Literature Review
Today's Encouragement
03/10/24 at 03:00 AMEverything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves. ~Carl Jung
Large language models and generative AI in telehealth: A responsible use lens
03/09/24 at 03:50 AMLarge language models and generative AI in telehealth: A responsible use lensJournal of the American Medical Informatics Association, by Javad Pool, PhD, Marta Indulska, PhD, Shazia Sadiq, PhD; 4/24The findings emphasized the potential of LLMs, especially ChatGPT, in telehealth. They provide insights into understanding the use of LLMs, enhancing telehealth services, and taking ethical considerations into account. By proposing three future research directions with a focus on responsible use, this review further contributes to the advancement of this emerging phenomenon of healthcare AI.
Nonprofit behavior altered by monetary donations: evidence from the U.S. hospice industry
03/09/24 at 03:45 AMNonprofit behavior altered by monetary donations: evidence from the U.S. hospice industryThe European Journal of Health Economics; by Miao Guo; Lei Guo; Yang Li; 2/24This study investigates whether reliance on monetary donations alters nonprofit firms’ behaviors. Specifically, in the hospice industry, a shorter patients’ length of stay (LOS) speeds up overall patient turnover, allowing a hospice to serve more patients and expand its donation network.Publisher's note: Correlation does not imply causation...
The realities of work/life balance in palliative care
03/09/24 at 03:40 AMThe realities of work/life balance in palliative careBritish Journal of Community Nursing, by Brian Nyatanga; 3/24The philosophy of palliative care makes the idea of work/life balance a crucial component to providing that care. However, the difficulty of achieving this idealistic work/life split demands another way of looking at the concept.
‘My life is a mess but I cope’: An analysis of the language children and young people use to describe their own life-limiting or life-threatening condition
03/09/24 at 03:35 AM‘My life is a mess but I cope’: An analysis of the language children and young people use to describe their own life-limiting or life-threatening conditionPalliative Medicine, by Katherine Bristowe; Debbie Braybrook; Hannah M Scott; Lucy Coombes; Daney Harðardóttir; Anna Roach; Clare Ellis-Smith; Myra Bluebond-Langner; Lorna Fraser; Julia Downing; Fliss Murtagh; Richard Harding; 3/24Children and young people can provide rich descriptions of their condition. Paying attention to their lexical choices, and converging one's language towards theirs, may enable more child-centred discussions. Expanding discussions about 'what matters most' with consideration of the losses and differences they have experienced may facilitate a fuller assessment of their concerns, preferences and priorities.
Healthcare access dimensions and racial disparities in end-of-life care quality among ovarian cancer patients
03/09/24 at 03:30 AMHealthcare access dimensions and racial disparities in end-of-life care quality among ovarian cancer patientsCancer Research Communications; by Shama Karanth; Oyomoare L Osazuwa-Peters; Lauren E Wilson; Rebecca A. Previs; Fariha Rahman; Bin Huang; Maria Pisu; Margaret Liang; Kevin C Ward; Maria J Schymura; Andrew Berchuck; Tomi F. Akinyemiju; 3/24This study investigated the association between healthcare access (HCA) dimensions and racial disparities in end-of-life care quality among Non-Hispanic Black (NHB), Non-Hispanic White (NHW), and Hispanic patients with ovarian cancer (OC). The final sample included 4,646 women. After adjustment for HCA dimensions, NHB patients had lower quality EOL care compared to NHW patients, defined as increased risk of hospitalization in the last 30 days of life (RR 1.16, 95% CI:1.03-1.30), no hospice care (RR 1.23, 95% CI:1.04-1.44), in-hospital death (RR 1.27, 95% CI:1.03-1.57), and higher counts of poor-quality EOL care outcomes (Count Ratio:1.19, 95% CI:1.04-1.36).
Trends in end-of-life care and satisfaction among Veterans undergoing surgery
03/09/24 at 03:25 AMTrends in end-of-life care and satisfaction among Veterans undergoing surgeryAnnals of Surgery; by Dualeh, Shukri H.A. MD; Anderson, Maia S. MD MS; Abrahamse, Paul MA; Kamdar, Neil MA; Evans, Emily MS; Suwanabol, Pasithorn A. MD; 2/24To examine trends in end-of-life care services and satisfaction among Veterans undergoing any inpatient surgery.
Illness trajectories of incurable solid cancers
03/09/24 at 03:20 AMIllness trajectories of incurable solid cancersBMJ, by Eric C T Geijteman, Evelien J M Kuip, Jannie Oskam, Diana Lees, Eduardo Bruera; 3/24[See article for] updated treatment illness trajectories for patients with incurable solid cancer include major temporary improvement, long term ongoing response, and rapid decline. Supportive and palliative care should be provided in conjunction with newer anticancer therapies to address patients’ physical, psychological, social, and spiritual challenges.
Public health and palliative care
03/09/24 at 03:15 AMPublic health and palliative careClinics in Geriatric Medicine, by Sarah H. Cross PhD, MSW, MPH; Dio Kavalieratos PhD; 8/23Meeting the needs of people at the end of life (EOL) is a public health (PH) concern, yet a PH approach has not been widely applied to EOL care. The design of hospice in the United States, with its focus on cost containment, has resulted in disparities in EOL care use and quality. Individuals with non-cancer diagnoses, minoritized individuals, individuals of lower socioeconomic status, and those who do not yet qualify for hospice are particularly disadvantaged by the existing hospice policy. New models of palliative care (both hospice and non-hospice) are needed to equitably address the burden of suffering from a serious illness.
Aging is not an illness: Exploring geriatricians' resistance to serious illness conversations
03/09/24 at 03:10 AMAging is not an illness: Exploring geriatricians' resistance to serious illness conversationsJournal of Pain and Symptom Management, by Alexis Drutchas MD; Deborah S. Lee MD; Sharon Levine MD; Jeffrey L. Greenwald MD; Juliet Jacobsen MD, MPH; 9/23Three key themes emerged that help explain the reluctance of clinicians caring for older patients to have or document serious illness conversations: 1) aging in itself is not a serious illness; 2) geriatricians often focus on positive adaptation and social determinants of health and in this context, the label of “serious illness conversations” is perceived as limiting; and 3) because aging is not synonymous with illness, important goals-of-care conversations are not necessarily documented as serious illness conversations until an acute illness presents itself.
First person profile: Betty Ferrell, PhD, RN
03/09/24 at 03:05 AMFirst person profile: Betty Ferrell, PhD, RNCancer, by Mary Beth Nierengarten; 2/24Dr Ferrell has built her career on the belief that palliative care should be offered from the time of cancer diagnosis rather than just as end-of-life care.Publisher's note: Honoring our heros...
Saturday Newsletters
03/09/24 at 03:00 AMSaturday Newsletters: Research literature is the focus of Saturday newsletters - enjoy!
Today's Encouragement
03/09/24 at 03:00 AMHalf the world is composed of people who have something to say and can't, and the other half who have nothing to say and keep on saying it. ~Robert Frost
Tour a room at Quiet Oaks Hospice House video
03/08/24 at 03:45 AMTour a room at Quiet Oaks Hospice House video WJON News, St. Cloud, MN; 3/6/24 Even though Quiet Oaks Hospice House has been in our community for over 15 years now, many of us have never actually visited the home. They have eight rooms with all suites similar in size and layout. Executive Director Linda Allen says they have a large-sized hospital bed so loved ones can sleep together. Other room amenities include a TV, radio, and wifi. ... The rooms are equipped with a call button for help and have a camera monitoring system.Editor's Note: This simple, warm, practical video can help allay fears of hospice patients, caregivers, and family members. This type of visual information can be especially supportive to long distance family members who might be grappling with the news of moving their loved one to a hospice facility.
Mother and daughter brave Sahara trek in memory of beloved Grace for hospice fundraiser
03/08/24 at 03:30 AMMother and daughter brave Sahara trek in memory of beloved Grace for hospice fundraiser BNN, by Wojciech Zyim; 3/7/24Rebecca Gaskell and her daughter, Imogen, from Chalfont St Peter, are embarking on a moving journey across the Sahara Desert this March to honor the memory of their daughter and sister, Grace, while raising funds for Helen & Douglas House, the hospice that provided care for Grace during her battle with a brain tumor. Diagnosed at just 12, Grace’s brave fight ended two years later, leaving her family seeking ways to give back to the hospice that offered them comfort in their darkest times.Editor's Note: The Helen & Douglas House for terminally ill children is located at Oxford, United Kingdom.
Lubbock salon owners deliver hope with hospice manicure for cancer fighter Norma Hernandez
03/08/24 at 03:00 AMLubbock salon owners deliver hope with hospice manicure for cancer fighter Norma Hernandez BNN, by Shivani Chauhan; 3/4/24In an inspiring act of kindness, John Dawkins and his wife, owners of Absolute Nails in Lubbock, Texas, visited Norma Hernandez in the hospital to offer her a manicure and pedicure. Battling cancer and facing uncertain days ahead, Norma's simple wish was to have her nails done, a request that was turned down by other salons until Debbie, a close friend of Norma's, reached out to the Dawkins. Moved by the story, they decided to fulfill Norma's wish, bringing not just nail polish but also much-needed joy and comfort to her hospital room.
