Literature Review
PeaceHealth nurses announce plan to picket outside hospital April 18
04/12/24 at 03:00 AMPeaceHealth nurses announce plan to picket outside hospital April 18 The Columbian, by Chrissy Booker; 4/10/24 Nurses at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver will picket outside the hospital April 18. ... The bargaining unit, which includes 1,465 nurses, is negotiating with the hospital for a new three-year contract. According to a news release from the union, “management has not agreed to the association’s proposed workplace protections, staffing commitments or market-rate wages.” PeaceHealth countered that its proposals have been “highly competitive.”
Readers share stories of their loved ones’ deathbed visions
04/12/24 at 03:00 AMReaders share stories of their loved ones’ deathbed visions DNYUZ; 4/10/24 When I started reporting “What Deathbed Visions Teach Us About Living,” about the visions, often of loved ones, that some people have in the final stretches of their lives, I had no idea just how universal the experience was. But within minutes of the story’s publication, readers took to the comments section to post their own memories of having witnessed the phenomenon. The stories were rich, deeply personal, and seemed to confirm something that the researcher featured in my story, Dr. Chris Kerr, knew in his years of studying such visions: they bring peace to the dying and solace to the living. Family members wrote in with stories of watching loved ones have visions, as did health care workers, who had years of experience witnessing them. [Click on the article's title to read more stories.]
Privacy bill could have sweeping impact on insurers, providers
04/12/24 at 03:00 AMPrivacy bill could have sweeping impact on insurers, providers Modern Healthcare, by Michael McAuliff; 4/10/24A far-reaching new privacy bill could have major implications for how healthcare providers, insurance companies and third parties handle and utilize sensitive data. While the bipartisan American Privacy Rights Act of 2024 is not specific to the healthcare industry, a number of its proposed policies would impact how healthcare companies do business. The legislation includes an array of provisions that range from raising cybersecurity standards to allowing people to opt out of algorithms that could be used to make medical decisions.
HopeHealth’s expanding scope of pediatric hospice, palliative services
04/12/24 at 03:00 AMHopeHealth’s expanding scope of pediatric hospice, palliative services Hospice News, by Holly Vossel; 4/8/24 HopeHealth has been growing its pediatric hospice and supportive care service lines in recent years to address a range of unmet needs among seriously ill children and their families. The nonprofit health system serves Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts. ... Hospice News recently sat down with pediatrician Dr. Rebecca MacDonell-Yilmaz, medical director of HopeHealth’s pediatric supportive services.
New study calls home health star ratings into question
04/12/24 at 03:00 AMNew study calls home health star ratings into question McKnights Home Care, by Adam Healy, 4/11/24A comparison of agency-reported functional measures and claims-based hospitalization measures raises doubts about the value of star ratings as a means of evaluating home health agency (HHA) quality. The study, published Wednesday in JAMA Network Open, analyzed differences between claims-based and agency-reported outcomes for nearly 23 million patient episodes before and after the introduction of the star ratings system to compare changes over time.
Today's Encouragement: Friday. The golden child ...
04/12/24 at 03:00 AMFriday. The golden child of the weekdays. The superhero of the workweek. The welcome wagon to the weekend. — Anonymous
City-country mortality gap widens amid persistent holes in rural health care access
04/12/24 at 03:00 AMCity-country mortality gap widens amid persistent holes in rural health care access KFF Health News, by Jazmin Orozco Rodriquez; 4/9/24 The health disparities between rural and urban Americans have long been documented, but a recent report from the Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service found the chasm has grown in recent decades. In their examination, USDA researchers found rural Americans from the ages of 25 to 54 die from natural causes, like chronic diseases and cancer, at wildly higher rates than the same age group living in urban areas. ... In 1999, the natural-cause mortality rate for people ages 25 to 54 in rural areas was only 6% higher than for city dwellers in the same age bracket. By 2019, the gap widened to 43%.
6-year-old boy battling serious illness sworn in as Lynwood police officer
04/12/24 at 03:00 AM6-year-old boy battling serious illness sworn in as Lynwood police officer NBC TV 5 Chicago, by Evrod Cassimy; 4/9/24 Child battling serious illness gets wish granted by village. With his hand raised in the air and a round of applause from those in attendance, the Village of Lynwood’s newest cop was sworn in at just 6 years old. Keyjuan Andrewin has dreams of helping people as a police officer and has battled serious health issues for most of his young life.
