Literature Review
How to help elderly parents from a distance: Tech can ease logistical, emotional burden
03/01/24 at 03:00 AMHow to help elderly parents from a distance: Tech can ease logistical, emotional burden USA Today, by Marc Ramirez; 2/28/24 As a neuropsychologist trained in developing technology for cognitively impaired older adults, Alyssa Weakley’s research at the University of California, Davis, made her acutely aware of the challenges of long-distance caregiving. ... Soon, she and her family found themselves in a position shared by nearly 6 million other Americans, acting as caregivers from a complicated and often distressing distance. According to a 2020 AARP report, long-distance caregivers represent more than 1 in 10 of the country’s estimated 53 million family caregivers, meaning they live an hour or more from their care recipient; on average, they live about 450 miles away. Editor's Note: What systems do you have in place to communicate with and support family members who live long-distance, who never have the opportunity to meet with any hospice team members in person?
The devil’s in the details: Hospice providers face Claim Denials for Election Statement technicalities
03/01/24 at 03:00 AMThe devil’s in the details: Hospice providers face Claim Denials for Election Statement technicalities JDSupra, by Lanchi Nguyen Bombalier and Charmaine Mech; 2/29/24Since the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) paused much of its audit activity during the COVID Public Health Emergency, the most recent rounds of Medicare audit activity may represent the first “look” at the new Election Statement forms that many hospice providers adopted under the new Medicare election statement requirements effective in October 2020. Unfortunately, these initial audit results from the Medicare Administrative Contractors (“MACs”) suggest that hospice providers and MAC reviewers may not necessarily see eye-to-eye on what information must be included in the new Election Statement.
Why not-for-profit health systems need positive margins: Deloitte
03/01/24 at 03:00 AMWhy not-for-profit health systems need positive margins: Deloitte Becker's Hospital CFO, by Andrew Cass; 2/28/24Health system margins are the "lifeblood of a healthy, patient-centered, innovative health care system and community," according to a report from consulting firm Deloitte. "Claims that profits are not important in fact undermine the ability to fund the mission, serve the community, and deliver better, equitable care," Deloitte said in the report. ... "[Systems] should consider a holistic approach that integrates margin drivers to create a balanced transformation portfolio, according to the report. Timing and sequencing are important within each driver and "a full understanding of the dollar impact and priority of each is necessary for margin improvement to be successful."
Today's Encouragement: March is a tomboy with touseled hair
03/01/24 at 03:00 AMMarch is a tomboy with touseled hair, a mischievous smile, mud on her shoes, and a laugh in her voice. - Hal Borland
(Private Equity Issue) Anesthesiology group must cut ties with 5 hospitals: Colorado AG
03/01/24 at 03:00 AM(Private Equity Issue) Anesthesiology group must cut ties with 5 hospitals: Colorado AGBecker's Hospital Review, by Alan Condon; 2/27/24Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser has announced an agreement with U.S. Anesthesia Partners that resolves the private equity-backed company's alleged anticompetitive business practices that drove up prices for consumers receiving surgical anesthesia services.Publisher's note: Private equity concerns have impacted hospices the past few years. Private equity concerns in other fields are also catching our attention.
Music therapy could help manage the pain of bereavement
03/01/24 at 03:00 AMMusic therapy could help manage the pain of bereavementThe Conversation; 2/28/24Grief has always inspired songwriters. Popular songs including Let Me Go, by Gary Barlow, Eric Clapton’s Tears in Heaven and The Living Years by Mike and the Mechanics, were all written as a way of working through the grief of losing a loved one. ... Barlow’s Let Me Go, however, is a remarkably upbeat and joyful record, written from the perspective of the pop star’s stillborn daughter, Poppy.
Bilingual patient navigation can improve palliative care outcomes for Hispanic patients
03/01/24 at 03:00 AMBilingual patient navigation can improve palliative care outcomes for Hispanic patients Hospice News, by Holly Vossel; 2/28/24Bicultural and bilingual palliative patient navigator interventions may be a key to improving access to goal concordant care among Hispanic populations with serious illness, according to recent research. Researchers in a recent clinical trial sought to address whether integration of bilingual patient navigation interventions could improve palliative care outcomes in Hispanic patients with serious, noncancer illnesses.
"The great escape": How an incident of elopement gave rise to trauma informed palliative care for a patient experiencing multiple disadvantage
03/01/24 at 03:00 AM"The great escape": How an incident of elopement gave rise to trauma informed palliative care for a patient experiencing multiple disadvantage BMC Palliat Care, by Sam Quinn, Libby Ferguson, Derek Read, and Naomi Richards; 2/28/24Background: This case report ... illustrates how unresolved traumatic experiences across the life course can affect a patient's engagement with palliative care and offers insights into the flexibility and adaptations necessary for taking a trauma informed approach to care for an individual experiencing multiple disadvantage.
Report of Hospice Election for Part D (Response File)
03/01/24 at 03:00 AMReport of Hospice Election for Part D (Response File) U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services - Guidance Portal; 2/26/24 The purpose of this Change Request (CR) is to define the response file related to CR 13202. [Click on the title's link and follow prompts to download the Guidance Document.]
NIA is leading efforts to coordinate NIH palliative care research
03/01/24 at 02:00 AMNIA is leading efforts to coordinate NIH palliative care researchNational Institute on Aging, by Chandra Keller and Alexis Bakos; 2/28/24
CMS finalizes important changes to Medicare enrollment requirements for hospice, home health providers
03/01/24 at 01:00 AMCMS finalizes important changes to Medicare enrollment requirements for hospice, home health providersJDSupra; 2/28/24The US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized important changes to the Medicare enrollment regulations applicable to hospices and home health agencies (HHAs), including increasing the level of screening that hospice providers are subject to and limiting a Medicare-enrolled hospice’s ability to change majority ownership to once every 36 months.
With Amedisys deal pending, Justice Department opens antitrust investigation into UnitedHealth Group
02/29/24 at 03:30 AMWith Amedisys deal pending, Justice Department opens antitrust investigation into UnitedHealth Group Home Health Care News, by Andrew Donlan; 2/27/24The Department of Justice is targeting UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) in an antitrust investigation, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday. Specifically, the Justice Department is interviewing subjects around interactions between UnitedHealth Group and its health care provider services arm, Optum.
Right-sizing interprofessional team training for serious-illness communication: A strength-based approach
02/29/24 at 03:00 AMRight-sizing interprofessional team training for serious-illness communication: A strength-based approach PEC Innvov, by Liana Eskola, Ethan Silverman, Sarah Rogers, Amy Zelenski; distributed 2/28/24Objective: Palliative care communication skills help tailor care to patients' goals. With a palliative care physician shortage, non-physicians must gain these serious illness communication skills. Historically, trainings have targeted physician-only groups; our goal was to train interprofessional teams.
House set to vote on bill that could give dramatic boost to nurse-aide training efforts
02/29/24 at 03:00 AMHouse set to vote on bill that could give dramatic boost to nurse-aide training efforts McKnights Long-Term Care News, by Josh Henreckson; 2/28/24 A bill that could reshape how new workers enter the long-term care workforce is scheduled for a vote in the US House of Representatives this week, according to a spokesperson for House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA). If passed, HR 6585 — referred to as the Bipartisan Workforce Pell Act — would make work training programs of as short as eight weeks with a minimum of 150 hours of training eligible for the federal aid through the Pell Grant program. Previously, grants were available only to programs with a minimum of 15 weeks and 600 hours of training.
Surgeon shares biggest lesson: ‘Never underestimate the power of hope'
02/29/24 at 03:00 AMSurgeon shares biggest lesson: ‘Never underestimate the power of hope Mofitt Cancer Center, by Corrie Pellegrino; 2/27/24An Interview with Dr. Monica Avila. ...[Question] What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned from a patient?[Response] I think the biggest lesson is to never underestimate the power of hope and the power of the patients’ will to live. I’ve had patients literally placed on hospice care who I have taken to the operating room, had successful optimal debulking for ovarian cancer and who are living life right now after chemotherapy. So I never underestimate patients’ ability to keep going and keep living.