Digital ‘communication bridge’ for seniors with aphasia is $13M closer to reality
03/08/24 at 03:00 AMDigital ‘communication bridge’ for seniors with aphasia is $13M closer to reality McKnights Senior Living; by Aaron Dorman; 3/5/24 An upcoming research program will examine the potential for telehealth and wearable sensors to address a specific and nasty form of aphasia. The University of Chicago was awarded $13.2 million by the National Institutes of Health to study the disease, as part of its five-year Communication Bridge Research Program. The university recently announced the grant windfall and has begun reaching out to potential participants for a clinical trial.
Transforming tragedy into triumph: Lynne Hughes creates grief camp, helping 24,000 children
03/08/24 at 03:00 AMTransforming tragedy into triumph: Lynne Hughes creates grief camp, helping 24,000 children BNN, by Emmanuel Abara Benson; 3/6/24Lynne Hughes' journey from personal tragedy to establishing Comfort Zone Camp (CZC) spotlights the transformative power of empathy and support. Losing both parents by age 12, Hughes navigated her grief with little support, a struggle that later fueled her mission to ensure no child felt as isolated in their sorrow as she did. Today, CZC stands as a beacon of hope, having supported over 24,000 grieving children across the United States.
UnitedHealthcare, Humana, Aetna continue to outgain peers in Medicare Advantage
03/08/24 at 03:00 AMUnitedHealthcare, Humana, Aetna continue to outgain peers in Medicare Advantage Home Health Care News, by Andrew Donlan; 3/6/24In 2023, Medicare Advantage (MA) plan members represented more than half of all Medicare beneficiaries for the first time. In 2024, while penetration continues, there are other trends within MA that home-based care providers should be paying attention to. ... A few of the top companies continue to gain market share. Specifically, UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) and CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) – through Aetna – continue to outpace competitors.
Today's Encouragement: Here comes the sun ...
03/08/24 at 03:00 AMHere comes the sun. And I say, it's all right. - The Beatles
The question of palliative care sustainability
03/08/24 at 03:00 AMThe question of palliative care sustainabilityPalliative Care News, by Holly Vossel; 3/5/24A wide variety of palliative care services have cropped up nationwide in recent years, but not all have remained viable. The forces driving some community-based palliative programs to shutter are two-pronged, related to financial and operational sustainability, according to Renee McInnes, CEO of NVNA & Hospice. Reimbursement and staffing challenges are the most significant factors.
Lamont negotiates big pay hike for CT home health aides
03/08/24 at 03:00 AMLamont negotiates big pay hike for CT home health aides: Wages would rise nearly 26% by 2025-25 to $23 per hour CT Mirror, by Keith M. Phaneuf; 3/5/24 Gov. Ned Lamont and Connecticut’s largest health care workers union announced a tentative three-year contract Tuesday that would boost minimum wages for home health aides by 26% to $23 per hour by the 2025-26 fiscal year. But the package, which also would provide longevity bonuses, expand paid time off and reduce health insurance costs for an industry long seeking a major compensation adjustment, puts the General Assembly in a quandary.
Last Writers craft legacies, embrace stories in hospice care
03/08/24 at 03:00 AMLast Writers craft legacies, embrace stories in hospice care The Daily Texan, by Sabrina Ye; 3/6/24 At local hospice homes, a passionate group of volunteers task themselves with writing memoirs that celebrate the richness of patients’ experiences. This heartfelt service they provide not only preserves legacies but highlights the timeless beauty of storytelling. UT Last Writers volunteer to converse with hospice patients and capture their life stories.
UNE medical school students donate $2,000 to local hospice center
03/08/24 at 03:00 AMUNE medical school students donate $2,000 to local hospice center Portland Press Herald; 3/4/24Students at the University of New England’s College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM) have donated $2,000 to the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough, building upon a successful partnership between the two organizations that has lasted nearly 10 years. The money was raised during a fundraising dinner held by the UNE COM American Geriatrics Society/Gerontological Society of America Student Chapter for Geriatrics and Palliative Care last November. The event, a “murder-mystery” dinner, featured several students and faculty performing a script written by chapter members. Over 160 people attended the dinner.
House-passed funding bill makes Medicare hospice benefit a ‘piggybank,’ provider groups argue
03/08/24 at 03:00 AMHouse-passed funding bill makes Medicare hospice benefit a ‘piggybank,’ provider groups argue McKnights Home Care, by Adam Healy; 3/7/24 To keep the government open in fiscal year 2024, hospice partially may be bankrolling it — and providers are not pleased about this prospect. The House late Wednesday passed a newly released appropriations bill that includes an extension of the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014 (IMPACT Act). This act which would effectively allow the Medicare hospice benefit to act as a pay-for for nonhospice legislative priorities.