Literature Review

Spotlight PA court victory leads to new academic research into Pa. medical marijuana program Spotlight PA, by Ed Mahon; 1/29/24After a 15-month legal battle, Spotlight PA in 2022 won access to data showing the reasons why hundreds of thousands of patients qualify for the state’s medical marijuana program. We published a big investigation based on the records last year. ... In an article, the researchers described the work as “the first study in the U.S. of the association between dispensary locations and qualifying conditions.”

CMS must ‘ease burdens’ if it wants more long-stay residents in value-based care: report McKnights Long-Term Care News, by Kimberly Marselas; 1/29/24The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must do more to move states away from an “extremely bifurcated” Medicare and Medicaid system that sometimes leaves dually eligible beneficiaries confused about their care and coverage, analysts said Monday. Roughly 1 million long-stay nursing home residents are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. In its new report, ATI Advisory found that they were more likely to be hospitalized and have a Medicare-covered SNF stay than their community-dwelling peers.

In the hospital? Don't overlook the chaplainNext Avenue, by Alice Tremaine; 1/30/24Chaplains are the hospital's best-kept secret. Best-kept secret from patients, that is. Most of the hospital staff has figured out just how helpful chaplains can be, and will call the chaplain for everything that's difficult, scary or just plain weird: an unruly patient, a patient who received terrible news, a nurse who believes a hospital room is haunted, a mistress who showed up while the patient's wife is in the room.Editor's Note: Click here for "Common Qualifications and Competencies for Professional Chaplains," by the Board of Chaplaincy Certification, Inc.

Recommendations for supporting healthcare workers' psychological well-being: Lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemicHealthc Manage Forum, by Melissa B Korman, Lisa Di Prospero, Tracey DasGupta, Mark Sinyor, Samantha J Anthony, Monika Kastner, Janet Ellis, Rosalie Steinberg, Robert Maunder; 1/30/24 Healthcare workers are at risk of adverse mental health outcomes due to occupational stress. Many organizations introduced initiatives to proactively support staff's psychological well-being in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, ... [such as] the STEADY wellness program, ... in a large trauma centre in Toronto, Canada. Program implementors engaged teams in peer support sessions, psychoeducation workshops, critical incident stress debriefing, and community-building initiatives. ... [This] article describes recommendations for future hospital wellness programs.

Healthcare data breaches hit new highs in 2023Modern Healthcare, by Tim Broderick; 1/25/24A record 133 million individuals were impacted by healthcare data breaches. Imagine after purchasing a car the salesperson slaps the hood and says there's a 40% chance in the coming year that an unauthorized person will gain access to it or just outright steal the car.Full access to article requires a subscription  

Medicare and Medicaid programs; Quarterly listing of program issuances-October through December 2023 Federal Register, "A Notice by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services"; 1/30/24  This quarterly notice lists CMS manual instructions, substantive and interpretive regulations, and other Federal Register notices that were published in the 3-month period, relating to the Medicare and Medicaid programs and other programs administered by CMS. 

Understanding palliative care; why a mindset change is needed to address gapsThe New York Times, by Linda M. Kagire; 1/29/24What do you do when you are told that your loved one has a serious illness or condition that cannot be cured or leaves them with serious complications until death? For many families in Rwanda and the patients themselves, it is a huge dilemma.

Will scandal at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute cause big damage? Modern Healthcare, by Caroline Hudson; 1/29/24Allegations of data manipulation in Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's research has sparked intense scrutiny of a long-revered pillar in cancer treatment and put its once-sparkling reputation into question. ... Retaining Dana-Farber's long-term standing and preserving its bottom line will depend on how fast the institute moves to control the fallout from a scandal that has made national headlines, marketing and risk management experts said.

Will scandal at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute cause big damage? Modern Healthcare, by Caroline Hudson; 1/29/24Allegations of data manipulation in Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's research has sparked intense scrutiny of a long-revered pillar in cancer treatment and put its once-sparkling reputation into question. ... Retaining Dana-Farber's long-term standing and preserving its bottom line will depend on how fast the institute moves to control the fallout from a scandal that has made national headlines, marketing and risk management experts said.

Hospice Nurse Shares The unexplained experience with a patient that changed her view on death and dyingYour Tango, by Nia Tipton; 1/29/24Death is the most mysterious part of the cycle of life for many individuals. What happens when we die? Is it peaceful? Is it scary? The unknown of what becomes of our souls once our physical presence leaves this Earth can be a daunting thought, but a hospice nurse named Julie offered some insight that she was a firsthand witness to after an elderly patient she'd been looking after passed away.

Senate probes the cost of assisted living and its burden on American familiesKFF Health News, by Jordan Rau; 1/25/24A U.S. Senate committee on Thursday launched an examination of assisted living, holding its first hearing in two decades on the industry as leaders of both parties expressed concern about the high cost and mixed quality of the long-term care facilities. The federal government has minimal oversight of assisted living, which is regulated by states, unlike skilled nursing homes.

Regular primary care nurse visits can improve home care outcomes, study findsMcKnights Home Care, by Adam Healy; 1/23/24A planned visit program involving primary healthcare nurse practitioners (PHCNPs) can reduce rates of hospitalization and emergency department use among home care patients, researchers found in a recent study published by the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice.