Literature Review
5 most challenging requirements in 2023: Joint Commission
04/05/24 at 03:00 AM5 most challenging requirements in 2023 [for hospitals]: Joint Commission Becker's Clinical Leadership, by Mackenzie Bean; 4/3/24Maintaining infection prevention and control during disinfection and sterilization activities was the most challenging compliance standard for hospitals in 2023, according to The Joint Commission. The organization identified the top five requirements for which hospitals were most frequently out of compliance, based on surveys and reviews from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31. ... [Click on the title's article for the 5 top challenges.]
Vermont bill would address violence against home health workers
04/05/24 at 03:00 AMVermont bill would address violence against home health workers CBS TV 3 WCAX, by Laura Ullman; 4/3/24 The increase in violence against health care workers in recent years is also happening behind closed doors. Vermont’s hospice and home health care workers say they’re facing sexual violence, threats, and assault. Now, Vermont lawmakers are considering a bill to provide further protections. “Home health nurses go into homes, unknown homes, by themselves all the time. So, we really need to be able to protect them,” said Jill Mazza Olson with the Vermont Visiting Nurse Association.
Tool simplifies requests for palliative care consults
04/05/24 at 02:00 AMTool simplifies requests for palliative care consultsAmerican Association of Critical-Care Nurses; 4/2/24A simple screening tool integrated into the admissions process for critically ill patients can streamline requests for palliative care consultations, according to a study published in Critical Care Nurse (CCN). ... An initiative in the mixed surgical and medical ICU at Bon Secours Mercy Health Anderson, a 230-bed, community hospital in Cincinnati, sought to improve the process of requesting palliative care consultations. “ Integrating Palliative Care Screening in the Intensive Care Unit: A Quality Improvement Project” demonstrates the potential impact of adding a simple screening tool at the point of admission to initiate automatic referrals for palliative care consultations.
Fostering respect and appreciation seen as keys to retaining direct care workers
04/05/24 at 02:00 AMFostering respect and appreciation seen as keys to retaining direct care workersMcKnights Online Forum, by Kimberly Bonvissuto; 3/27/24 Expressions of appreciation and respect can go a long way in addressing senior living’s direct care workforce crisis, according to a panel of direct workers and employers who addressed what makes employees want to stay — or go. ... Nate Hamme, president and executive director of the Ceca Foundation, ... said that the most important part of employee recognition is listening to people. ... He added that there is a science to recognition backed by research into what motivates people and implementing programs around that. ... Recognition programs, Hamme added, should focus on IMPACT: inclusive, mission-aligned, public, authentic, consistent and timely.
PACS Group could raise $400 million in IPO
04/04/24 at 03:15 AMPACS Group could raise $400 million in IPOMcKnights Long-Term Care News, by Kimberly Marselas; 4/3/24PACS Group, one of the nation’s largest nursing home operators, could raise about $400 million in an initial public offering, according to a fresh round of documents filed this week. Utah-based PACS plans to offer 19.05 million shares of common stock when it goes public, with an estimated price of $20 to $22 per share. At the top of that range, the move to the New York Stock Exchange could net the company $429 million in value.
Today's Encouragement: The most valuable gift you can give to humanity ...
04/04/24 at 03:00 AMThe most valuable gift you can give to humanity is a good example. - Ifeanyi Enoch Onuoha
Survey shines light on health care discrimination against LGBTQ+ people
04/04/24 at 03:00 AMSurvey shines light on health care discrimination against LGBTQ+ people KFF Health News; 4/3/24Members of the LGBTQ+ community are twice as likely to experience discrimination in health care, a survey found. ... The survey, conducted by KFF, noted that members of the LGBTQ community have historically faced disparities while receiving health care, including challenges to accessing mental and physical health care. Editor's Note: This article includes specific examples from Utah, Colorado, and New Hampshire.
Nursa Survey finds 98% of hospital CFOs view nurse staffing as top challenge
04/04/24 at 03:00 AMNursa Survey finds 98% of hospital CFOs view nurse staffing as top challenge Morningstar, provided by Business Wire; 4/2/24Survey results offer insight into C-suite perspectives on workforce trends and financial impact. Nursa, a nationwide platform that exists to put a nurse at the bedside of every patient in need, today released the results of a survey with healthcare decision-makers that examines their perspectives on the evolving social contract of employment, opinions on the 1099 workforce, and reflections on what makes a nurse truly valuable to an organization. Key findings from the survey include:
Estate gift boosts Hospice of the Foothills’ mission of compassionate care
04/04/24 at 03:00 AMEstate gift boosts Hospice of the Foothills’ mission of compassionate careYubaNet.com, by Hospice of the Foothills; 3/27/24 Nonprofit Hospice of the Foothills is pleased to announce the receipt of a transformative estate gift generously bequeathed by Templeton Family Trust. This significant contribution underscores the enduring commitment of community members to support our mission of providing compassionate palliative, hospice, and bereavement services to those in need. John and Lucile Templeton, Hospice of the Foothills supporters, have exemplified the spirit of generosity and philanthropy.
