Literature Review
WiHPCA: Applauds State Assembly for approving bill establishing a state Palliative Care Council
02/26/24 at 03:00 AMWiHPCA: Applauds State Assembly for approving bill establishing a state Palliative Care Council WisPolitics; 2/22/24[Wednesday,] the [Wisconsin] State Assembly approved Assembly Bill 736, a bill that would establish a state Palliative Care Council. The Wisconsin Hospice and Palliative Care Association (WiHPCA) strongly supports this legislation, which would ultimately help increase awareness and utilization of palliative care throughout the state. The Assembly Committee on Health, Aging, and Long-Term Care voted 16-0 on January 17 to recommend approval of this legislation. This bill would establish a council of individuals with palliative care and other medical expertise to consult and advise the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) on this type of specialized medical care.
Making a case for palliative care: Creating less stressful and timelier transitions to hospice
02/26/24 at 03:00 AMMaking a case for palliative care: Creating less stressful and timelier transitions to hospiceHealthcare Tech Outlook, by Sarah DiPadova, MSN; 2/21/24When patients and their families hear the word "hospice," they panic. Misconceptions, myths and lack of education about what hospice is have resulted in patients being admitted to hospice later in the dying process than recommended. Because of this delay, quality care and valuable support are also delayed. A referral to palliative care could be the key to ensuring a timelier transition into hospice for patients and their families.Editor's Note: Sarah DiPadova, MSN, is the Director of Clinical Operattions for Hospice and Palliative Care Programs at Redeemer Health
Providers urge CMS to use caution in midst of hospice VBID implementation
02/26/24 at 02:00 AMProviders urge CMS to use caution in midst of hospice VBID implementationMcKnights Home Care, by Adam Healy; 2/23/24With the Medicare Advantage Value-Based Insurance Design (MA VBID) model, which allows MA organizations to participate in the hospice benefit, underway, advocates have voiced concerns that critical safeguards be put in place.
Why long-term hospice care might be good
02/26/24 at 02:00 AMWhy long-term hospice care might be goodNBC KPRC TV, interview with Joseph Rotella, MD MBA HMDC FAAHPM, Chief Medical Director American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine; 2/21/24Most people receiving hospice care don't live for more than a few weeks. Doctor explains why receiving hospice care earlier can be beneficial.
Death and redemption in an American prison
02/25/24 at 03:50 AMDeath and redemption in an American prisonKFF Health News / NPR, by Markian Hawryluk; 2/19/24Publisher's note: This is a "must read" article about Steven Garner, including circumstances regarding how he was sentenced to life without parole at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, his 26-year service in their hospice program, his release two years ago, and his hospice work since.Notable mentions: Warden Burl Cain; Jamey Boudreaux, Louisiana ~ Mississippi Hospice & Palliative Care Organization; Cordt Kassner, Hospice Analytics; Kim Huffington, Sangre de Cristo Community Care.
Looking at the challenges involving hospice care
02/25/24 at 03:45 AMLooking at the challenges involving hospice careNPR WOSU PBS, podcast by All Sides with Anna Staver; 2/19/24Hospice care prioritizes comfort and quality of life by reducing pain and suffering for patients facing the end of life. However, physicians are voicing concerns about a prevalence of serious deficiencies in hospice care and believe it is in need of fixing.Host: Mike Thompson, WOSU chief content director of radioGuests: Dr. Ira Byock, palliative care physician and advocate; Dr. Jennifer Hirsh, hospice & palliative medicine specialist, Mt. CarmelEditor's Note: Originally aired 7/24/23; reposted 2/19/24
South Dakota campaign joins state and federal efforts to expand rural telehealth access
02/25/24 at 03:40 AMSouth Dakota campaign joins state and federal efforts to expand rural telehealth accessMcKnights Senior Living, by Aaron Dorman; 2/12/24The continued need for telehealth options is particularly important for older adults living in rural areas. That reality may explain, in part, why South Dakota is working on legislation that would grant $5 million to assisted living communities and nursing facilities in the state to implement telehealth and telemedicine technology.
Commentary: Virginia hospice care coalition a model for other states to emulate
02/25/24 at 03:35 AMCommentary: Virginia hospice care coalition a model for other states to emulateThe Roanoke Times, by Steve Cone; 2/16/24 Here in Virginia, eight nonprofit hospice care organizations are working together with a private sector sponsor on a statewide initiative called the Virginia Hospice Awareness Campaign to publicize the benefits of hospice. This approach should serve as a model for other states to emulate. (Two of the nonprofits in the campaign serve the Roanoke and New River valleys and Alleghany Highlands: Good Samaritan and ConnectionsPlus.)
Live discharge of hospice patients with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias: A systematic review
02/25/24 at 03:30 AMLive discharge of hospice patients with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias: A systematic reviewAmerican Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, by Stephanie P Wladkowski, Cara L Wallace, Kathryn Coccia, Rebecca C Hyde, Leslie Hinyard, Karla T Washington; 2/24This systematic review summarizes the growing body of evidence on live discharge among hospice patients with Alzheimer's Disease and related dementias (ADRD), a clinical subpopulation that disproportionately experiences this often burdensome care transition.
How New Day Healthcare plans to be the face of a changing home health landscape
02/25/24 at 03:25 AMHow New Day Healthcare plans to be the face of a changing home health landscapeHome Health Care News; 2/12/24New Day Healthcare has been one of the most active acquirers in home health care over the last year. As it grows, it’s looking to set itself apart from the home health company archetype of yesteryear.
NJ's 'medical aid-in-dying' law upheld by state Supreme Court
02/25/24 at 03:20 AMNJ's 'medical aid-in-dying' law upheld by state Supreme Court Public News Service, by Roz Brown; 2/13/24After a five-year court battle, New Jersey's medical aid-in-dying law has been affirmed by the state's Supreme Court, which rejected an attempt to overturn the statute. Signed by the governor in 2019, the law was soon challenged by a physician based on religious, personal and constitutional grounds. It allows mentally capable, terminally ill adults with six months or less to live to get a prescription they can use to end their lives.
Patient Focus: When should people with heart failure who were admitted to the hospital think about palliative or hospice care?
02/25/24 at 03:15 AMPatient Focus: When should people with heart failure who were admitted to the hospital think about palliative or hospice care? An explanation of “Factors associated with mortality and hospice use among Medicare beneficiaries with heart failure who received home health services”Journal of Cardiac Failure, by Spencer Carter, MD; Jennifer T. Thibodeau, MD, MSCS; 12/23Hospital stays for patients with heart failure are serious events that mean that the heart may be sicker. Some people with heart failure who are in the hospital are at higher risk of dying within 6 months after their hospital stay. This study describes differing characteristics of people who might be at higher risk of death and who may benefit from palliative or hospice care to better support them.Publisher's note: Also see https://onlinejcf.com/article/S1071-9164(23)00922-3/abstract.
A year after Jimmy Carter entered hospice care, advocates hope his endurance drives awareness
02/25/24 at 03:10 AMA year after Jimmy Carter entered hospice care, advocates hope his endurance drives awareness ABC News, by Bill Barrow, Associated Press; 2/18/24Since Jimmy Carter entered hospice care at his home in south Georgia one year ago, the former U.S. president has celebrated his 99th birthday, enjoyed tributes to his legacy and lost his wife of 77 years. Rosalynn Carter, who died in November, about six months after the Carter family disclosed her dementia diagnosis, lived only a few days under hospice supervision, with her frail husband at her bedside. Experts on end-of-life care say the Carters’ different paths show the range of an oft-misunderstood service. Those advocates commend the Carter family for demonstrating the realities of aging, dementia and death. They express hope that the attention spurs more Americans to seek out services intended to help patients and families in the latter stages of life.Editor's Note: How are you addressing this length of 1+ year with the patients you serve? Click here for the CMS pdf of the 6-month rule, "Face-to-Face Requirement Affecting Hospice Recertification."
Palliative care doctor: What dying feels like
02/25/24 at 03:05 AMPalliative care doctor: What dying feels like Mind Matters, by Denyse O'Leary; 2/15/24What does dying actually feel like? Most human beings have always believed that the essence of a human being survives the death of the body though the outcome is envisioned in a variety of ways. But, assuming that pain and distress are controlled, what does dying actually feel like? Can science tell us anything about that?
Sunday Newsletters
02/25/24 at 03:00 AMSunday NewslettersTop read stories of the last week (in order) is the focus of Sunday newsletters - enjoy!
Today's Encouragement: from James Earl Jones
02/25/24 at 03:00 AMOne of the hardest things in life is having words in your heart that you can't utter. — James Earl Jones
Today's Encouragement - from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
02/24/24 at 04:00 AMI think the good and the great are only separated by the willingness to sacrifice. — Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
The impact of early palliative care interventions on the utilization of medical care resources for end-of-life patients
02/24/24 at 03:50 AMThe impact of early palliative care interventions on the utilization of medical care resources for end-of-life patientsResearch Square (not peer reviewed; under review by BMC Palliative Care), by Chia-Chia Lin, Tsing-Fen Ho, Chang-Hung Lin, Nu-Man Tsai Tsai, Yu-Hung Kuo, Ju-Huei Chien; 2/12/24(Taiwan) Patients at the end-of-life who received palliative care experienced a reduced incidence of aggressive medical interventions before death. These encompassed activities such as stays in the intensive care unit, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, endotracheal intubation, respiratory ventilator support, and blood transfusions.
