advocate for MAID. The series chronicles people who have taken control of how their final days will play out. While some live in states where medical aid in dying is legal, some do not.

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Baptist Health settles False Claims allegations for $1.5M

05/09/24 at 03:00 AM

Baptist Health settles False Claims allegations for $1.5MBecker's Hospital Review; by Naomi Diaz; 5/7/24Jacksonville, FL-based Baptist Health has agreed to pay $1.5 million to address accusations of breaching the False Claims Act. The health system allegedly prompted its subsidiaries to provide discounts up to 50% or more to patients, aiming to incentivize them to acquire or recommend Baptist Health services covered by federal healthcare programs, according to a May 6 Justice Department news release. ... The Anti-Kickback Statute states that individuals in federal healthcare programs cannot get paid for sending others to receive healthcare for which the government pays. 

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Exploring grief: Cleveland Institute of Art student copes with loss through her paintings

05/09/24 at 02:15 AM

Exploring grief: Cleveland Institute of Art student copes with loss through her paintings FreshWater, Cleveland, OH; by Karin Connelly Rice; 5/8/24 Maddie Cantrell, 21, and a painting major at the Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA), grew up in the small town of Traveler’s Rest, South Carolina, with her grandparents, Alaine and Jim Sosebee, living just around the corner. ... Now a rising senior at CIA, Cantrell has found her art to be an outlet for coping with the sudden deaths of her grandparents. The result of her effort her exhibit is, “Living with Grief,” four paintings that illustrate the experience of living with grief, at Hospice of the Western Reserve’s The Elisabeth Severance Prentiss Bereavement Center, ... “My work is centered around having to grow up without [my grandparents] and making a bridge between where I exist and where they exist,” Cantrell explains of her works. “... How would I speak to them if I could? Or, how would we have a conversation, even though they're not here?” ...

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VA extends health coverage to family caregivers of patients who served

05/09/24 at 02:00 AM

VA extends health coverage to family caregivers of patients who served McKnights Home Care; by Adam Healy; 5/6/24As recognition grows nationally of the needs of unpaid caregivers, family members and caregivers of veterans soon will have more options to receive care through the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA).  Starting at the end of May, these caregivers will be granted new coverage for audio telehealth services, mental health care and [more]. ... Telehealth coverage is particularly important for caregiver beneficiaries living in rural areas, the VA noted.

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Over $293k bequeathed to Valley Hospice by former Marshall County educator

05/08/24 at 03:00 AM

Over $293k bequeathed to Valley Hospice by former Marshall County teacher The Intelligencer, Wheeling News-Register; by Shelley Hanson; 5/7/24; titled "Nearly $1.5M Bequeathed to Organizations by Former Marshal County Teacher" [Wheeling, WV] Nearly $1.5 million was bequeathed to four different organizations during a memorial luncheon honoring the late Harold Vitalie, a former Marshall County educator who died in 2023. ... Valley Hospice, the Ohio County Public Library and Marshall County Public Library each received $293,531. The John Marshall High School Scholarship Fund received $587,063. ... Jennifer Taylor of Valley Hospice described the gift of money as “transformational” for Valley Hospice. Vitalie’s mother was taken care of by Valley Hospice before she died.

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Georgia system reopens hospital to inpatient services

05/08/24 at 03:00 AM

Georgia system reopens hospital to inpatient services Hospital CFO Report; by Mariah Taylor; 5/2/24 Piedmont Augusta (GA) is reopening the emergency department and inpatient services at its Summerville campus after converting the location into an outpatient campus over a year ago. Effective May 16, the hospital will open 15 beds in the emergency department, 12 inpatient unit beds, and new imaging services. Outpatient services will continue as normal, according to a May 1 system news release. "What we heard pretty quickly from our community is that they missed the efficiency of that campus," Lily Henson, MD, CEO of Piedmont's Augusta clinical hub, said in the release.

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Wide-ranging health care bill gets final approval from CT House

05/08/24 at 03:00 AM

Wide-ranging health care bill gets final approval from CT House CT Mirror - Connecticut's Nonprofit Journalism; by Jenna Carlesso; 5/6/24The House gave final passage Monday to a wide-ranging health care bill that would add protections for home care workers, boost preparedness for cyberattacks at medical facilities and establish new regulations for the state’s health information exchange, among other reforms. ... The sections on additional protections for home care workers were prompted by the murder of visiting nurse Joyce Grayson, who was killed in October while working at a halfway house in Willimantic. ... The bill requires home health aide agencies to collect certain client information upon intake and make it available to any employee assigned to the client. Information includes a history of violence against health care workers, domestic abuse, substance use, psychiatric history, any listing on a sex offender registry, the crime rate of the municipality the person lives in, and whether there are any weapons or safety hazards in the home. [Click on the title's link for more important information about this bill's safety measures.]

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He thinks his wife died in an understaffed hospital. Now he’s trying to change the industry.

05/08/24 at 03:00 AM

He Thinks His Wife Died in an Understaffed Hospital. Now He’s Trying to Change the Industry.Fortune; by KFF Health News and Kate Wells; 4/19/24For the past year, police Detective Tim Lillard has spent most of his waking hours unofficially investigating his wife’s death. The question has never been exactly how Ann Picha-Lillard died on Nov. 19, 2022: She succumbed to respiratory failure after an infection put too much strain on her weakened lungs. She was 65. For Tim Lillard, the question has been why.Publisher's note: We often discuss workforce shortages in terms of staff stress. This interesting and heartbreaking story explores workforce shortages in terms of patient harm.

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6 lessons I learned from inheriting a parent’s house

05/08/24 at 03:00 AM

6 lessons I learned from inheriting a parent’s house Bankrate; by Linda Bell; 5/3/24 Inheriting a house is a bittersweet, overwhelming experience. I remember receiving the deed that transferred ownership of my mother’s home to me and my siblings. I felt a whirlwind of emotions: sadness that my mother was gone, relief that the complicated process was over and trepidation for the enormous responsibilities that lay ahead. Along with those feelings was the compelling need to honor her legacy. Here are six lessons I learned from inheriting my mother’s house. ...

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Early-career physicians working temp roles to 'test drive' practice settings, survey finds

05/08/24 at 03:00 AM

Early-career physicians working temp roles to 'test drive' practice settings, survey finds Becker's Hospital Review; by Alan Condon; 5/3/24Physicians and advanced practice providers are opting for the flexibility of temporary, locum tenens work in seek of improved job conditions and to relieve burnout, according to an April 23 survey conducted by AMN Healthcare. AMN, the largest provider of healthcare interim leadership and executive search services in the U.S., asked physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners who recently have worked locum tenens why they do so. The number one reason, according to 86% of respondents, was a better work schedule, followed closely by addressing feelings of burnout (80%).

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How Mass General Brigham provides emergency care at home

05/08/24 at 03:00 AM

How Mass General Brigham provides emergency care at home Becker's Health IT; by Giles Bruce; 5/6/24Somerville, MA-based Mass General Brigham now treats patients needing emergency or urgent care at home. The health system's patients can request referrals to the Home Hospital Emergency Care program through their primary care providers, who decide if patients are stable enough to be treated at home. If they are, a nurse talks to the provider and schedules a home visit, where a paramedic completes a physical exam joined virtually by an emergency medicine physician. Editor's Note: Pair this article with others in today's newsletter: "Stranded in the ER, seniors await hospital care and suffer avoidable harm" (in our Post-Acute Care section), and "[Australia] Palliative patients can die peacefully at home with paramedic support, claims proposed framework" (in our International section). 

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Today's Encouragement: The character of the nurse ...

05/08/24 at 03:00 AM

The character of the nurse is as important as the knowledge s/he possesses. - Carolyn Jarvis 

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Stranded in the ER, seniors await hospital care and suffer avoidable harm

05/08/24 at 03:00 AM

Stranded in the ER, seniors await hospital care and suffer avoidable harm KFF Health News; by Judith Graham; 5/6/24 Every day, the scene plays out in hospitals across America: Older men and women lie on gurneys in emergency room corridors moaning or suffering silently as harried medical staff attend to crises. Even when physicians determine these patients need to be admitted to the hospital, they often wait for hours — sometimes more than a day — in the ER in pain and discomfort, not getting enough food or water, not moving around, not being helped to the bathroom, and not getting the kind of care doctors deem necessary.

