Literature Review
Healthcare hit hardest by ransomware last year, FBI IC3 report shows
03/19/24 at 03:00 AMHealthcare hit hardest by ransomware last year, FBI IC3 report shows HealthITSecurity, by Jill McKeon; 3/12/24 The healthcare sector suffered more ransomware attacks than any other critical infrastructure sector last year, according to complaint data examined in the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s 2023 Internet Crime Report. ... In 2023, IC3 received a record 880,418 complaints, with losses exceeding $12.5 billion. These figures signify a 10 percent increase in complaints received and a 22 percent increase in losses suffered compared to last year’s report.
Police identify 13 deaths at unlicensed Arlington, Mansfield group homes since 2022
03/19/24 at 03:00 AMPolice identify 13 deaths at unlicensed Arlington, Mansfield group homes since 2022 Fort Worth Star-Telegram, by James Hartley; 3/14/24 At least 13 people have died since 2022 under the care of a woman who was running five unlicensed group homes in North Texas, police wrote in a warrant to search one of the homes. ... Regla “Su” Becquer, 49, was arrested Monday and charged with one count of abandoning or endangering an individual creating imminent danger of bodily injury. ... Police have said more charges are expected in their ongoing investigation. Search warrants obtained by the Star-Telegram, written by Detectives Krystallyne Robinson and Devon Coffer, show police believe the abuse was extensive.
[UPDATED] Skilled Nursing giant PACS Group files for IPO as it looks to expand footprint
03/19/24 at 03:00 AM[UPDATED] Skilled Nursing giant PACS Group files for IPO as it looks to expand footprint Skilled Nursing News, by Zahida Siddiqi; 3/14/24 PACS Group filed for an initial public offering with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday, citing focus on growth plans in its filing. ... The Farmington, Utah-based PACS Group is one of the largest skilled nursing providers with more than 200 nursing facilities across nine states and serves over 20,000 patients daily. It plans to list on the NYSE under the symbol PACS.
Tensions between grieving hearts and Western minds: Brave spaces for grief literacy and mystical experiences
03/19/24 at 03:00 AMTensions between grieving hearts and Western mind: Brave spaces for grief literacy and mystical experiences
COLUMN: March is National Social Workers Month
03/19/24 at 03:00 AMCOLUMN: March is National Social Workers Month The Andalusia Star News; by Vicki C. Wacaster; 3/16/24 In recognition of National Social Workers Month in March 2024, we wish to honor and recognize the vital gifts of dedication, love, professionalism, time, talent, and care Hospice Social Workers provide. ... Hospice social workers often perform the following tasks:
Today's Encouragement: The first blooms of spring ...
03/19/24 at 03:00 AMThe first blooms of spring always make my heart sing. - S. Brown
Dual eligibles, PACE expansion bill draws bipartisan support, industry endorsements
03/19/24 at 03:00 AMDual eligibles, PACE expansion bill draws bipartisan support, industry endorsements McKnights Home Care, by Adam Healy; 3/18/24A bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation that would improve care coordination for dual-eligible beneficiaries and expand the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly to a larger share of people. The legislation’s primary function would be to require every state to develop a comprehensive, integrated health plan for dual-eligible beneficiaries, according to a summary. The bill also would require every state to allow PACE programs to be established, open up enrollment to any time in a given month, and extend PACE coverage to people under 55 years of age.
Accountable Care Organization leader perspectives on the Medicare shared savings program - A qualitative study
03/19/24 at 03:00 AMAccountable Care Organization leader perspectives on the Medicare shared savings program - A qualitative study
Long-term care costs can cripple families with aging loved ones. Turlock has a solution - Opinion
03/19/24 at 03:00 AMLong-term care costs can cripple families with aging loved ones. Turlock has a solution - Opinion The Modesto Bee, by Jeffrey Lews and Francesa Rinaldo; 3/17/24The sudden closures of the Brandel Manor nursing home and Cypress Place Assisted Living have left many in Turlock and the surrounding communities wondering where they will find quality care for their loved [ones]. ... The Turlock City Council approved a $400,000 grant to support the Legacy Health Endowment Person-Centered Care (PCC) program, an innovative initiative offering comprehensive in-home support services for families looking after aging loved ones. The program aims to assist families by providing care while safeguarding against premature placement into a nursing home or the fear of re-hospitalization.
