Literature Review

Tidewell Foundation’s Longboat building no longer listed for saleSarasota Observer; 12/28/23The Tidewell Foundation and Empath Health aren’t leaving Longboat Key any time soon. Recently, the organization’s Longboat Key building was listed for sale by Ian Black Real Estate for $3.1 million. But that was an error, according to new information from Empath Health Chief Mission Access Officer Rhonda Sanders-Allamon. The listing is no longer active. Sanders-Allamon said the idea of selling the property has been discussed by the executive board, but nothing was officially voted on.

Virtual care works best when patients see their own family doctor, study findsNews Release; 12/27/23Toronto, ON—Compared to patients who had a virtual visit with their own family doctor, those who received virtual care from a doctor outside of their family care team were 66 percent more likely to visit the emergency department within seven days, according to new research. The study, led by researchers at the University Health Network, Unity Health Toronto, and ICES, also showed that patients receiving virtual care outside of an existing family doctor-patient relationship were 25 percent more likely to have an in-person visit and 88 percent more likely to have another virtual visit within seven days.

‘Medicare Advantage plans are crippling rural hospitals,’ CEO saysModern Healthcare; 12/28/23Delayed Medicare Advantage reimbursement is among the top concerns of rural hospital operators, one of several factors expected to be a drag on rural hospital finances in 2024. Rural hospitals, which tend to run on thinner operating margins than metro-area hospitals, have been hurt by reimbursement cuts, staffing constraints, inflation, the aging population and interest rate hikes.

Too Few Cancer Patients Get Palliative Care When Urinary Blockages AriseHealthDay News; 12/28/23The prognosis is poor for many cancer patients who develop serious urinary blockages, but researchers say less than half receive palliative care. ... Hospice care can make patients comfortable and head off aggressive treatments for patients with malignant ureteral obstruction (MUO) who are nearing the end of life, said lead researcher Dr. Michael Felice, of Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Ill.

Addressing the Intimacy Needs of Partners of Patients with Terminal CancerInternational Society for Sexual Medicine; 12/26/23A recent study was designed to address the overlooked sexual needs of patients with life-limiting cancers in palliative care. It explored both the physical and psychological elements of intimacy, emphasizing the importance of sexuality support in the palliative phase.

Hospice Staff Promotions & Additions

People are talking to their dead loved ones—and they can’t stop laughing. It’s a refreshing trend.USA Today; 12/29/23Everyone grieves differently—and if you’ve spent any time on TikTok in recent days, you might have noticed some unexpected, unusual methods. Some people—to the tune of millions of likes—are confessing or sharing stories with their dead loved ones directly on social media.

The power of music in healing life-threatening illnesses and keeping hope aliveMedium, by Jess Whorton; 12/27/23Music has long been recognized for its therapeutic effects on the mind and body. Research has shown that music can lower blood pressure, heart and respiratory rates, reduce cardiac complications, increase immune response, and boost natural opiates. Let’s explore the power of music in healing life-threatening illnesses and keeping hope alive...

Top 5 ‘Hidden Gem’ Palliative Care News Stories from 2023Hospice News, by Holly Vossel, 12/18/23

'Now is the time' for hospital-at-home: Medically Home CEOModern Healthcare, by Diane Eastabrook, 12/20/23Modern Healthcare spoke with four CEOs from the hospital, technology, hospital-at-home and insurance sectors about the hurdles they faced in 2023 and their predictions for the upcoming year. 

The experience of Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter helps widen the perception of hospiceBy Heath BartnessTwin Cities Pioneer PressDecember 28, 2023In 2023 the public benefited from the willingness of President Jimmy Carter and his family to openly share their health updates. Hospice care has gotten a renewed focus, and the Carters’ end-of-life journey is illuminating a complicated story of hospice use in the United States. Different sides of the same coin, the hospice experiences of President and Mrs. Carter are kindling a much-needed conversation around this underused service. ... Barriers to hospice care are not so much financial or geographical. In many ways, the greatest barrier to hospice is emotional. 

1 million Corewell Health patients could be impacted by second data breachAnn Arbor (MI) NewsDecember 26, 2023Grand Rapids, MI—About one million Corewell Health patients in southeast Michigan may have had their personal and medical information exposed in yet another nationwide data breach. ... It comes less than a month after a data breach of another Corewell Health vendor that also is believed to have exposed similar personal and medical information of about one million patients serviced by the health system in southeast Michigan. 

How broadband expansion is bolstering rural healthcareModern HealthcareDecember 26, 2023Health systems have emerged as crucial collaborators in government efforts to improve access to high-speed internet in rural communities. Nearly 30 million people in the U.S. live in places that lack broadband infrastructure, according to the Commerce Department.