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Medicaid disenrollments higher than expected: Report

05/08/24 at 03:00 AM

Medicaid disenrollments higher than expected: Report Becker's Payer Issues; by Rylee Wilson; 5/2/24 The number of people disenrolled from Medicaid through the redeterminations process has surpassed original estimates from the Urban Institute and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. According to a May 2 report, as of November 2023, nearly 9 million people had been disenrolled from Medicaid. The figure came out to 60.5% of the foundation's original estimate of 14.8 million people losing coverage, with several months remaining in the redetermination process. 

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[Australia] Palliative patients can die peacefully at home with paramedic support, claims proposed framework

05/08/24 at 03:00 AM

Palliative patients can die peacefully at home with paramedic support, claims proposed frameworkRiotack - Australia; by James Day; 5/6/24A proposed national framework suggests paramedics could help ease pressure on emergency departments by supporting palliative care patients who wish to die at home. Published in the leading international peer reviewed journal Palliative Medicine, the framework seeks to embed palliative care into paramedics’ core business and reduce needless transports to hospital. ... Lead author and trained paramedic Dr. Madeleine Juhrmann developed the framework in consultation with paramedics, palliative care doctors, GPs, carers with lived experience and others. The expert group – representing six countries and all the states of Australia – agreed on the framework’s 32 service changes to standardise best practice for paramedics delivering palliative care in community-based settings.Pair this with a USA article in today's newsletter, "Stranded in the ER, seniors await hospital care and suffer avoidable harm." 

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Steward files for bankruptcy

05/08/24 at 03:00 AM

Steward files for bankruptcyBecker's Hospital CFO Report; by Laura Dyrda; 5/6/24Dallas, Texas-based Steward Health Care filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and will receive millions in financing from Medical Properties Trust to maintain operations at existing hospitals and clinics, according to a May 6 health system news release. The 30 hospitals in the Steward network will continue patient care during the bankruptcy proceedings, and the physician-led health system does not expect interruptions to daily operations. ... The for-profit health system has faced financial challenges and liquidity issues in recent months, blaming low reimbursement from government payers and increasing costs for labor, materials and operations due to inflation. The system also reported continuing to experience negative financial effects from the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Medicare program suddenly ending leaves seniors in limbo

05/08/24 at 03:00 AM

Medicare program suddenly ending leaves seniors in limbo Newsweek; by Suzanne Blake; 5/6/24 Some hospice patients on Medicare Advantage are now facing uncertainty after the government ended a pilot program. Medicare Advantage is one of the top programs for seniors looking for health insurance, and more than 50 percent of those eligible now use the privatized Medicare Advantage option instead of just traditional Medicare. ... According to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, around half of 1.7 million Medicare Advantage recipients who died in 2022 were in hospice for end of life care.

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Keys to addressing ethical, moral distress in pediatric hospice

05/08/24 at 03:00 AM

Keys to addressing ethical, moral distress in pediatric hospice Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 5/6/24 Hospices may be under-prepared to navigate the complexities in end-of-life decisions among terminally ill children, as the ethical and moral considerations related to patient autonomy are vastly different for pediatric populations compared to adults. Ethical principles of autonomy vary in pediatric populations due to a number of factors, including a child’s age, developmental stage, cognitive capacity and their spiritual background and beliefs, according to Christy Torkildson, director at the Children’s Hospice and Palliative Care Coalition of California. 

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27 hospitals, health systems cutting jobs

05/08/24 at 03:00 AM

27 hospitals, health systems cutting jobs Becker's Hospital CFO Report; by Kelly Gooch; updated 5/3/24A number of hospitals and health systems are reducing their workforces or jobs due to financial and operational challenges. Below are workforce reduction efforts or job eliminations announced this year. ...

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