HCA unveils executive performance incentive pay for 2024
02/29/24 at 03:00 AMHCA unveils executive performance incentive pay for 2024 Becker's Hospital Review, by Laura Dyrda; 2/27/24 Nashville, TN-based HCA Healthcare revealed its plans for the 2024 Executive Officer Performance Excellence Program in a Feb. 26 Form 8-K filed with the SEC. Top executives for the 182-hospital health system will be eligible to earn performance awards based on achieving specific targets, weighted as:
Palliative care startups require creativity, flexibility
02/29/24 at 03:00 AMPalliative care startups require creativity, flexibility Hospice News, by Audrie Marton; 2/27/24 According to the World Health Organization, each year, an estimated 56.8 million people need palliative care. Worldwide, only about 14% of people who need this care currently receive it. ... Tiffany Hughes, chief operating officer of Texas-based PalliCare, found that the secret to a successful palliative care model is creating a continuum of care between home health and hospice for patients within the last 18 to 24 months of life.
Is healthcare paying enough attention to nurse leaders?
02/29/24 at 03:00 AMIs healthcare paying enough attention to nurse leaders?Becker's Clinical Leadership, by Erica Carbajal; 2/26/24 Early this year, the American Organization for Nursing Leadership Foundation released findings from more than 2,400 nurse leaders who were surveyed in November. Thirty-five percent of respondents indicated they were considering an exit from their roles: 12% said they intend to leave and 23% said they may leave within the next six months. When asked what the top reasons were for thinking about an exit, nurse leaders pointed to work having a negative affect on their health and well-being and not having the resources to do their job — a parallel to what bedside nurses consistently point to as drivers of burnout or reasons they've stepped away from the job.
Kinship PACE enters greater Chicago market
02/29/24 at 03:00 AMKinship PACE enters greater Chicago marketConnectCRE Chicago & Midwest, by Jasmine Kilman; 2/26/24Cushman & Wakefield has arranged a new long-term 15,310 square-foot lease for Kinship PACE of Illinois at the Bricktown Square shopping mall in Chicago. Kinship PACE of Illinois is a program of all-inclusive care for the elderly (PACE). This latest lease marks Kinship Health’s first location in Illinois.
The state where all hospitals are on track to earn new Joint Commission [Equity] Certification
02/29/24 at 03:00 AMThe state where all hospitals are on track to earn new Joint Commission [Equity] CertificationBecker's Clinical Leadership, by Erica Carbajal; 2/28/24All hospitals in Massachusetts are meeting a health equity accreditation standard that The Joint Commission introduced last year, making it the first state to be recognized for the accomplishment. ... Achieving the standard is the first step to obtain The Joint Commission's recently launched health equity certification, which all of the state's hospitals plan to earn by 2025, according to a joint news release from the Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association and accrediting body.
[Palliative Care] Are we consulting, sharing care, or taking over? A conceptual framework
02/29/24 at 03:00 AMAre we consulting, sharing care, or taking over? A conceptual frameworkPalliat Med Rep, by José Pereira, Christopher Klinger, Hsien Seow, Denise Marshall, Leonie Herx; 2/23/24Background: Primary- and specialist-level palliative care services are needed. They should work collaboratively and synergistically. Although several service models have been described, these remain open to different interpretations and deployment.Aim: This article describes a conceptual framework, the Consultation-Shared Care-Takeover (C-S-T) Framework, its evolution and its applications.
How death doulas support entire families
02/29/24 at 03:00 AMHow death doulas support entire familiesCure, by Alex Biese; 2/27/24... Death doulas, also known as end-of-life doulas, “provide companionship, comfort, and guidance to those facing a terminal illness or death” via non-medical holistic support encompassing “emotional, spiritual, and practical care,” according to the International End-of-Life Doula Association.
BONUS: 2024 Black History Quotes from "Today's Encouragement"
02/29/24 at 03:00 AMBONUS: 2024 Black History Quotes from "Today's Encouragement"