Valley Health and Blue Ridge Hospice expand partnership to offer hospice care at Shenandoah Memorial Hospital
04/12/24 at 03:00 AMValley Health and Blue Ridge Hospice expand partnership to offer hospice care at Shenandoah Memorial HospitalABC WHSV Fox TV 3, by Colby Johnson; 4/10/24 Valley Health and Blue Ridge Hospice are expanding their partnership to be able to offer their collaborative ‘Hospice in the Hospital’ program at Shenandoah Memorial Hospital in Woodstock. The program will allow patients at Shenandoah Memorial to receive end-of-life hospice care.
New patient safety measures imminent as risk of harm evolves: CMS
04/12/24 at 03:00 AMNew patient safety measures imminent as risk of harm evolves: CMS McKnights Long-Term Care News, by Kimberly Marselas; 4/10/24 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services remains acutely focused on patient harm and will introduce new measures addressing patient safety later this year, agency leaders said at an event in Baltimore Tuesday. ... Agency officials are working with other Health and Human Services branches and meeting internally to develop a 10-point patient safety strategy to be unveiled later this year.
I’m a CEO: Here’s how much I made in my first role & how that inspired me to keep going
04/12/24 at 03:00 AMI’m a CEO: Here’s how much I made in my first role & how that inspired me to keep going Nasdaq.com, by Martin Dasko; 4/10/24 If you’ve ever wondered what a CEO made in their first job, we’ve spoken with someone who shared insights into his journey from an entry-level position to being in charge of an entire business. [Lessons:]
Alleged DNR mix-up death highlights concerns for nursing homes
04/12/24 at 03:00 AMAlleged DNR mix-up death highlights concerns for nursing homes McKnights Long-Term Care News, by Josh Henreckson; 4/11/24 The untimely death of a Connecticut nursing home resident in September was the result of mistakenly applying a roommate’s do-not-resuscitate order, alleges a lawsuit filed by that resident’s daughter last week. The potential mix-up illuminates struggles faced by nursing homes across the country when it comes to managing the increasingly complex needs of their patients.
Governor Lamont annnounces $35.5 million in state grants to support nonprofit providers with capital improvement projects [$775 thousand to Connecticut Hospice]
04/12/24 at 03:00 AMGovernor Lamont announces $35.5 million in state grants to support nonprofit providers with capital improvement projects [$775 thousand to Connecticut Hospice] State of Connecticut, Office of the Governor; 4/10/24 Governor Ned Lamont today announced that his administration is awarding approximately $35.5 million in state funding to nonprofit providers across Connecticut for capital improvement projects that support each respective organization in their mission of delivering services to some of the state’s most vulnerable residents. The grants are being released through the state’s Nonprofit Grant Program, which is administered by the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management. [The list includes:] ... "Branford – Connecticut Hospice: $775,000 (Pharmacy Improvements)"
Providers still navigating Change outage as systems are restored
04/12/24 at 03:00 AMProviders still navigating Change outage as systems are restored Modern Healthcare, by Lauren Berryman; 4/10/24 Providers are seeing some improvements following the Change Healthcare cyberattack nearly two months ago, but not necessarily because they are reconnecting to restored systems. Hospitals and medical groups are submitting claims to payers through alternate vendors, allowing them to generate cash. But the level of claims and payments moving among healthcare organizations that had heavily relied on Change Healthcare is still far from normal.
Why so many nurses are fleeing healthcare — and how hospitals can address the problem
04/12/24 at 03:00 AMWhy so many nurses are fleeing healthcare — and how hospitals can address the problem MedCity News, by Katie Adams; 4/10/24Nearly one-fifth of nurses are projected to leave the healthcare workforce by 2027. The American Organization for Nursing Leadership published a report revealing one of the biggest reasons nurses are exiting the industry: their managers are too busy to train and support them.
New York’s home health, personal care workforce achieves fastest growth in nation: BLS
04/12/24 at 03:00 AMNew York’s home health, personal care workforce achieves fastest growth in nation: BLS McKnights Home Care, by Adam Healy; 4/10/24 New York is adding home health and personal care jobs faster than any other state, growing its supply of such workers by 12% between May 2022 and May 2023, according to new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The state added roughly 62,000 home health and personal care aides during that time period, which was more than double that of any other state and accounted for over one third of nationwide home care aide employment growth, according to an analysis by the Empire Center, an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit think tank based in New York.
