Literature Review

Wide variation in differences in resource use seen across conditions between Medicare Advantage, Traditional MedicareHealth Affairs, by Jeah Jung, Caroline S. Carlin, Roger Feldman, Ge Song; 9/23Medicare Advantage (MA) is a rapidly growing source of coverage for Medicare beneficiaries. Examining how MA performs compared with traditional Medicare is an important policy issue. We analyzed national MA encounter data and found that the adjusted differences in resource use between MA and traditional Medicare varied widely across medical conditions in 2019.

Neuropsychiatric effects associated with opioid-based management for palliative care patientsCurrent Pain and Headache Reports, by Alan D Kaye, Kylie Dufrene, Jada Cooley, Madeline Walker, Shivam Shah, Alex Hollander, Sahar Shekoohi, Christopher L Robinson; 4/24The abundance of opioids administered in the palliative care setting that was once considered a standard of care is at present necessitating that providers evaluate patients for unintentional and deleterious symptomology related to aberrant opioid use and addiction. ... By having an increased understanding and awareness of potential opioid neuropsychiatric effects, patient quality of life can be improved, healthcare system costs can be decreased, and patient outcomes can be met and exceeded.

Saturday newsletters focus on headlines and research - enjoy!

Do end-of-life outcomes differ by assisted living memory-care designation?Journal of the American Geriatric Society, by Xiao Joyce Wang, Portia Y Cornell, Emmanuelle Belanger, Kali S Thomas; 4/24Residential care/assisted living (RC/AL) is an increasingly common place of end-of-life care for persons with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia (ADRD), who have unique care needs as their health declines. Approximately 22% of RC/ALs provide specialized memory care (memory-care RC/AL). Understanding how end-of-life outcomes differ by memory care among residents with ADRD could facilitate aging/dying in place for this population. The objective of this paper is to examine if end-of-life outcomes (i.e., mortality, hospice use, and number of days receiving hospice in the last month of life) differ between residents with ADRD who moved to memory-care RC/AL, compared with residents with ADRD who moved to RC/AL without memory care (general RC/AL).

Community Hospice & Palliative Care recognizes National Volunteer MonthJAX Chamber, Press Release; 4/3/24 As April marks National Volunteer Month, Community Hospice & Palliative Care reaffirms its dedication to promoting and celebrating the invaluable contributions of volunteers. Volunteers are the heart and soul of our organization, providing companionship and a compassionate presence to patients and their families during challenging times. Throughout the month, Community Hospice & Palliative Care will spotlight individual volunteers and their inspiring stories through various social media platforms. These narratives will highlight the profound impact that volunteers have on the lives of those they serve and showcase the diverse ways in which they enrich our community. Editor's Note: Use this spark your own planning and recognition for your all-important hospice and palliative care volunteers!

RNs are moving away from home health and hospice, federal survey reveals McKnights Home Care, by Adam Healy; 4/2/24 Though the number of registered nurses continues to grow, fewer are working in home healthcare and hospice compared to years past, according to the latest national sample survey collected by the Health Resources & Services Administration. In 2018, there were 179,509 RNs working in home health and hospice, representing about 6% of the nursing workforce, according to an earlier national survey. HRSA’s latest count estimated that there were 173,808 RNs in home health and hospice in 2022, or only 5% of the workforce. 

Dana-Farber’s new push to integrate palliative, behavioral services in cancer careHospice News, by Audrie Martin; 4/2/24Boston-based Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has launched the Neuro-Inclusive Oncology Care and Empowerment Program, a psychosocial oncology initiative focused on adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD). ... Patients with disabilities are largely underserved, but they represent a growing need as well as an untapped market for providers. More palliative care and hospice companies are developing programs to meet the specific concerns of these patients to improve access to care.

FDA approves AI Tool that can detect sepsis Forbes, by Cailey Gleeson; 4/3/24 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved an AI tool that can diagnose sepsis, Prenosis, the company behind the software, announced Wednesday, the latest in a series of agency approvals for AI diagnostic tools. ... At least 350,000. That’s how many adults who develop sepsis die from the condition or are discharged to hospice annually, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Mortality, hospice use rates differ in assisted living communities depending on whether memory care is offeredMcKnights Senior Living, by Kimberly Bonvissuto; 4/4/24Assisted living communities that provide memory care services may attract residents closer to the end of life or promote hospice use at the end of life compared with assisted living communities without such services, according to the findings of a new study. ... Researchers from the Brown University School of Public Health, the University of Melbourne and the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing examined whether end-of-life outcomes — mortality and hospice use — differed between assisted living facilities with and without memory care services among 15,152 residents who moved into larger communities between 2016 and 2018.Editor's Note: Click here for the source article, "Do end-of-life outcomes differ by assisted living memory-care designation?"

The operational advantages of hiring seniors to provide home care Home Health Care News, by Joyce Famakinwa; 4/1/24Seniors Helping Seniors has long distinguished itself from other home care companies by hiring active seniors to serve as caregivers. Josh Obeiter — an owner of one of the company’s franchise locations — has seen even more added value from this strategy as the industry at large combats labor shortages. At Seniors Helping Seniors, the average age of an employee is around 70 years old, and 80% of caregivers are in their 60s and 70s, according to Obeiter.

Integration of palliative care across the spectrum of heart failure care and therapies: considerations, contemporary data, and challengesCurrent Opinion in Cardiology, by Sarah Chuzi and Katharine Manning; online ahead of May 1, 2024 printRecent findings: Patients with chronic heart failure [HF], as well as those who are being evaluated for or who have undergone advanced HF surgical therapies such as left ventricular assist device or heart transplantation, have a number of palliative care [PC] needs, including decision-making, symptoms and quality of life, caregiver support, and end-of-life care. ... PC skills and teams may also help address preparedness planning, adverse events, and psychosocial barriers in patients who have had HF surgeries, but more data are needed to determine association with outcomes.

5 most challenging requirements in 2023 [for hospitals]: Joint Commission Becker's Clinical Leadership, by Mackenzie Bean; 4/3/24Maintaining infection prevention and control during disinfection and sterilization activities was the most challenging compliance standard for hospitals in 2023, according to The Joint Commission. The organization identified the top five requirements for which hospitals were most frequently out of compliance, based on surveys and reviews from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31. ... [Click on the title's article for the 5 top challenges.]