Literature Review
Physicians grow louder on noncompetes
03/06/24 at 03:00 AMPhysicians grow louder on noncompetes Becker's Hospital Review, by Ashleigh Hollowell; 3/4/24 Amid a nationwide shortage of physicians, contractual noncompete clauses are making it more challenging for patients to receive the care they need, particularly in more rural regions, and physicians are pushing back, NBC News reported March 3. The American Medical Association estimates that between 35% and 45% of physicians in the U.S. are bound by noncompete clauses of some kind.
Primary care physician's next frontier: Palliative care
03/06/24 at 03:00 AMPrimary care physician's next frontier: Palliative careMedscape, by Larry Beresford; 3/5/24Palliative care, a medical specialty that focuses on clarifying the treatment goals of seriously ill patients, helping with end-of-life planning, and emphasizing pain and symptom management, has been growing in recent years. Already well-established in most US hospitals, it is also expanding in community settings, often as an extension of hospice programs. Now, by adding primary care physicians and practices to their service mix, palliative care groups are better meeting the needs of a neglected — and costly — population of frail elders.
Bill to legalize medical aid in dying fails to advance in General Assembly, won’t become law in 2024
03/06/24 at 03:00 AMBill to legalize medical aid in dying fails to advance in General Assembly, won’t become law in 2024 ABC News 8, Richmond, VA; by Tyler Englander; 3/4/24A bill to allow terminally ill patients to ask for physician-assisted death, or “medical aid in dying,” failed to pass a House committee on Monday, meaning it won’t become law in 2024. The House Courts of Justice Committee agreed to continue Senate Bill 280 to 2025, ending its chances of final passage in this year’s session.
The framework on palliative care in Canada - five years later: a report on the state of palliative care in Canada.
03/06/24 at 03:00 AMThe framework on palliative care in Canada - five years later: a report on the state of palliative care in Canada.Government of Canada; 3/5/24[From the "Minister's Message," The Honorable Mark Holland, PC, MP] As Minister of Health, I am pleased to present Health Canada’s 2023 Report on the State of Palliative Care in Canada. Since the release of the Framework on Palliative Care in Canada in 2018, there have been collective efforts to advance palliative care awareness, access to training, supports for caregivers and providers, and to stimulate research and improve data collection on palliative care. And I am especially encouraged to report that, since 2018, we have moved closer to our collective vision for palliative care in Canada. This progress is the result of collective and collaborative efforts by governments, organizations and individuals over the last five years.Editor's Note: What can we learn from our Canadian neighbors from their new five-year report "On the state of palliative care in Canada"? In our daily gleaning of articles for this newsletter, numerous articles with similar topics, ethical challenges, and core purposes appear from Canada.
Coverage denials in Medicare Advantage—Balancing access and efficiency
03/06/24 at 03:00 AMCoverage denials in Medicare Advantage—Balancing access and efficiencyJAMA Health Forum; by Suhas Gondi, MD, MBA; Kushal T. Kadakia, MSc; and Thomas C. Tsai, MD, MPH; 3/1/24 Each year, millions of claims for medical services are denied by health insurance plans. Many denials may be justified as a necessary strategy to reduce wasteful spending from low-value care. However, denials may also delay diagnosis and/or treatment for patients, and appealing denials contributes to clinician workload and burnout. This tension is apparent in the Medicare program, where denials affect millions of beneficiaries who enroll in Medicare Advantage (MA).
A whistleblower lawsuit cost ChristianaCare $47M. Why are whistleblower cases increasing?
03/06/24 at 03:00 AMA whistleblower lawsuit cost ChristianaCare $47M. Why are whistleblower cases increasing? Delaware Online, by Esteban Parra and Xerxes Wilson; 3/4/24A former medical director specializing in neurosurgery at southern Delaware’s largest health care provider claims in a lawsuit that Bayhealth Medical Center misclassified “brain-dead” patients in order to overbill for services. ... [The whistleblower reported that] hospital officials discussed a "new hospital initiative" in which suspected "brain-dead" patients would be discharged and admitted to hospice before any declaration of brain death, according to the lawsuit. The scheme allowed for prolonged billing where previous billing ended with the patient’s death, the complaint states. [Please refer to the article for details.]
Scientists reveal that nearly all older Americans follow one of nine trajectories in their last three years of life
03/06/24 at 03:00 AMScientists reveal that nearly all older Americans follow one of nine trajectories in their last three years of life SciTechDaily, by Rutgers University; 3/2/24A Rutgers Health analysis of millions of Medicare records has laid the groundwork for improving end-of-life care by demonstrating that nearly all older Americans follow one of nine trajectories in their last three years of life. “Identifying which paths people actually take is a necessary precursor to identifying which factors send different people down different paths and designing interventions that send more people down whatever path is right for them,” said Olga Jarrín, the Hunterdon Professor of Nursing Research at Rutgers and corresponding author of the study published in BMC Geriatrics.