Angela Hospice opening a hospice residence at Lourdes Senior Community in Waterford
04/12/24 at 03:00 AMAngela Hospice opening a hospice residence at Lourdes Senior Community in Waterford Detroit Regional Chamber, by Angela Hospice; 4/10/24 Angela Hospice will expand its caring services to the Waterford community and beyond, when it begins operating a 15-bed hospice residence at Lourdes Senior Community this summer and providing additional home hospice services in the area. The non-profit will extend its geographic reach further into north Oakland County, offering additional outreach to benefit all in the community, not just those on hospice care, through transformational grief support groups, educational outreach, and their Good Samaritan program, which serves those who are without insurance or the ability to pay for hospice.
'I just want to take everybody fishing': Dose of the Coast provides a much needed respite
04/11/24 at 03:30 AM'I just want to take everybody fishing': Dose of the Coast provides a much needed respite Nola.com - Louisiana Inspired, by Jack Barlow; 4/9/24 Dealing with a serious illness is all consuming. One nonprofit strives to give people suffering life-altering illnesses a much-needed break. Baton Rouge-based Dose of the Coast takes people dealing with cancer and other similar illnesses out for a day on the water. ... The genesis of the organization began in 2014, with a fishing trip for Ashley Ferguson's father, Donald Walker. ...
Negotiations end between Local 17 Nurses and Providence St. Patrick Hospital
04/11/24 at 03:30 AMNegotiations end between Local 17 Nurses and Providence St. Patrick Hospital The Fairfield Sun Times - Missoula, MT, by Ian Alvano; 4/9/24 After a standstill of contract negotiations, a new contract has been ratified between the Local 17 Nurse Union and Providence St. Patrick Hospital. The nurses were looking for safe staffing ratios and competitive pay, in a new contract. Some of the demands were met and some weren't, said Local 17 co-president, Kate Marmorato, regarding the new ratified contract between the nurses and the hospital.
‘Ladders and lattices’ provide career opportunities for CNAs
04/11/24 at 03:15 AM‘Ladders and lattices’ provide career opportunities for CNAs McKnights Senior Living, by Kathleen Steele Gaivin; 4/10/24Providers would be wise to help certified nursing assistants advance in their careers, according to an article in Caring for the Ages, a publication of AMDA–The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. “One promising concept involves career ladders and lattices,” wrote Joanne Kaldy, senior contributor. “As a CNA, ladders enable you to pursue opportunities to move ‘up the ladder’ into other positions, such as licensed practical nurse (LPN), registered nurse (RN), or administrator. ..."
Social media for palliative and end-of-life care research: a systematic review
04/11/24 at 03:00 AMSocial media for palliative and end-of-life care research: a systematic review BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care; by Yijun Wang, Jonathan Koffman, Wei Gao, Yuxin Zhou, Emeka Chukwusa, and Vasa Curcin; 4/9/24, online ahead of printBackground: Social media with real-time content and a wide-reaching user network opens up more possibilities for palliative and end-of-life care (PEoLC) researchers who have begun to embrace it as a complementary research tool. This review aims to identify the uses of social media in PEoLC studies and to examine the ethical considerations and data collection approaches raised by this research approach.
Today's Encouragement: Great things ...
04/11/24 at 03:00 AMGreat things are not done by impluse, but by a series of small things brought together. - George Eliot
Young KC hospice patient feels love from Eric Stonestreet, Royals -- and a sweet pig
04/11/24 at 03:00 AMYoung KC hospice patient feels love from Eric Stonestreet, Royals -- and a sweet pig The Kansas City Star, by Lisa Gutierrez; 4/9/24 For more than three hours Sunday, a big ol’, droopy-eared Chester White pig from Kansas with the longest of eyelashes and the pinkest of snouts cuddled with Isabelle Sears. She brushed him over and over and over. The pig’s owner was awed by its gentle manners. So was Eric Stonestreet, the man who fulfilled Isabelle’s request for the visit. You see, 22-year-old Isabelle wanted to be a veterinarian. Then brain cancer found her, again. She is a patient of Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care, at home in the Kansas City area surrounded by family and her pets.
Hospice of Redmond expands Camp Sunrise, yearly grief camp, to include teens 13-17
04/11/24 at 03:00 AMHospice of Redmond expands Camp Sunrise, yearly grief camp, to include teens 13-17KTVZ.com News Channel 21, Redmond, OR; 4/9/24 An estimated 6 million children, or 1 in 12 kids in the United States, will experience the death of a parent or sibling by age 18. ... Substance abuse and behavioral issues are closely intertwined with grief. Untreated grief may impact high-risk behavior, trouble in school, and substance abuse. Hospice of Redmond’s annual children’s grief camp, Camp Sunrise, which occurs every June, has expanded its offerings to include helping teens ages 13 to 17 this year.