Literature Review

Hospice of Montezuma announces program to help patients care for their petThe Journal, by Bailey Duran; 2/9/24Hospice of Montezuma announced a collaboration with Pet Peace of Mind to help local hospice patients take care of and make plans for ... their pets' care after their life ends. Hospice of Montezuma will partner with local pet care providers such as Denkai Animal Sanctuary to ensure that patients’ pets receive food, veterinarian care and exercise. The nonprofit Pet Peace of Mind, based in Salem, Oregon, partners with hospices and hospitals. ... “Hospice patients fare better when they get to keep their pets and know they are getting the love and attention they need,” Pet Peace of Mind said.

February 14, 2024 Special Edition

Using patient narratives to evaluate a hospice serviceNursing Times - Patient Experience, by Val Stangoe and Steve Mee; 2/12/24Questionnaire surveys at a hospice proved ineffective as a tool to identify areas for service improvement, but narrative inquiry with patients and their families identified important deficits that offered clear guidance for service development. This method needed a careful, respectful approach, as well as significant time and resources, but proved to be invaluable. Many of the patients enjoyed having an opportunity to tell their stories, while nursing staff could be involved in the project, thereby enhancing their skills and raising their ambitions.

Hundreds gather in St. Louis to remember former US Sen. Jean Carnahan The Public's Radio - AP; 2/11/24Children and grandchildren of former U.S. Sen. Jean Carnahan of Missouri recalled her wit, curiosity, kindness and hard work during a public memorial service on Saturday. Carnahan, 90, died Jan. 30 in hospice care in suburban St. Louis after a short illness. Carnahan became Missouri's first female U.S. senator when she was appointed in 2001 to replace her husband, Mel Carnahan, [who] died in a plane crash that also killed his son, Randy, and campaign adviser Chris Sifford, just weeks before the 2000 election.

Aetna forecasts higher Medicare Advantage costsModern Healthcare, by Lauren Berryman; 2/7/24CVS Health has downgraded its 2024 earnings guidance as its Aetna health insurance subsidiary contends with higher-than-expected Medicare Advantage costs and a looming federal rate cut, the company announced Wednesday.

Large study ties OCD to greater risk of death from any causeJAMA, by Emily Harris; 2/7/24Previous research on the mortality risk of people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has shown mixed results and hasn’t gone into specific causes of death. Now, results from a large cohort study published in The BMJ suggests they have an 82% higher risk of dying from all causes.

Amazon cuts jobs in healthcare divisionsBecker's Health IT, by Naomi Diaz; 2/6/24Amazon is eliminating a few hundred roles at One Medical and in its online pharmacy unit Amazon Pharmacy...

Patient navigator intervention to improve palliative care outcomes for Hispanic patients with serious non-cancer illness a randomized clinical trial JAMA Intern. Med, by Stacy M. Fischer, MD; Sung-Joon Min, PhD; Danielle M. Kline, MS; et al; 2/212/24Importance: Disparities persist across the trajectory of serious illness, including at the end of life. Patient navigation has been shown to reduce disparities and improve outcomes for underserved populations.Objective: To determine the effectiveness of a lay patient navigator intervention, Apoyo con Cariño, in improving palliative care outcomes among Hispanic patients.

8 C-suite roles to watchBecker's Hospital Review, by Alexis Kayser, 2/8/24In the past year, more than 40 health systems have taken a closer look at their leadership teams — adding, subtracting, redesigning and combining roles to position their C-suites for the future. [Click on the title's link for] eight evolving executive positions Becker's is tracking.

Bill to legalize medical aid in dying for eligible, terminally ill Virginians passes state SenateABC 8 News WRIC - Capital Connection, by Ryan Nadeau; updated 2/11/24A bill that would allow eligible terminally ill patients in Virginia the option of medically-assisted death, or “medical aid in dying,” has passed the state Senate along a narrow margin. ... SB 280 would “[allow] an adult diagnosed with a terminal condition to request and an attending health care provider to prescribe a self-administered controlled substance for the purpose of ending the patient’s life,” according to its text.

Cigna doubles down on growing Evernorth Health ServicesModern Healthcare, by Lauren Berryman; 2/2/24Two days after announcing it would sell its Medicare business, Cigna Group outlined plans to double down on growth opportunities for its Evernorth Health Services unit... It also expects to benefit from the continued growth of Medicare Advantage, despite its pending exit, by offering pharmacy benefits to these plans... Evernorth provides pharmacy, care delivery and benefits solutions to health plans, employers, government entities and providers. It also houses its Express Scripts pharmacy benefit manager, which is one of the top three largest pharmacy benefit managers by market share.

Will home care’s wage violations spark closures—or more workers?Modern Healthcare, by Diane Eastabrook; 2/5/24Home care providers are split on whether the Labor Department’s fines against the industry for wage violations could force more business closures or attract more workers to the high-demand sector. As more care moved into the home during the COVID-19 pandemic, the department’s Wage and Hour Division targeted home care and home health providers in 2021 for overtime infractions, worker misclassification and other violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.