Literature Review
Board Director Role: A discreet leadership role gets tougher
03/07/24 at 03:00 AMBoard Director Role: A discreet leadership role gets tougherBecker's Hospital Review, by Molly Gamble; 3/5/24A position at the top of organizations, including health systems, is "probably more complex than ever" but with limited visibility. The board director role is increasingly demanding, according to Frithjof Lund, the global leader of McKinsey's Board Services practice. "New topics pile onto the board agenda almost by the day," Mr. Lund said. "We've also seen a massive increase in the expectations of the board to engage on strategy, investments and M&A, performance management, risk, talent, and the organization."
TCN Talks (podcast): Top new stories for February
03/07/24 at 03:00 AMTCN Talks (podcast): Top new stories for February
Why I chose palliative care: A nurse's personal journey to providing comfort care
03/07/24 at 03:00 AMWhy I chose palliative care: A nurse's personal journey to providing comfort careAnschutz, by Lauren Carter; 3/5/24My interest in palliative care started with my grandma’s use of hospice services seventeen years ago. She suffered with multiple sclerosis for over forty years. ... What may have been a terrible experience for most people was actually made very positive for me. ... Unfortunately, I had another opportunity fifteen years later, to once again be there for my family in this way. ... It takes empathy and specialized training to assist in end-of-life care. It may be something that we are called to. I care deeply about these patients and their families. I am able to have difficult conversations when necessary. I try to create space for family members to talk about who the person in the hospital bed is, when that person can no longer talk for themselves. ...
Judge: Iowa hospice program told worker to ‘let people die’
03/07/24 at 03:00 AMJudge: Iowa hospice program told worker to ‘let people die’ Iowa Capital Dispatch, by Clark Kauffman; 3/5/24An Iowa judge has awarded jobless benefits to a hospice worker who allegedly quit after being told to let patients die rather than provide them with services.
WellSky ® and Millennium Physician Group set new standard for healthcare delivery with innovative new partnership
03/07/24 at 03:00 AMWellSky ® and Millennium Physician Group set new standard for healthcare delivery with innovative new partnership Benzinga, by Business Wire; 3/5/24 WellSky, a leading health and community care technology company, and Millennium Physician Group, a value-based physician group with more than 800 healthcare providers across the Southeast, today announced a new multi-year partnership to drive improved outcomes for Millennium patients. ... WellSky serves more than 20,000 client sites — including the largest hospital systems, blood banks, cell therapy labs, home health and hospice franchises, post-acute providers, government agencies, and human services organizations.
UChicago Medicine nurses plan 1-day strike
03/07/24 at 03:00 AMUChicago Medicine nurses plan 1-day strike Becker's Hospital Review, by Kelly Gooch; 3/5/24Members of the National Nurses Organizing Committee, an affiliate of National Nurses United, are set to hold a one-day strike March 14 at UChicago Medicine. The union represents 2,800 nurses at UChicago Medicine, according to a union news release. UChicago Medicine, which includes the flagship 811-bed University of Chicago Medical Center, has roughly 13,000 employees total.Editor's Note: The University of Chicago Medical Center provides palliative and hospice care services. At the time of this publication, we do not know if or how these services will be impacted.
'World's most ethical companies' list includes health systems
03/07/24 at 03:00 AM'World's most ethical companies' list includes health systemsBecker's Hospital Review, by Kelly Gooch; 3/4/24Ethisphere Institute, a for-profit company that defines and measures corporate ethical standards, has released its 2024 list of the "world's most ethical companies," which includes health systems and other healthcare companies. This year's list recognizes 136 organizations "for their unwavering commitment to business integrity." Honorees span 20 countries and 44 industries, and include 15 first-time honorees and six organizations that have been on the list since its inception 18 years ago. [Click on the title's link for the] healthcare companies that made the 2024 list, along with their headquarters. ...
MA’s cost-management tools may be hurting home healthcare quality, outcomes
03/07/24 at 03:00 AMMA’s cost-management tools may be hurting home healthcare quality, outcomesMcKnights Long-Term Care News, by Adam Healy; 3/5/24Medicare Advantage’s use of cost-reducing tools such as copays, prior authorizations and restricted provider networks may be preventing home healthcare providers from delivering higher-quality care, according to one home healthcare leader.
