Literature Review

'I've already had my miracle': 26-year-old Savannah mom enters hospice care with only weeks to live ABC WJCL 22 News, Savannah, GA; by Savannah Younger; 12/4/24 As the holiday season begins, Sara Long, a 26-year-old Savannah woman, is entering hospice care after a prolonged battle with kidney failure. Now the wife and mother is preparing to say her final goodbyes to family and friends. "I wanted to make sure that everything's kind of ready to go for when family visits and all that kind of stuff," Long said. "So, I just want to make things as easy as possible for everybody." Long has been told she has two to three weeks left to live and is now preparing her family for her passing. ... Their daughter, Riley, 4, is too young to understand what is happening, but Long is creating a hope chest so Riley can always remember her. "There are probably dozens, if not hundreds, of letters at this point, to open at different various points in her life. So, like her first day of school all through, or a graduate degree, potentially," Long said. "I feel like I've already had my miracle," Sara said. "I feel like Riley is my miracle. ..."Editor's note: See our "Today's Encouragement" for today, with a beautiful quote from Sara Long, in this article.

Aging and unhoused: What end-of-life care looks like Next Avenue; by Terry Ann Donner; 12/2/24 Karen Robyn is a 62-year-old homeless woman on disability; ... she fears dying alone on the streets or in a hospital hooked up to machines she doesn't want to use. ... For the 138,098 people aged 55 and older experiencing homelessness and 5 million older adults living below the poverty level, dying alone and unhoused is a real concern.  ... However, a viable solution has been quietly growing in communities across the country. Small nonprofit community homes provide hope for terminally ill people who do not have a reliable caregiver or a stable living environment. These small homes, usually caring for up to 4 to 10 guests at a time, provide "family" caregivers and a safe place to receive end-of-life care. They are developing outside of the health care system and receive no federal or state funding. Kelley Scott, executive director of the Omega Home Network and Clarehouse in Tulsa, Oklahoma, explains that the network's mission is to "foster the development of nonprofit community homes for people who are dying and have no caregiver support" due to a lack of family, homelessness or family dysfunction. The network has 135 members with 55 homes providing care and another 70 to 80 homes in development.

Executive Personnel Changes - 12/6/24

I would rather have 26 really good years full of adventure and full of meaning and full of love and just the most beautiful people and I'm so glad that I got that instead of 100 mediocre ones, ~ Sara Long, 26 years old, in hospice care; Savannah, GA; click here to access the article featured in our newsletter today

HHS OIG's Fall 2024 Semiannual Report to CongressU.S. Department of Health and Human Services [HHS] - Office of Inspector General [OIG]; by OIG; issued on 12/4/24, posted on 12/4/24 The Fall 2024 Semiannual Report to Congress highlights OIG's work focusing on the most significant and high-risk issues in health care and human services related to HHS programs and operations during the semiannual reporting period of April 1 through September 30, 2024. The semiannual reports are intended to keep the HHS Secretary and Congress informed of OIG’s crucial findings and recommendations.  ...

Critical components of the digital operating model in health bounteous x Accolite; by Abby Matchett; 12/4/24 ... To determine how to shape your resources and structure an operating model, you must first assess and evaluate several critical inputs, starting with the overall digital transformation strategy. 

National Alliance for Care at Home welcomes Sherl Brand as new COO The National Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC; Press Release; 12/5/24 The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) is proud to announce the addition of a proven leader, Sherl Brand, RN, BSN, who will be joining the Alliance as its first Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective the middle of January 2025. Sherl Brand comes to the Alliance with a wealth of experience spanning over three decades in nursing, association management, and health care management. Prior to joining the Alliance, Sherl has been serving as Senior Vice President for Hospice Care at VNS Health. Before that, Sherl held senior positions at CareCentrix and VNA Health Group. Sherl served as chair of the Forum of State Associations for almost four years, and as President and CEO of Home Care Association of New Jersey for seven years. She served on the Board of Directors of the National Association for Home Care & Hospice and the Home Care 100 Advisory Board. “Sherl’s leadership experience and history of successful management of trade associations and home care and hospice organizations make her a perfect fit for the Alliance,” said Alliance CEO Dr. Steven Landers. “I am honored, and deeply grateful, for the opportunity to serve as the Chief Operating Officer of the National Alliance for Care at Home,” said Sherl.

