Literature Review

Workplace Violence Prevention Plan Implementation: Answers to Frequently Asked QuestionsLCW, California Public Agency Labor & Employment Bolg; 3/13/24With the enactment of [California] Senate Bill (“SB”) 553, the legislature amended Labor Code section 6401.7 and added Labor Code section 6401.9, requiring employers to adopt and implement a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (“WVPP”) and corresponding training for their employees by July 1, 2024. ... Since the enactment of the bill, employers have had questions regarding the WVPP and the training requirements. Below are some common questions and the responses to them: ... [Click on the article's title to view]

How home care companies can optimize operationsMcKnights Home Care, by Lance A. Slatton; 3/12/24To meet the evolving needs of this growing industry without placing additional stress on employed caregivers, it’s crucial that home care companies optimize their operations. This may involve streamlining their processes, adopting innovative technologies, and prioritizing efficiency to ensure high-quality care and sustainable growth.

Healthcare provider anti-burnout bill advances in Congress Modern Healthcare, by Michael Mcauliff; 3/12/24 A bill to support healthcare workers struggling with burnout, stress and other work-related mental health problems advanced in Congress on a unanimous subcommittee vote Tuesday. ... The measure funds grants for healthcare organizations and professionals associations to offer employee education programs to address burnout, encourage peer support, and direct struggling providers to mental and behavioral health treatment.

Poem: I knew you had been sick for quite a while. I had no idea you were walking your last mile.The Andalusia Star News, by Vickie C. Wacaster, "a patient and hospice advocate for Aveanna Hospice"; 3/14/24. This poem is at the end of an article, "COLUMN: Hospice helps make most of all moments."I knew you had been sick for quite a while. I had no idea you were walking your last mile. Had I known your time was so near, Despite my fear, I would have talked more, touched more, and loved more. I asked about your care, your prognosis, your life, Why couldn’t they tell me? I was your wife. Or was I in denial? Did someone try to tell me? Did I refuse to hear? Could I not see? Did I refuse to accept? Your diagnosis and prognosis, did I reject? Was it because of unbelief? That death snatched you as a thief.We could have made the most of the time you had left, If only we had not been afraid of what we felt.

Google Cloud releases new clinical generative AI tools at HIMSS24MedCity News, by Katie Adams; 3/12/24 At HIMSS, Google Cloud announced new AI features designed to assist providers, payers and any other healthcare organizations seeking to make better use of their clinical data.

Responding to Soul Injury: Tools for hope and healing Journal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing; by Deborah Grassman, Abi Katz, Luann Conforti-Brown, Josephine F Wilson, Angie Snyder; 3/13/24Soul Injury is defined as a wound that separates a person from their real self, caused by unmourned loss and hurt, unforgiven guilt and shame, and fear of helplessness or loss of control. Tools and interventions have been developed to guide people impacted by Soul Injury. This study assessed the effectiveness of 12 tools and interventions, ... The Anchor Your Heart tool was the most frequently used tool and had the most enduring utilization across time and settings.Editor's Note: Click here for The Anchor Your Heart Tool identified in this article. Share this research and article with your clinical teams and bereavement counselors.

Healthcare execs need to 'iterate faster' for success, says CIO Becker's Health IT, by Laura Dyrda; 3/13/24 Baton Rouge, LA-based Franciscan Ministries of Our Lady Health System embarked on a journey last year to incorporate more artificial intelligence into its operational and clinical systems. Will Landry, senior vice president and CIO of the system, said while the organization doesn't want AI making decisions, there is a lot of value in supporting caregivers and team mates. He joined the "Becker's Healthcare Podcast" to share the health system's strategy for governance and his push for more innovative thinking around AI applications.

Doctor with terminal cancer shares the three things everyone should consider doing to prepare for deathYour Tango, by Alexandra Blogier; 3/12/24Kim is a resident doctor who was diagnosed with metastatic sarcoma when she was 28 years old. She invites people to see what her life is like, as both a medical resident and a cancer patient, focusing on the practice of gratitude and being present. ... Kim revealed the three most important things she’s done as a cancer patient to get the administrative side of her affairs in order, which she recommends everyone do, even if they're not sick.

What are ageing and death from a biological point of view? Polytchnique insights, by Alexis Gautreau and Clemence Guillermain; 3/12/24 Linking philosophy and biology may seem strange. Yet there are many subjects where the two disciplines come into play and are, in turn, essential to understanding them. Death is a perfect example. This biological reality remains an abstract concept until we experience it in our own lives. But, however abstract it may be, death is based on a biological reality. 

A fond farewell: Musings on the end of the Medicare Advantage Hospice Carve-In Demonstration Husch Blackwell, podcast with Meg Pekarske and Chris Comeaux; 3/14/24It came as a surprise to our team when we learned that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) was ending the hospice component of Value-Based Insurance Design (VBID) on December 31, 2024. Upon learning this, Husch Blackwell’s Meg Pekarske contacted Chris Comeaux, the president and CEO of Teleios Collaborative Network, to see if he wanted to share his thoughts on this unexpected turn of events and what may be on the horizon. This is a forward-looking conversation where we explore how the lessons learned can galvanize new advocacy on the best ways to care for patients with advanced illnesses.

Can we make more accurate prognoses during last days of life?Journal of Palliative Medicine; by Sylvie Bouchard, Andreea Paula Iancu, Elena Neamt, François Collette, Sylvie Dufresne, Patricia Maureen Guercin, Suganthiny Jeyaganth, Desanka Kovacina, Taliá Malagón, Laurie Musgrave, Marilisa Romano, Jenny Wong, Sybil Skinner-Robertson; 3/8/24Background: ... Established methods (Palliative Performance Scale [PPS], Palliative Prognostic Index [PPI]) have been validated for intermediate- to long-term prognoses, but last-weeks-of-life prognosis has not been well studied. Patients admitted to a palliative care facility often have a life expectancy of less than three weeks. Reliable last-weeks-of-life prognostic tools are needed. Conclusions: ... Using SPS [Short-Term Prognosis Signs] along with PPS and PPI during the last weeks of life could enable a more precise short-term survival prediction across various end-of-life diagnoses. The translation of this research into clinical practice could lead to a better adapted treatment, the identification of a most appropriate care setting for patients, and improved communication of prognosis with patients and families.

Jimmy Carter has spent over a year in hospice care. How has he defied the odds? Northeastern Global News, by Tanner Stening; 3/12/24 End-of-life advocates and experts cite Carter’s stay in hospice as having a positive impact on the discourse of end-of-life care, which Northeastern University experts say many people put off until it’s too late. ... According to the National Institutes of Health, more than 90% of patients who enter hospice care die within the first six months. Roughly 36% of patients die within a week of entering hospice.Editor's Note: This article includes an important, transparent piece of information that many articles about President Carter's 1-year hospice anniversary have not mentioned: "If the patient lives past six months, the medical professionals would need to recertify the patient for continued care." Click here for the CMS "Face-to-Face Requirement Affecting Hospice Recertification."