Predicting end-of-life in a hospital setting
02/24/24 at 03:45 AMPredicting end-of-life in a hospital settingJournal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, by Gezy Weita Giwangkancana, Heni Nur Anina, Hadyana Sukandar; 2/9/24(Indonesia) [Early Warning Score] and decreased consciousness are significant predictors of in-hospital mortality. It is crucial in clinical setting to use multiple indicators to predict death and improve patient care.
Leadership core competencies in palliative care — Recommendations from the European Association for Palliative Care: Delphi Study
02/24/24 at 03:40 AMLeadership core competencies in palliative care — Recommendations from the European Association for Palliative Care: Delphi StudyJournal of Palliative Medicine, by Olivia Parczyk, Gerrit Frerich, Martin Loučka, Raymond Voltz, Sheila Payne; 2/14/24The eight domains [of leadership: research, advocacy and media, communication, teamwork, project management, organizational learning and sustainability, leading change, and personal traits] provide evidence for teaching of leadership competencies in palliative care. We recommend that exploring, identifying, and integrating leadership competencies in palliative care are given more attention in educational curricula and in training interventions.
Ethics at the end of life in the newborn intensive care unit: Conversations and decisions
02/24/24 at 03:35 AMEthics at the end of life in the newborn intensive care unit: Conversations and decisionsSeminars in Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, by Mark R. Mercurio, Lynn Gillam; 6/23The unexpected birth of a critically ill baby raises many ethical questions for neonatologists. Some of these are obviously ethical questions, about whether to attempt resuscitation, and, if the baby is resuscitated and survives, whether to continue life sustaining interventions. Other ethical decisions are more related to what to say rather than what to do. Although less obvious, they are equally as important, and may also have far-reaching ramifications... This may serve as a helpful guide for ethical deliberation, and helpful scripting for parental discussion, in similar cases.
Pain management education for rural hospice family caregivers: A pilot study with embedded implementation evaluation
02/24/24 at 03:30 AMPain management education for rural hospice family caregivers: A pilot study with embedded implementation evaluationAmerican Journal of Hospice & Palliative Medicine, by Lauren T. Starr, PhD, MBE, RN; Karla T. Washington, PhD, MSW; JoAnn Jabbari, MSN, RN; Jacquelyn J. Benson, PhD, MA; Debra Parker Oliver, PhD, MSW; George Demiris, PhD, FACMI; John G. Cagle, PhD, MSW; 7/23Assessing and managing hospice patients’ pain is a common source of anxiety among hospice familycaregivers, especially caregivers in rural communities who face special challenges including distance, limited access, and concerns about opioid misuse... A multisite clinical trial of Ready2Care is warranted; however, its success may require more effective recruitment and retention strategies for rural caregiver participants.
What aspects of quality of life are important from palliative care patients’ perspectives? A framework analysis to inform preference‑based measures for palliative and end‑of-life settings
02/24/24 at 03:25 AMWhat aspects of quality of life are important from palliative care patients’ perspectives? A framework analysis to inform preference‑based measures for palliative and end‑of-life settingsThe Patient - Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, by Nikki McCaffrey, Julie Ratcliffe, David Currow, Lidia Engel, Claire Hutchinson; 11/23Existing, popular, preference-based outcome measures such as the EQ-5D do not incorporate the most important, patient-valued, quality-of-life domains in the palliative and end-of-life settings. Development of a new, more relevant and comprehensive preference-based outcome measure could improve the allocation of resources to patient-valued services and have wide applicability internationally.
Clinician perception of likelihood of death in the next year is associated with 1-Year mortality and hospice use among older adults receiving home health care
02/24/24 at 03:20 AMClinician Perception of Likelihood of Death in the Next Year Is Associated With 1-Year Mortality and Hospice Use Among Older Adults Receiving Home Health CareJournal of Palliative Medicine, by Zainab Toteh Osakwe, Evan Bollens-Lund, Yihan Wang, Christine S Ritchie, Jennifer M Reckrey, Katherine A Ornstein; 2//12/24HHC clinician perception of patients' risk of death or decline is associated with 1-year mortality. A better understanding of HHC patients at high risk for mortality can facilitate improved care planning and identification of homebound older adults who may benefit from hospice.