Literature Review

Hines VA introduces new monitoring system for hospice and nursing home Veterans VA Press Release; 3/15/24 Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital has begun integrating a new patient monitoring system to improve Veteran health and assist medical staff. The AvaSure© Continuous Video Monitoring System places portable cameras in patients’ rooms who may need closer monitoring. Staff can observe up to 15 patients simultaneously through a virtual interface to monitor for issues such as a patient out of bed or patient-caused medical device interference. ... The monitoring system will be used in Hines VA’s Community Living Center (CLC), which includes short- and long-term nursing home care and hospice. 

Clinician perspectives on integrating neuro-oncology and palliative care for patients with high-grade glioma  Oxford Academic Neuro-Oncology Practice; by Rita C Crooms, MD MPH; Jeannys F Nnemnbeng, MD MS RRT; Jennie W Taylor, MD MPH; Nathan E Goldstein, MD; Ksenia Gorbenko, PhD; Barbara G Vickrey, MD MPH; 3/14/24  Background/objectives: Patients with high-grade glioma have high palliative care needs, yet few receive palliative care consultation. This study aims to explore themes on 1) benefits of primary (delivered by neuro-oncologists) and specialty (SPC) palliative care and 2) barriers to SPC referral, according to a diverse sample of clinicians.

Music Therapy to facilitate Relationship Completion at the end of life: A mixed-methods studyJournal of Music Therapy; by Fu-Nien Hsie, Helen Shoemark, Wendy L Magee; 3/14/24 The concept of relationship completion is embodied as the core belief for end-of-life care in Taiwan, known as the Four Expressions in Life. ... Four themes around opportunities emerged from the interviews: the opportunity for exploration, for connection, for expression, and for healing. The integrated findings suggest that music therapy facilitated relationship completion and improved quality of life for both patients and their families. Furthermore, this study supports that the transformative level of music therapy practice within a single session for end-of-life care is attainable.

Care Alternatives, whistleblowers resolve hospice fraud suitBloomberg Law, by Daniel Seiden; 3/15/24

Colorado Senate passes bill to shorten ‘Medical-Aid-in-Dying’ waiting period Colorado Newsline, by Sara Wilson; 3/8/24 The Colorado Senate approved a bill Friday that would alter the state’s medical aid-in-dying law by shortening the required waiting period and allowing more medical professionals to prescribe the medication. ... Senate Bill 24-68 would tweak the law by shortening the waiting period between a patient’s first and second request for the medication from 15 to seven days. ... Statistics from Denver Health’s medical aid-in-dying program show that about 1 in 4 patients died from their illness during the current 15-day waiting period... The bill would also allow advanced practice registered nurses to prescribe the medication... The bill was amended in committee to reinstate a Colorado residency requirement.

'It's been really inspiring': Grace House continues end-of-life care despite challenges Akron Beacon Journal, by Kelsie Horner; 3/13/24Through a flood and financial challenges, an Akron nonprofit has continued to provide end-of-life care and companionship for people who might otherwise die alone. Since opening its doors 1½ years ago, Grace House has cared for 66 residents during their final days. ... Grace House is one of only three organizations in the nation to provide free, “non-barrier” end-of-life care for people who are unhoused or alone.

Johns Hopkins study reveals medical marijuana lowers pain, hospital visits BNN, by Wojciech Zylm; 3/5/24Recent research highlights significant improvements in well-being for cannabis users, offering hope for those with chronic illnesses. The study showcases a potential shift in the perception and utilization of medical cannabis in healthcare.

Why home care leaders are now banking on ‘Caregiver-First’ culturesHome Health Care News, by Patrick Filbin; 3/4/24 Over the last several years, a notable trend is emerging in home care: Top-tier companies are shifting their focus from prioritizing customers to prioritizing caregivers. This strategic move reflects a growing recognition of the critical role caregivers play, and aims to address persistent caregiver shortages.

CMS hears you, hospice providersMcKnights Home Care, by Liza Berger; 3/8/24 Rarely does the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services succeed in shocking us. The large bureaucracy, which is not exactly known for its nimbleness, managed to do so this week when it abruptly cancelled the hospice component of the Value-Based Insurance Design Model. ... For those who wonder whether advocacy works, I’d chalk this up to a win for providers — and a clear example of advocacy in action. 

  Happy St. Patrick's Day!  May the road rise to meet you.  May the wind be always at your back.  May the sun shine warm upon your face.  And rains fall soft upon your fields.  And until we meet again,  May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.    ~Traditional Irish Blessing

Correcting health disparities at end-of-life in persons of colorJournal for Nurse Practitioners, by Leah D. Ward, Anthony Young; 4/24Forty years after the creation of the Medicare hospice benefit, low use of hospice and palliative care services in persons of color increases suffering and aggressive care at the end of life related to social determinants of death... This article provides tools for nurse practitioners and other health care personnel in spiritual, cultural, and goals-of-care assessments, quality improvement, and an explanation of the benefits of faith-based programs and partnerships

Ethics Consult: Using hospice as "treatment" for behavioral problems of dementiaAmerican Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, by Luisa Skoble MD, Jonathan Crane MPhil, PhD; 4/24This session will present 2 cases of individuals with advanced dementia who did not meet the traditional Medicare criteria for hospice, as both were ambulatory and did not have significant co-morbid medical issues. Both had significant aggressive behaviors that responded poorly to extensive trials of various medications during extended stays on a geriatric psychiatry inpatient unit. Both were referred to a local inpatient hospice where the staff use “suffering" as a hospice criteria and were “treated” with the usual hospice medications and expired in less than 3 weeks.

The PACT Project: Feasibility of a multidisciplinary, multi-faceted intervention to promote goals of care conversationsAmerican Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, by Eytan Szmuilowicz, MD; Rebecca K. Clepp, MA, MEd, MHA; Jayson Neagle, MD; Adeboye Ogunseitan, MD; Martha Twaddle, MD; Gordon J. Wood, MD, MSCI; 4/24Patients living with serious illness generally want their physicians to facilitate Goals of Care conversations (GoCc), yet physicians may lack time and skills to engage in these conversations in the outpatient setting... A multifaceted quality improvement intervention focused on serious illness communication skills can support a diverse clinical workforce to facilitate inpatient GoCc over time.