Literature Review

[Psychology Today] Facing Mortality Honestly Psychology today, by Patricia Prijatel; 4/6/24 Personal Perspective: Being Mortal, by Atul Gawander, explores end-of-life-care. I read Being Mortal by Atul Gawande when it was first published in 2014 and haven’t stopped talking about it. It shot to the top of my list as one of the most important books I’ve ever read. After 10 years, I read it again to see if it held up. It did. I was as entranced the second time as the first—even more so because, as it happens, I am also now 10 years older.

New safeguards added to New York's proposed Medical Aid in Dying ActSpectrum News 1, by Luke Parsnow; 4/5/24The two architects behind New York’s Medical Aid in Dying Act have amended added additional safeguards to the legislation in the hope it can soon become law. The act would allow terminally ill, mentally capable adults who have been given six months or less to live to take their own lives with a cocktail of pharmaceutical drugs.

Thinking outside the box: eco concerns prompt greener funeral options Positive.News, by Alison McClintock; 4/5/24 Keeping a lid on your carbon footprint doesn’t stop with your last breath. Your choice of funeral can have a significant environmental impact. In a recent report by the US-based National Funeral Directors Association, 60.5% of those surveyed expressed their interest in greener options including resomation (water cremation) human composting and natural burials.  And while the UK’s funeral preferences are currently split 80:20 between cremations and burials, YouGov research finds that almost a third (29%) of people in the UK would choose alternative committal methods if available. 

A day in the life: Hospice nurseDaily Nurse - The Pulse of Nursing; blog by Renee Hewitt; 4/8/24 Supporting someone with a life-limiting diagnosis or talking about death can be difficult for many people, but not for a hospice nurse. What’s it like to care for patients and their families in the end-of-life process? Maryette Williamson, RN, BSN, knows firsthand from working as a BAYADA Hospice Nurse in Fayetteville, North Carolina. We asked her about her work. What follows is our interview ... [From Maryette] ... "There was a learning curve from long-term care to hospice. The most significant difference in hospice is our focus on quality of life rather than a cure. That was the most important change for me."Editor's Note: Consider linking to this resource with your nurse recruitment tools. Hospice executives, this nurse's common transition when moving from long-term care to hospice. Ensure solid orientation/onboarding/precepting training, time, resources, support, and accountability for new hospice employees. Do not assume that they will automatically translate their years of practice into hospice principles and best practices. 

Translation and validation of the Chinese version of Palliative Care Self-Efficacy ScalePalliative & Supportive Care; by Junchen Guo, Yongyi Chen, Boyong Shen, Wei Peng , Lianjun Wang, Yunyun Dai; 4/8/24[This] study aimed to translate, adapt, and validate the Palliative Care Self-Efficacy Scale (PCSS) among Chinese palliative care professionals. ...Significance of results: The findings from this study affirmed good validity and reliability of the C-PCSS [Chinese-PCSS]. It can be emerged as a valuable and reliable instrument for assessing the self-efficacy levels of palliative care professionals in China.

Providence spins off patient portal company Modern Healthcare, by Brock E.W. Turner; 4/2/24 Providence is spinning off a patient portal company from its incubator program, the health system said Tuesday. The Renton, Washington-based Catholic health system Providence is spinning out consumer engagement technology company Praia Health. Praia also received a $20 million Series A funding round as part of the spinoff.

How to talk about death Maine Public Radio, by Jennifer Rooks and Cindy Han; 4/5/24 Talking about death is not easy. We'll discuss why stigma and discomfort can impede end-of-life conversations, for the person who may be nearing death as well as for friends and family members. We'll find out how to address the emotional and spiritual aspects of dying. And we'll discuss the more practical legal, financial and medical matters to handle before and after someone has died.Panelists: Julie Weiss, social worker, Hospice of Southern Maine; Dr. Paul Segal, nephrologist, assistant professor of medicine; helped create curriculum for end-of-life doula students, University of New England; Dr. Fernando Moreno, palliative care specialist; medical director, Hospice of Southern Maine

Hospitals cash in on a private equity-backed trend: Concierge physician care KFF Health News, by Phil Galewitz; 4/1/24 Nonprofit hospitals created largely to serve the poor are adding concierge physician practices, charging patients annual membership fees of $2,000 or more for easier access to their doctors. It’s a trend that began decades ago with physician practices. Thousands of doctors have shifted to the concierge model, in which they can increase their income while decreasing their patient load. ...

How therapy dogs are bringing comfort to hospice patients in Metro Detroit The Detroit News, by Anne Snabes; 4/7/24 For over two months, hospice patient Virginia Favero has been getting occasional visits from Sam the beagle-mix, providing her with a canine companion. Sam isn't her dog, but he's there to bring her comfort. Sam's owner, Rachel Marshall, typically has the dog sit on a black folding chair, so Favero can reach him from her recliner chair in the Pomeroy Living community in Northville. ... "It really warms her heart when he comes," said Lynn Favero, Virginia Favero's daughter.

Navigating new requirements in the 2025 proposed Hospice Rule Hospice News, by Jim Parker; 3/5/24 If the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) proposed 2025 hospice rule is finalized as written, hospices may encounter some hurdles implementing some of the new requirements. MS late last month issued its proposed hospice rule for 2025. The proposal called for a 2.6% increase in hospice per diem base rates, a number that many stakeholders say is insufficient in today’s economic climate.

How Large Language Models will improve the patient experience MedCity News, by Piotr Orzechowski; 4/4/24 An LLM [Lare Language Model] is a form of artificial intelligence that can generate human-like text and functions as a form of an input – output machine, according to Stanford Medicine. The input is a text prompt, and the output is represented by a text-based response powered by an algorithm that swiftly sifts through and condenses billions of data points into the most probable answer, based on available information. LLMs bring great potential to help the healthcare industry center care around patients’ needs by improving communication, access, and engagement. However, LLMs also present significant challenges associated with privacy and bias that also must be considered.

Study shows strong social ties may ease the way for older adults in life's final chapter Medical & Life Sciences, by Vijay Kumar Maleus; 4/4/24  Study Results: ... The analysis revealed that higher levels of loneliness were significantly associated with increased odds of experiencing anxiety, sadness, and pain in the last month of life, suggesting a pivotal link between social isolation and end-of-life symptomatology. Furthermore, marital status and the receipt of personal care were predictors of dying in a hospital, pointing to the influence of social support structures on the location of death. Interestingly, a larger social network was correlated with a higher likelihood of receiving hospice or palliative care, highlighting the potential benefits of broader social connections. 

New documentary explores how Lower Moreland’s Terri Schiavo’s story captured the nation Delco.Today, by Tracey Romero; 4/3/24 Between Life & Death: Terri Schiavo’s Story, a new documentary about the right-to-die case of Lower Moreland Township native Terri Schiavo is streaming on Peacock, writes Brian Brant for People. Schiavo who lived in Florida with her husband lived in a persistent vegetative state for 15 years after experiencing cardiac arrest. The documentary explores the familial legal battle over whether or not Schiavo’s feeding tube should be removed.