InnovAge launches first PACE Center in Florida providing comprehensive healthcare program for seniors to promote independence
03/06/24 at 03:00 AMInnovAge launches first PACE Center in Florida providing comprehensive healthcare program for seniors to promote independence MarketScreener, Globe Newswire; 3/4/24InnovAge Holding Corp. (“InnovAge”) (Nasdaq: INNV), the industry leader in providing comprehensive healthcare programs to dual-eligible seniors through the Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) launched a new center in Tampa, its first in the state of Florida. This PACE center has the capacity to serve approximately 1,300 participants.
What is Sustainable Health Care Design?
03/06/24 at 03:00 AMWhat is Sustainable Health Care Design? gb&d; by Andrew Biro; 3/4/24Improving the sustainability of our health care facilities is not only imperative to addressing climate change, but it also helps create healthier, more productive societies that are better suited to providing accessible, equitable health care to all persons. These are the basics of sustainable health care design, including strategies for implementation, metrics for measuring sustainability, and a few examples of successful, sustainable health care projects from around the country. Editor's Note: This article features a photo from The Jack Byrne Center for Palliative & Hospice Care in Lebanon, New Hampshire.
Creating comfort through communication: Strategies for supporting mental wellbeing in palliative care
03/06/24 at 02:00 AMCreating comfort through communication: Strategies for supporting mental wellbeing in palliative careWorldHealth.net; 3/4/24... To provide comprehensive and compassionate care, this article explores the various strategies for communicating and supporting mental well-being in palliative care.
Man’s dying wish was to see newest ‘Dune’ film. Director made it happen before release
03/05/24 at 03:30 AMMan’s dying wish was to see newest ‘Dune’ film. Director made it happen before release Global News, by Alessia Simona Maratta; 3/4/24 A palliative care patient’s end-of-life wish was to see the second installment of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune before he passed. The Quebec filmmaker and his team rushed to make it happen almost two months before the film’s premiere and just days before the man died.
Congress floats Medicare physician pay bump: 4 notes
03/05/24 at 03:30 AMCongress floats Medicare physician pay bump: 4 notes Becker's Hospital CFO Report, by Mackenzie Bean; 3/4/24 Physicians are set to receive a 1.7% increase in Medicare pay effective March 9 as part of a $460 billion spending package congressional leaders released this weekend. Four things to know: ... [click on the title's link for more]
Contract CNA staffing associated with worse care quality outcomes: study
03/05/24 at 03:00 AMContract CNA staffing associated with worse care quality outcomes: study McKnights Senior Living, by Kathleen Steele Gaivin; 3/1/24Nursing homes that use contract staffing to fill certified nursing assistant position vacancies are more likely to experience worse care quality than those that do not, according to the results of a study by PHI. The proportion of total CNA hours filled by contract CNAs in SNFs increased from 2% in 2017 to 11% in 2022, the study found.
Obstacles and opportunities for palliative care in the ICU
03/05/24 at 03:00 AMObstacles and opportunities for palliative care in the ICU Palliative Care News, by Rachel Edwards; 3/1/24A growing body of research touts the benefits of palliative care for patients, families, and even providers. However, when evaluated through randomized clinical trials, the results tend to lean toward mediocre. Palliative Care News spoke with experts in the field to unpack the reasons behind those results and identify the obstacles that are getting in the way of a more effective approach.
APRNs, home health / personal care aides top healthcare careers in 2024
03/05/24 at 03:00 AMAPRNs, home health / personal care aides top healthcare careers in 2024 McKnights Senior Living, by Kathleen Steele Gaivin; 2/28/24Advanced practice registered nurses and home health and personal care aides lead the list of top healthcare careers in 2024, according to a study from digital healthcare platform Tebra. The researchers compared 46 healthcare industry jobs by median pay, 10-year outlook and expected job growth, employment per 10,000 workers and web search volume, using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Census Bureau. ... Among all healthcare occupations included in the study, ones in home care had the highest employment rate.
Pharmacy associations join forces to advocate for pharmacists during change healthcare outage
03/05/24 at 03:00 AMPharmacy associations join forces to advocate for pharmacists during change healthcare outageNewswire Press Release; 3/3/24 Association executives from the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA), the National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations (NASPA), and the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP) released an open letter to pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) executives and other insurance payers whose systems may have been impacted by the Change Healthcare outage. Pharmacists and pharmacies are asking for assurances that claims fulfilled during this outage will be paid, and paid in a timely manner, considering the challenges faced by pharmacies and pharmacists with predicting co-payments and determining eligibility and coverage.