Bereaved Parent Support Study: Seeking Participants
04/04/24 at 03:00 AMBereaved Parent Support Study: Seeking Participants Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center/University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Cancer, St. Jude Children's Hospital, and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; 4/2/24This program is offered as a research study examining three types of support for bereaved parents who have lost a child to cancer. The study is jointly sponsored by Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center/University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Cancer, St. Jude Children's Hospital, and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; however, families need not have received care from one of these institutions. ...The counseling will be provided through videoconferencing and all activities for this study can be completed in [the participant's] home. ... There will be no charge for any support offered through the study. [Click on the title's link for more information.]
Art exhibit in Sandy centers experiences of grief
04/04/24 at 03:00 AMArt exhibit in Sandy centers experiences of grief OPB, by Sheraz Sadiq; 4/3/24 Art and writing prompts were used during grief support groups offered by Mt. Hood Hospice to help participants process their experience with grief. Dozens of pieces of artwork, poems and other forms of writing created during those sessions are featured in "Grief Made Visible," an exhibit now in its second year that will open on April 5 at AntFarm Café and Bakery in Sandy, OR.
Destigmatizing conversations around the end of life
04/04/24 at 03:00 AMDestigmatizing conversations around the end of life ABC News WCVB 5, Boston; produced by Lisa Thalhamer; 3/28/24 Stanley Sagov is a jazz musician and physician who is managing a diagnosis of malignant melanoma. He shares his story with medical students and doctors, offering counsel on how to discuss end-of-life matters.
Elevating quality, outcomes, and patient experience through Value-Based Care: CMS Innovation Center’s Quality Pathway
04/04/24 at 03:00 AMElevating quality, outcomes, and patient experience through Value-Based Care: CMS Innovation Center’s Quality PathwayNEJM Catalyst; by Susannah M. Bernheim, MD, MHS; Noemi Rudolph, MPH; Jacob K. Quinton, MD, MPH; Julia Driessen, PhD; Purva Rawal, PhD; and Elizabeth Fowler, PhD, JD; 4/3/24The U.S. Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation is launching a new Quality Pathway to elevate patient-centered quality goals in the design and evaluation of alternative payment models. The Quality Pathway will align model design around quality goals; elevate outcomes and experience measures, particularly patient-reported outcomes; and ensure that evaluations have the ability to assess the impact of models on primary quality goals. These determinations will help the Innovation Center make critical decisions about which models to scale or expand in the pursuit of improving the quality of care for people with Medicare and Medicaid.
Vietnam veterans group salutes Mish, the World War II vet in hospice care who adopted them
04/04/24 at 03:00 AMVietnam veterans group salutes Mish, the World War II vet in hospice care who adopted them NBC News KGET.com, Bakersfield, CA; by Robert Price; 4/2/24Ray Mish’s military service to this country ended with World War II, but his service to the community of Bakersfield and to his fellow veterans never ended. As the number of Kern County veterans of World War II gradually diminished over the years, and Ray Mish saw the brotherhood of fighters he so cherished slowly erode, he looked elsewhere for that special sort of camaraderie. He found it in a generation-younger group of local Vietnam War veterans. ... This week [as Mish rests at home receiving hospice care], 24 days before his 100th birthday, a dozen members of Bakersfield’s Vietnam Rat Pack converged on his home in north Bakersfield. ...
Blue Shield's Palliative Care Program wins national recognition for improving lives
04/04/24 at 03:00 AMBlue Shield's Palliative Care Program wins national recognition for improving lives Blue Shield California; 3/28/24 During the first quarter of this year, the Journal of Palliative Medicine published results of a study entitled “Cost and Utilization Implications of a Health Plan’s Home-Based Palliative Care Program” from leaders at Blue Shield and researchers from West Health Research Institute that garnered attention from industry publications. ... Major findings from the study were that home-based palliative care delivered to people not yet eligible for hospice reduced their hospital and emergency room use, showed trends towards an increased length of life, and extended the continuum of care for people with serious illness and their caregivers.
Hospice, home health provider Charter Healthcare files for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
04/04/24 at 03:00 AMHospice, home health provider Charter Healthcare files for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Hospice News, by Jim Parker; 4/2/24 Hospice and home health provider Charter Healthcare, a portfolio company of Pharos Capital, recently filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. No public announcement was made. The petition for bankruptcy was filed in the Federal District Court of Delaware in late January, according to documents obtained by Hospice News. A public record search showed Chapter 7 filings for Charter locations in at least eight states, which span the company’s entire footprint.
What home health providers need to know about the Medicare TPE Audit Process
04/04/24 at 03:00 AMWhat home health providers need to know about the Medicare TPE Audit ProcessHome Health Care News, by Joyce Famakinwa; 4/2/24... TPE is a medical review program that began for the home health and hospice settings in December 2017. The goal of the program is to weed out improper payments by zeroing-in on providers with high claims denial rates or unusual billing practices. ... TPE has three pillars. Target refers to errors or mistakes that are identified through data in comparison to providers or peers. Probe is the examination of 20 to 40 claims. ... Education means helping providers reduce claim denials and appeals through one-on-one individualized education.
2024 budget and paylines update: [$12.5 million for palliative care research]
04/04/24 at 03:00 AM2024 budget and paylines update: [$12.5 million for palliative care research]National Institute on Aging, by Kenneth Santora; 3/28/24The recently signed into law H.R. 2882, the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024, includes full-year NIH funding through Sept. 30, 2024. ... The budget designates a $100 million increase for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (AD/ADRD) research, including $90 million for NIA and $10 million for the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke; as well as $12.5 million for palliative care research.
Remembering my daughter while being a cancer survivor myself
04/04/24 at 03:00 AMRemembering my daughter while being a cancer survivor myself Coping, by Dottie Monroe; 4/1/24 Her name was Jill, my daughter. She was a beautiful, sensitive woman who loved animals and the joys of nature. ... Can you imagine that there is any parent in the world who wouldn’t give up their own life to save their child? Or question why my child and not me because that seems so wrong? Sometimes there is no explaining the why of things, although I gave it thought for a long time. Then one day I was done with “why.”
9 health systems join digital startup venture with Northwell Health
04/04/24 at 03:00 AM9 health systems join digital startup venture with Northwell HealthBecker's Health IT, by Giles Bruces, 4/2/24 Nine health systems are partnering with a venture studio aiming to launch digital health startups. The systems will work with Aegis Ventures, a startup incubator that has built four companies over the past three years with New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Northwell Health. John Noseworthy, MD, emeritus president and CEO of Rochester, MN-based Mayo Clinic, will serve as chair of the new Digital Consortium. The group says its goal is to develop solutions "built for health systems by health systems." The nine founding members of Aegis Ventures' Digital Consortium are:
As America’s population ages, women shoulder the burden as primary caregivers
04/04/24 at 03:00 AMAs America’s population ages, women shoulder the burden as primary caregivers PBS News; by Ali Rogin, Claire Mufson, and Satvi Sunkara; 3/30/24 Currently, 1 in 6 Americans is older than 65, a number that’s projected to rise to 1 in 4 by 2050. As older Americans’ needs for medical care and other support grow, women bear the biggest part of the burden of caring for them. Ali Rogin speaks with some women about their experiences and author Emily Kenway about the often unseen costs of caregiving.
Lutheran Senior Services/Diakon agreement forms one of largest US nonprofit LTC organizations
04/04/24 at 03:00 AMLutheran Senior Services/Diakon agreement forms one of largest US nonprofit LTC organizations McKnights Senior Living, by Kathleen Steele Gaivin; 3/29/24 Diakon Senior Living operations and its four continuing care retirement / life plan communities will become part of Lutheran Senior Services under an agreement ... that the organizations say will create one of the largest nonprofit senior living and care organizations in the country. The transaction is pending regulatory approvals and is expected to close this summer.
Home care providers hail bill establishing standard classification for direct support workers
04/04/24 at 03:00 AMHome care providers hail bill establishing standard classification for direct support workers McKnights Home Care, by Adam Healy; 4/3/24 The Senate last week passed legislation that would address the dire shortage of direct support workers with the establishment of a classification to help stakeholders collect workforce data. Specifically, if signed into law, the Recognizing the Role of Direct Support Professionals Act would require the Office of Management and Budget to consider establishing a standard occupational classification (SOC) for direct support professionals (DSPs). This classification would make it easier for policymakers to gather useful data about these workers and help them better address critical workforce challenges.
Meet the women who give end-of-life care to Utah’s homeless
04/04/24 at 02:00 AMMeet the women who give end-of-life care to Utah’s homelessGood Things Utah, by Nicea DeGering; 4/2/24A Utah non-profit’s mission is to provide medical help and end-of-life care to those in our community experiencing homelessness. The Inn Between has been providing unique services in Salt Lake City for eight years. ... [The] mission of The Inn Between is to end the tragedy of vulnerable people dying on the streets of our community by providing medical respite and end-of-life care to those experiencing homelessness.The group provides a home environment that enables adults experiencing homelessness to gain access to professional hospice care from State-licensed hospice agencies; undergo life-saving medical treatment; stabilize in preparation for surgery; or recuperate from serious illness, injury, or surgery. Editor's Note: Read more to meet Jillian Olmsted, Executive Director and Kellie Mierement, Community Engagement Manager.
Home Healthcare Statistics 2024 by demographics, utilization, diagnoses
04/04/24 at 02:00 AMHome Healthcare Statistics 2024 by demographics, utilization, diagnosesMarket.us, by Samruddhi Yardi; 4/3/24