HHS intervenes in Change Healthcare hack
03/07/24 at 03:00 AMHHS intervenes in Change Healthcare hack Becker's Health IT, by Giles Bruce; 3/5/24HHS said March 5 it would help accelerate payments to hospitals affected by the Change Healthcare cyberattack and institute other workarounds for providers. The agency said hospitals facing cash-flow issues from the IT outage can submit accelerated payment requests, like those issued during the pandemic, to their Medicare Administrative Contractors for "individual consideration." HHS said more details would be coming from the contractors later this week.
Charity Spotlight: Ryan House and Executive Director Tracy Leonard-Warner
03/07/24 at 03:00 AMCharity Spotlight: Ryan House and Executive Director Tracy Leonard-Warner Fiesta Bowl - Charity Stories, by Theresa Palmquist; 3/5/24 Every year, the Fiesta Bowl Organization provides financial support to nonprofits across the state in an effort to enhance and elevate the lives of Arizona's youth. In its latest grant cycle, Fiesta Bowl Charities granted $25,000 to the Sponsor-A-Stay fund at Ryan House, a nonprofit pediatric-focused facility that provides respite, palliative and end-of-life care for patients with life-limiting and life-threatening diagnoses. ... It is only one of three facilities like its kind in the United States and is modeled after Helen-House in the United Kingdom, which has more than 50 pediatric respite, palliative and hospice care houses.
Today's Encouragement: Being blind ...
03/07/24 at 03:00 AMThe only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision. - Helen Keller
Healthcare access dimensions and racial disparities in end-of-life care quality among ovarian cancer patients
03/07/24 at 03:00 AMHealthcare access dimensions and racial disparities in end-of-life care quality among ovarian cancer patients Cancer Research Communications; by Shama Karanth, Oyomoare L. Osazuwa-Peters; Lauren E. Wilson, Rebecca A. Previs, Fariha Rahman, Bin Huang, Maria Pisu, Margaret Liang, Kevin C. Ward, Maria J. Schymura, Andrew Berchuck, and Tomi F. Akinyemiju; 3/5/24 This study investigated the association between healthcare access (HCA) dimensions and racial disparities in end-of-life (EOL) care quality among Non-Hispanic Black (NHB), Non-Hispanic White (NHW), and Hispanic patients with ovarian cancer (OC).
Roughly 1,000 nursing home workers hit the picket lines across Twin Cities
03/07/24 at 03:00 AMAbout 1,000 Minneapolis–Saint Paul nursing home staff go on strike KFF Health News, Morning Briefing; 3/6/24CBS News notes it's one of the biggest strikes seen in the industry in Minnesota. In Connecticut, Gov.Ned Lamont and the state's largest health workers union announced a deal for a 26% rise for home care aides.
Hospice golf tourney raises more than $130,000
03/07/24 at 02:45 AMHospice golf tourney raises more than $130,000 Ocala Gazetter, by Bruce Ackerman; originally posted 1/30/24, redistributed 3/5/24The event raised $131,365 through the 184 participating golfers and a silent auction. At the culmination of the event, a giant check for that amount was presented to Hospice of Marion County CEO Rick Bourne by Gary and Dawn Crawford, co-owners of Pinnacle Retirement Advisors. ... The event was sponsored by Pinnacle Retirement Advisors to benefit the Nancy Renyhart Dementia Education Program.
Why home care leaders are now banking on ‘Caregiver-First’ cultures
03/07/24 at 02:15 AMWhy home care leaders are now banking on ‘Caregiver-First’ cultures Home 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.
Hospices welcome VBID’s demise, but questions remain
03/07/24 at 02:00 AMHospices welcome VBID’s demise, but questions remainHospice News, by Jim Parker; 3/5/24Citing “operational challenges,” the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced [Monday] that it would bring to a close the hospice component of the value-based insurance design (VBID) demonstration, effective Dec. 31. ... Hospice News spoke with leaders of hospice organizations, industry groups and other stakeholders to gauge providers’ perceptions of the CMS decision.
Apparently healthy, but diagnosed with Alzheimer’s?
03/07/24 at 02:00 AMApparently healthy, but diagnosed with Alzheimer’s?The New York Times, by Paula Span; 3/4/24 New criteria could lead to a dementia diagnosis on the basis of a simple blood test, even in the absence of obvious symptoms.
Rising suicide risk among seniors due to loneliness, mobility, financial insecurity, study finds
03/07/24 at 02:00 AMRising suicide risk among seniors due to loneliness, mobility, financial insecurity, study finds McKnights Home Care, by Adam Healy; 3/5/24As the number of adults over 65 continues to grow, suicide rates among older adults have also been rising, according to data from the National Center for Health Statistics. Between 2008 and 2017, the share of suicide-related emergency department visits among adults 65 years and older more than doubled. These older adults face age-related stressors that can negatively affect mental health, such as declining physical health, reduced mental sharpness, or the loss of friends or loved ones, which can heighten the risk of suicide.
Johns Hopkins study reveals medical marijuana lowers pain, hospital visits
03/07/24 at 02:00 AMJohns 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.
Understanding the role algorithms play in our lives and navigating palliative care
03/07/24 at 02:00 AMUnderstanding the role algorithms play in our lives and navigating palliative careListen - Life Matters, by Hilary Harper, presenter podcast; 3/4/24Every day, we interact with dozens of algorithms as we go about our lives, but many of us don't understand how they work. How do we get the the best out of these tools while keeping the potential dangers in check?Editor's Note: From palliative care experts Australia; information about algorithms and Artificial Intelligence (AI) transfers to our USA palliative care (of course, without applications to CMS systems).
Cornhole tournament raises $33K for Chatham-Kent Hospice
03/06/24 at 03:30 AMCornhole tournament raises $33K for Chatham-Kent HospiceCK News Today, by Millar Hill; 3/4/24The Chatham-Kent Hospice Foundation's inaugural cornhole tournament was a success, raising over $33,000 for end-of-life care in Chatham-Kent. The event, which took place Saturday at the Everest Convention Centre in Chatham, saw 28 teams take part who wanted to help raise some funds.Editor's Note: Who would have thought that cornhole could raise so much money? With its growing popularity in the US, consider incorporating a revenue-generating cornhole area into your standard (appropriate) fundraisers. Are you hosting a golf tournment? Consider including an intergenerational, family/team oriented cornhole contest for family, friends, and community groups.
Editorial: Illness trajectories in the age of big data
03/06/24 at 03:15 AMEditorial: Illness trajectories in the age of big data The BMJ; by Peter Tanuseputro, Colleen Webber, and James Downar; 3/1/24For decades, healthcare providers have understood that patients follow typical trajectories of health decline as they approach the end of life, and they have used this understanding to help patients and families anticipate the dying process. Traditional trajectories focus on function or overall health status and include sudden death, terminal illness ..., organ failure ..., and frailty ... Two Education articles in the BMJ add novel dimensions to our understanding of health decline. Murray et al explain how declines in function do not always mirror declines in social, psychological, and spiritual dimensions. They also add a new trajectory, multimorbidity, to describe a person with conditions from multiple trajectories (such as heart disease from organ failure and cognitive impairment from frailty).
Ounce of prevention: Is a selling hospice or home health agency ready for the 36-Month Rule?
03/06/24 at 03:00 AMOunce of prevention: Is a selling hospice or home health agency ready for the 36-Month Rule? McGuire Woods; 3/4/24Medicare-enrolled hospices and HHAsshould take the following steps toassess and avoid triggering the 36-month rule: [click on the link for content]
The top strategies healthcare organizations can use to reduce denials
03/06/24 at 03:00 AMThe top strategies healthcare organizations can use to reduce denials MedCityNews, by Laxmi Patel; 3/5/24Here are six actionable steps healthcare organizations can take to reduce their likelihood of denials and write-offs.
Hackers behind Change Healthcare breach get $22M
03/06/24 at 03:00 AMHackers behind Change Healthcare breach get $22M Becker's Health IT, by Laura Dyrda; 3/5/24The cybercriminal organization responsible for hacking UnitedHealth Group's Change Healthcare has received a multimillion dollar payment in bitcoins, according to Reuters.UnitedHealth Group said Change was hit by BlackCat ransomware group Feb. 21, forcing its systems offline. The claims processing and revenue cycle management platform is still working to restore functionality, and asked health systems to use alternative methods for claims processing while its systems are down. BlackCat claimed it stole 6 terabytes of data from Change, including medical records and Social Security numbers.