Voices of Grief to host workshops for families victimized by funeral home
03/19/24 at 03:00 AMVoices of Grief to host workshops for families victimized by funeral home Pikes Peak Courier, by Pat Hill; 3/18/24 In October, investigators with the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office discovered 200 bodies that had not been cremated but rather were improperly stored, many of them for four years. The owners, Jon and Carie Hallford, have been arrested and face 200 felony charges. Of 1,200 families affected, 190 of them were directly impacted. ... [Kathy] Sparnins, [filmmaker and producer of the documentary “Voices of Grief,”] who lives in Woodland Park, was recently contacted by the FBI Victim Advocacy Program to work the families whose deceased loved ones were taken to Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose.
How a Florida woman’s NYC selfie led to her brain tumor diagnosis
03/19/24 at 03:00 AMHow a Florida woman’s NYC selfie led to her brain tumor diagnosis New York Post, by Chris Harris; 3/16/24 It was a life-changing selfie. ... “I looked at the picture, and my eyelid was drooping,” Troutwine recalled. “I thought it was odd, so when I returned home, I mentioned it to my neurologist.” The doctor ordered an MRI, and on her way home from the scan, she got a call: They had found a benign mass inside her brain that was growing at an aggressive rate.
When the American Dream becomes survival: Short doc chronicles rural healthcare crisis
03/19/24 at 03:00 AMWhen the American Dream becomes survival: Short doc chronicles rural healthcare crisis PBS - KET, by Nathan Duke; 3/17/24 Director Ramin Bahrani’s acclaimed films ... focus on people struggling to survive due to economic challenges or failing to achieve the mythologized American Dream. His latest, the short documentary If Dreams Were Lightning: Rural Healthcare Crisis, is a startling look at the challenges facing rural communities in which hospitals are closing and leaving residents without options for care. The film incorporates themes from Bahrani’s previous work, but its subjects’ struggles are far from fictional.
Hospice prepares to thank Vietnam era vets
03/19/24 at 03:00 AMHospice prepares to thank Vietnam era vetsMid Hudson News; 3/17/24In early 2017, Congress passed the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act, establishing March 29 as National Vietnam War Veterans Day. The holiday is also known as “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day” and in honor of those who served during the Vietnam era, the Hospice of Orange & Sullivan Counties will host its fourth annual “Thank You” and Memorial Ceremony on March 29 at 10 a.m. at the Cornwall Yacht Club. Hospice of Orange & Sullivan Counties is a community partner of “We Honor Veterans,” a campaign developed by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs.Editor's Note: Click here for information about March 29th, National Vietnam War Veterans Day.
Palliative Care as ‘Personalized Medicine’
03/19/24 at 03:00 AMPalliative Care as ‘Personalized Medicine’Hospice News, by Jim Parker; 3/18/24The term “personalized medicine” is often used to describe health needs based on a patient’s genetics. However, more stakeholders are applying the term to palliative care. Personalized medicine is a step away from a “one-size-fits-all” approach to health care. The model uses information gathered from a patient’s genome to plan for care, treatment and services, and to some extent, predict a likely health trajectory, according to the National Human Genome Research Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health.
Art Ellison has one dying wish: Feed all New Hampshire students
03/19/24 at 03:00 AMArt Ellison has one dying wish: Feed all New Hampshire students Concord Monitor, by Michaela Towfighi; 3/15/24 Art Ellison isn't one to mince words. With red blanket over his lap and a "support public education" t-shirt on, he has one final request as he rests at the Granite VNA hospice house. ...
Navigating difficult conversations with patients with terminal cancer diagnoses
03/19/24 at 02:00 AMNavigating difficult conversations with patients with terminal cancer diagnoses Oncology Nursing News, by Darlene Dobkowski, MA; 3/18/24 Although oncology nurses need strong communication skills to help all of their patients navigate their cancer journeys, it is critical to have the ability to have difficult conversations with patients who received a terminal diagnosis, ... Betty Ferrell, Ph.D., M.S.N., CHPN, director and professor in the Division of Nursing Research and Education in the Department of Population Sciences at City of Hope in Duarte, California, said in an interview with Oncology Nursing News. For the past 24 years, her institution has been directing a project called the End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC), which is a palliative care training program and includes a module focused on communication. ... “One of the things that we teach nurses is … that your No. 1 job is to listen,” Ferrell said. “Another thing that we say to nurses is, it is not your job to have all the answers. Patients ask very unanswerable questions. ‘Why me?’ is not an answerable question. But when a patient says, ‘Why me,’ then we want nurses to have good communication skills to say, ‘I can imagine why you're asking that question. Because as you've shared with me, you had no idea that you might be diagnosed with cancer, or you're the first person in your family to ever have cancer.’”
Use of machine learning to optimize referral for early palliative care: Are prognostic predictions enough?
03/19/24 at 02:00 AMUse of machine learning to optimize referral for early palliative care: Are prognostic predictions enough Journal of Clinical Oncology - Editorials; by Gary E. Weissman, MD, MSHP; Joseph A. Greer, PhD; and Jennifer S. Temel, MD; 3/15/24 The Takeaway In the article that accompanies this editorial, [Weissman] et al used a machine learning (ML) algorithm to identify patients with advanced cancer who were receiving non–curative-intent treatment and at risk of death within 1 year to allocate early palliative care services at least 6 months before death as a means to increase use of early palliative care in the context of limited resources. While ML prognostic models are one promising strategy for triaging palliative care services, initiation of palliative care based exclusively on estimated survival and in the months before death likely excludes patients who would benefit from early palliative care initiated at the time of diagnosis, regardless of their estimated survival.
Should the DOJ break up UnitedHealth Group?
03/19/24 at 02:00 AMShould the DOJ break up UnitedHealth Group? MedCity News, by Marissa Plescia; 3/17/24 The U.S. Department of Justice has reportedly recently launched an antitrust investigation of UnitedHealth Group, which begs the question of whether the healthcare giant should be broken up. Experts have varying opinions.
CHI Memorial awards nonprofit grants [$80k to Home of Chattanooga]
03/18/24 at 03:45 AMCHI Memorial awards nonprofit grants Hamilton County Herald; 3/15/24 ... Welcome Home of Chattanooga, which provides hospice and respite care to marginalized populations, received $80,852 to expand its social services, access to mental health treatment and nutritional support.
Healthcare workers' mental well-being among ECRI's top patient safety concerns
03/18/24 at 03:30 AMHealthcare workers' mental well-being among ECRI's top patient safety concerns Becker's Behavioral Health, by Rylee Wilson; 3/14/24 The mental and physical well-being of the workforce is one of the ECRI's top 10 patient safety concerns for 2024. The nonprofit organization published its annual list detailing the biggest threats to patient safety March 12. "Rampant physical and emotional exhaustion" has led some healthcare workers to leave the workforce, creating stress on those who remain and possibly threatening patient care, according to ECRI's report.
We Honor Veterans: Examples and resources from partners
03/18/24 at 03:30 AMWe Honor Veterans: Examples and resources from partners NHPCO; 3/14/24 This webpage has been designated for partners to share any resources they created to share with others. Includes:
Expanding horizons: New palliative care services introduced in Valparaiso
03/18/24 at 03:00 AMExpanding horizons: New palliative care services introduced in Valparaiso ABNewswire; 3/14/24 South Valparaiso Immediate & Urgent Care Clinic is proud to announce the expansion of its healthcare services with the introduction of comprehensive palliative care. ... The South Valparaiso palliative care team consists of highly skilled professionals, including physicians, nurses, social workers, and chaplains, who work collaboratively to develop personalized care plans for each patient.
MedPAC releases March 2024 report on Medicare payment policy
03/18/24 at 03:00 AMMedPAC releases March 2024 report on Medicare payment policy CMS MedPAC; 3/15/24 Washington, DC, March 15, 2024—Today, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) releases its March 2024 Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment Policy. The report presents MedPAC’s recommendations for updating provider payment rates in traditional fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare for 2025 and for providing additional resources to acute care hospitals and clinicians who furnish care to Medicare beneficiaries with low incomes. ... MedPAC recommends ... eliminating the payment update for hospice providers; and payment reductions for three post-acute care sectors (skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, and inpatient rehabilitation facilities).Click here for this report's "Chapter 9: Hospice Services"
Sylvester researchers, collaborators call for greater investment in bereavement care
03/18/24 at 03:00 AMSylvester researchers, collaborators call for greater investment in bereavement care NewsWise, by Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center; 3/15/24The public health toll from bereavement is well-documented in the medical literature, with bereaved persons at greater risk for many adverse outcomes, including mental health challenges, decreased quality of life, health care neglect, cancer, heart disease, suicide, and death. ... Wendy G. Lichtenthal, PhD, FT, FAPOS, who is Founding Director of the new [Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer] Center and associate professor of public health sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, noted, “We need a paradigm shift in how healthcare professionals, institutions, and systems view bereavement care. Sylvester is leading the way by investing in the establishment of this Center, which is the first to focus on bringing the transitional bereavement care model to life.”
The 19 rural emergency hospitals, by state
03/18/24 at 03:00 AMThe 19 rural emergency hospitals, by state Becker's Hospital CFO Report, by Andrew Cass, 3/15/24Nineteen hospitals have converted to the rural emergency designation since the law that created the designation took effect in January 2023, according to data from University of North Carolina's Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research in Chapel Hill. Here are the hospitals that have converted to rural emergency status, by state: ... [Click on the title's link to view]