Literature Review

"Life… Gets Turned Upside-Down…" Opportunities to improve palliative care for high-grade gliomaJournal of Pain and Symptom Management; by Rita C Crooms, Jeannys F Nnemnbeng, Jennie W Taylor, Nathan E Goldstein, Barbara G Vickrey, Ksenia Gorbenko; 9/24Early palliative care referral is recommended broadly in oncology. Yet, few patients with high-grade gliomas (HGG) - highly aggressive brain tumors - receive specialty palliative care consultation. The palliative care needs of HGG relative to other cancers across palliative care domains are distinguished by poor prognosis, physical and cognitive deficits, and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Themes on indications for palliative care referral differed between neuro-oncologists and palliative physicians. Neuro-oncologists favored selective referral for clinical indications such as high non-neurologic symptom burden requiring time-intensive management. Palliative physicians favored early referral of most HGG patients, to allow for maximal benefit across HGG trajectory.

[Canada] Cognitive symptoms across diverse cancersJAMA Network Open; Samantha J. Mayo, RN, PhD; Kim Edelstein, PhD; Eshetu G. Atenafu, MSc, PStat; Rand Ajaj, HBSc; Madeline Li, MD, PhD; Lori J. Bernstein, PhD; 8/24In this cross-sectional study of 5078 survey respondents with cancer seeking psychosocial support, over half of these patients reported having cognitive symptoms of any severity. A third of these patients reported moderate to severe cognitive symptoms, which were associated with disease, treatment, and other symptoms. Findings of this study suggest that higher severity of cognitive symptoms was consistently associated with higher symptom burden; these findings could be used to inform decision-making regarding access to cognitive screening, assessment, and supportive care in outpatient oncology clinics.

Lake Erie views from every room mark plans for new Hospice of the Western Reserve building Ideastream Public Media; by Stephen Langel; 9/18/24The Hospice of the Western Reserve broke ground Wednesday on a new 32-bed facility in Cleveland's North Collinwood neighborhood.The new, $25 million building will replace a 30-year-old facility located adjacent to it on East 185th Street and will have a different look and feel than the old site, said Laura Rayburn, president of the Hospice of the Western Reserve Foundation."It doesn't smell like a hospital, look like a hospital or sound like a hospital," Rayburn said. ... The new facility will provide patients and family members with suites that ensure quiet settings and privacy, she said. Each suite will also face Lake Erie with patio access for residents. "We have this beautiful asset of the lake, and we know the importance of water and how it can relieve stress, how it can reduce anxiety," Rayburn said. The facility also keeps medical equipment hidden from view to reduce stress and anxiety while providing the acute care patients need, she said. This can include having the ports for equipment to help with breathing located behind a picture above a bed's headboard, so it's out of sight when not needed, Rayburn said. The old facility, for which there are no current reuse plans, is being replaced due to rising maintenance and repair costs.

The catalyst for a 25% drop in sepsis mortality at Jefferson Health Becker's Clinical Leadership; by Erica Carbajal; 9/19/24 In the healthcare quality space, clinicians must track a plethora of metrics and measures, creating an environment where it can be easy to lose focus of ongoing priorities. To help center focus and ensure alignment of clinical priorities, Philadelphia-based Jefferson Health developed a quality and safety management system called OnPoint, which is now in place across all of its 17 hospitals. ... The platform is central to strides Jefferson Health has made in managing sepsis in recent years, ... Since 2021, the system has achieved a 25% reduction in average annual sepsis mortality, which is estimated to have saved the lives of nearly 700 patients and $30 million in costs.

How healthcare leaders view Gen Z in the workforce Becker's Hospital Review; by Kristin Kuchno; 9/18/24As more members of Generation Z move into the workforce, some have clashed with management or disagree with how their employees view them. The group, born between 1997 and 2012, has been described as both tech-savvy and overly reliant on technology. Some human resources professionals have said they lack work ethic and time management skills. The early-career employees themselves have said they find enjoyment in full-time work and value career growth and planning. Here are three healthcare leaders' perceptions of Gen Z in the workforce.

How palliative care-ACO partnerships could reduce health disparities Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 9/18/24 Palliative care providers engaging in Accountable Care Organization (ACO) relationships have the potential to make significant strides in bridging inequitable gaps of access. Groups of physicians, hospitals and other health care providers voluntarily join forces in ACOs, which are designed to offer high-quality, coordinated care to Medicare patients. Collaborating or contracting with ACO networks can help palliative care providers better understand and address the leading barriers among underserved populations as they move across the continuum, said Empath Health CEO Jonathan Fleece. The ACO reimbursement landscape includes incentives and quality measures designed to improve outcomes based on population needs. Providing palliative care through ACO relationships can result in greater potential to address patients’ full scope of medical, non-medical and psychosocial needs further upstream in their illness trajectories, Fleece stated, speaking at the recent Hospice News Palliative Care Virtual Summit.

Hiring manager fired for refusing to post 'ghost jobs' is now sharing how to recognize them Upworthy; by Jacalyn Wetzel; 9/18/24 There doesn't seem to be a shortage in job openings but there does seem to be an abundance of people looking for work for months without finding gainful employment. According to Ceros Whaley, a former hiring manager at an unnamed company, the problem is that unsuspecting hopeful employees are unknowingly applying for "ghost jobs." Whaley shares that part of his job as a hiring manager was to create "ghost jobs," which are simply fake job listings. He explains that these job listings were not created to find more qualified people to fill positions but to "encourage" current employees to improve their performance. Whaley says that he got into a little bit of a kerfuffle with his higher manager over the company continuing the ghost job ruse. By the time the man reached his tolerance level for posting fake jobs, he had already posted over 300 ghost jobs on sites like Indeed, Monster and other hiring sites. But Whaley shares that he found his morals and just couldn't continue the practice. ... [The] frustrated former employee … did a follow up video sharing how to spot ghost jobs and how to avoid them while you're job hunting. [Click on the title’s link to view.] 

State scrutiny pf UnitedHealth Group-Amedisys deal pushes timeline back further Home Health Care News; by Audrie Martin; 9/19/24 UnitedHealth Group’s acquisition of Amedisys is still pending. That could be due to a variety of factors, but one is clear: the Oregon Health Authority’s (OHA) ongoing review, which is expected to continue until at least the end of November. OHA’s Health Care Market Oversight (HCMO) program reviews health care business deals to ensure they do not harm the state’s citizens or communities. In July, both UnitedHealth Group and Amedisys submitted responses to the OHA’s request for information. The authority is still seeking public comments on this matter. In addition to the issue in Oregon, the deal has faced scrutiny from federal antitrust regulators, including the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).

There is a time in late September when the leaves are still green and the days are still warm, but somehow you know that it is all about to end, as if summer was holding its breath, and when it let it out again, it would be autumn. ~ Sharyn McCrumb

Survey: Older adults unsatisfied with current healthcare system McKnights Long-Term Care News; by Kristen Fischer; 9/17/24 Older adults aren’t too happy with the healthcare system and many think it doesn’t meet their needs and preferences, according to a new survey. The results of the survey, conducted by The Harris Poll, were published Tuesday, and were released by Age Wave and The John A. Hartford Foundation.  Four in five adults aged 65 and older said that the system isn’t prepared to handle the changing needs of Americans in their age group. In total, only 11% said the US healthcare system deserved a grade of “A.” Results show that older adults want solutions such as affordable care interventions, developments to prevent or reduce cognitive decline, and healthcare professionals who understand what matters to them when they discuss care options.

The ROI of interoperability in home health Home Health Care News; by Elizabeth Ecker; 9/16/24 Today’s home-based care organizations know there is value in interoperability among their technology vendors. Allowing for seamless data integration as well as ease-of-use for staff and clinical professionals, interoperability is an important consideration for technology decisions in today’s operating environment. But what is the true value of interoperability, and how can home-based care agencies measure their return on investment? Several leading professionals share their perspectives on how they approach ROI calculations in their organizations.

4 traps to avoid as you transition into a leadership role Harvard Business Review; by David Lancefield; 9/17/24 Lisa came to me for help at the end of the first 90 days in her first C-suite role. She had started confidently, sharing her story, setting out her hopes for her new organization, and working hard to create some quick wins — but soon the problems started piling up: Investors were confused about the strategic direction, employees felt let down by unfulfilled promises, and customers remained unimpressed by the service they received. We reflected on what she could have done differently. ... She had fallen into four traps I’ve observed in my work with C-suite executives over the last 25 years. They divert attention from what matters and impair decision-making — just when you need to be on your A-game. Here’s what to watch out for and what to do instead.