Palliative care gets spotlight in assisted dying report
03/05/24 at 03:00 AMPalliative care gets spotlight in assisted dying report Nursing Times, by Edd Church; 3/1/24A debate around assisted dying has brought hospices into the spotlight, as a new report on the matter has been published.
Colorado’s medical aid-in-dying residency requirement won’t be lifted
03/05/24 at 03:00 AMColorado’s medical aid-in-dying residency requirement won’t be lifted The Colorado Sun, by Jesse Paul; 3/1/24 Out-of-state residents will continue to be prohibited from receiving medical aid in dying in Colorado after a bill aimed at loosening the regulations for terminally ill people seeking to end their lives was pared back Thursday evening. Senate Bill 68 was also changed to shrink the waiting period for people seeking medical aid in dying to seven days from 15, with the possibility to eliminate the waiting period for people who may not have 48 hours to live.
Medicare’s new Dementia GUIDE Model: How can physicians, hospices, and home health agencies participate?
03/05/24 at 03:00 AMMedicare’s new Dementia GUIDE Model: How can physicians, hospices, and home health agencies participate? Morgan Lewis Blog Post; 3/1/24If you have had a loved one suffer from dementia, you know the emotional, physical, and financial toll of this terrible disease. With advancements in dementia treatment, however, there is renewed hope on addressing this disease and increasing emphasis on fostering innovative care models. A central pillar of this effort is the Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) model, announced by the US Department of Health and Human Service’s Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in July 2023. This initiative—a new voluntary, nationwide alternative payment model—is designed to support Medicare beneficiaries with dementia, as well as their caregivers.
Opinion: How death can be the chance to serve others
03/05/24 at 03:00 AMOpinion: How death can be the chance to serve others WAtoday, by Annie Whitlock; 3/3/24 I see my death as an opportunity to serve others ... . A few years ago, I offered my corpse to the department of anatomy and physiology at the University of Melbourne. The university co-ordinates a body donor program for the purposes of anatomical examination and the precious teaching and study of anatomy to its medical students. ... To the medical students who will be learning from my body I gave the department the following letter: I give you my body. ... Learn from me this one last time. So my organs, flesh and scars tell of times and outcomes that in death I cannot utter any more. ...
Today's Encouragement: "It was one of those March days when ..."
03/05/24 at 03:00 AMIt was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade. - Charles Dickens, Great Expectations
Premier Hospice Phoenix exits Medicare program, impacting local healthcare
03/05/24 at 03:00 AMPremier Hospice Phoenix exits Medicare program, impacting local healthcareBNN, by Mazhar Abbas; 3/4/24Premier Hospice in Phoenix ends its Medicare agreement, sparking concerns among patients and providers. Explore the impact and future of hospice care.
Could Kansas adopt medical cannabis pilot program? Legislation in the works
03/05/24 at 03:00 AMCould Kansas adopt medical cannabis pilot program? Legislation in the works Kansas News, by Rebekah Chung; 3/1/24Medical marijuana advocates are crafting proposals for this session. Nexstar’s Kansas Capitol Bureau confirmed that a medical cannabis pilot program proposal is in the works. The future of marijuana reform lies in the Kansas Senate’s hands, as the House awaits action.
What is the appropriate response when a colleague is not following an aid-in-dying law?
03/05/24 at 03:00 AMWhat is the appropriate response when a colleague is not following an aid-in-dying law? American Clinicians Academy on Medical Aid in Dying - Ethics Consultation Service; posted by Jean Abbott, MD, MH; originally posted 2/2/24 and emailed 3/4/24 Outline of Ethics Question: A resource practitioner for aid-in-dying care has encountered practitioners who have not followed the requirements of the laws in that state, including eligibility, documentation, and other standard legal or medical elements of aid-in-dying care. The resource practitioner wonders what ethical responsibilities should guide their response to these concerns. Definition of “resource practitioner”: An experienced prescriber who acts as a source of information or a mentor for others prescribing or consulting for patients considering aid in dying. Their role is to advise the provider on aid-in-dying best medical practices and the process required to comply with the law.
Change Healthcare's temporary funding program 'not even a Band-Aid,' AHA says
03/05/24 at 03:00 AMChange Healthcare's temporary funding program 'not even a Band-Aid,' AHA says Becker's Health IT, by Giles Bruce; 3/4/24 The American Hospital Association called Change Healthcare's temporary funding program for providers affected by the cyberattack on the UnitedHealth Group subsidiary inadequate, while a U.S. Senate leader asked CMS to speed up payments to hospitals. Change Healthcare set up the funding assistance March 1 for providers facing cash-flow issues after losing access to its payer systems, which have been down since the Feb. 21 ransomware attack. However, AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack wrote in a March 4 letter to UnitedHealth Group that the program is "not even a Band-Aid on the payment problems you identify."