TCMH Hospice of Care auction breaks all-time record, raising over $38,000 Houston Herald, Houston, TX; by Helenia Wulff, TCMH; 12/3/24, updated 12/4/24 The TCMH Healthcare Foundation announced that the 2024 Hospice of Care online auction broke an all-time record, raising $38,053.21 in money and donated items. The funds will directly benefit the TCMH Hospice of Care program, which provides compassionate end-of-life care to patients and their families in the Texas County area. “We are beyond thrilled with the outcome of this year’s auction,” said Jeff Gettys, president of the TCMH Healthcare Foundation. “The incredible generosity of our donors and bidders demonstrates how much this community cares about supporting local hospice services. Every dollar raised will make a meaningful difference in providing comfort and dignity to patients and their loved ones.” Editor's note: TCMH stands for Texas County Memorial Hospice. Access to the full article might require registration.

Key differences between palliative and hospice care in California Psychology Today; by Bob Uslander, MD; 12/3/24 ... Key Difference Between Palliative and Hospice Care in California: Whether you’re looking for support early in an illness or need end-of-life care, Californians have resources available to help. California also has some unique programs and resources, such as palliative care programs for people covered by Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program. Additionally, California has strict laws to protect patients’ rights, ensuring that people are fully informed about your care options and can make choices that align with your personal values and cultural beliefs. Below are some of the key differences highlighted to help you make the best choice possible for you and your family when the time comes. [Click on the title's link for more information.]Editor's note: Through recent years, too many hospice agencies have eliminated references to end-of-life care, a life-expectancy of six months or less, and references to dying, death, or grief. Various fraud and abuse cases have described that persons/caregivers did not even realize they had signed up for "hospice" care. Ethically, this is untenable. Key differences between palliative and hospice care--with applications to the person--are significant.

Residential Hospice brings hospice care to eastern Kansas and western Missouri PR Newswire, Kansas City, MO; by Residential Home Health and Hospice; 12/4/24 Tutera Senior Living & Health Care (Tutera) and Residential Home Health and Hospice (Residential) have expanded their partnership and service offering, Residential Hospice is now acting as the preferred provider of hospice services. Tutera and Residential have been in a partnership since May 2022 with Residential providing home health care in their Kansas City market. "The focus of our partnership with Residential is to support patients at every stage of care in the communities we serve," said Randy Bloom, President/COO Tutera Health Care Division. "By expanding the partnership with Residential, we increase access to care and are better able to meet the healthcare needs of our community."

Creach Family Holdings announces acquisition of HealthRev Partners EIN Presswire, Stuart, FL; by Careficient, Inc.; 12/3/24 Creach Family Holdings announces acquisition of HealthRev Partners Expanding Healthcare Technology Solutions for Home Health and Hospice Providers. Creach Family Holdings, a privately held investment firm focused on healthcare technology and tech-enabled services, announces the acquisition of HealthRev Partners, a provider of technology-driven revenue cycle management (RCM) solutions serving the home health and hospice market. This acquisition complements Creach Family Holdings’ portfolio, including Careficient, a leading electronic medical record (EMR) provider for home health and hospice agencies. By combining HealthRev Partners’ RCM expertise with Careficient’s EMR platform, Creach Family Holdings aims to provide an integrated suite of solutions that streamline operations, optimize revenue cycles, and improve patient care. 

What healthcare CFOs don’t know about cybersecurity — and what they should ask their CISOs Healthcare Finance Technology (HFMA); by Plante Moran; 12/2/24Cybersecurity is a growing concern for all healthcare organizations amid the ongoing rise of ransomware attacks and other threats. In 2023, the number of reported data breaches in the U.S. rose to an all-time high of 3,205, a 78% increase from 2022, while the average cost of a healthcare data breach hit $10.93 million. What’s driving these alarming figures isn’t necessarily a lack of technology or talent. ... By rethinking their approach to collaboration and risk management, healthcare CFOs can more effectively align security with both technology and the business to help their organizations become more resilient. ... How ready is our organization for an attack? ... 

Bloom Healthcare CEO: Integrating palliative care into every decision Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 12/3/24 The house call provider Bloom Healthcare has leveraged its integrated palliative-primary care model to achieve substantial reductions in hospitalizations and health care costs. The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently recognized Bloom as a top performing High-Needs Accountable Care Organization under the agency’s Realizing Equity, Access and Community Health (ACO REACH) model. Through its ACO REACH program, Bloom reduced unplanned hospital readmissions by 25% and realized a gross cost savings rate of 24.6%. The company’s patients averaged 326.7 days at home during  2023. Bloom Healthcare cares for about 10,000 high-needs patients with a comprehensive primary care and care management model that incorporates palliative care. The company currently operates in Colorado and Texas. ... Palliative Care News sat down with Bloom CEO Dr. Thomas Lally to discuss the strategies the company used to garner these results and how palliative care factored in. [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]