Literature Review

Never measure the height of a mountain until you reach the top. Then you will see how low it was. ~Dag Hammarskjold

Vaccine mandates for health care workers—An effective policy tool for past and future pandemics JAMA Open Network; John B. Lynch, MD, MPH; 8/24COVID-19 vaccines reduce the risk of infection, severe disease, long COVID, and death. Although COVID-19 vaccines were free and obtainable in 2021 and as early as December 2020 for some health care workers (HCWs), a considerable proportion of people in the US chose not to get vaccinated. Wang and colleagues investigated this challenging and critically important question: do public policies that required health care workers to get vaccinated increase vaccine uptake? ... by the second week after a mandate was implemented, Wang et al found an increase in the proportion of HCWs ever vaccinated or who had completed or intended to complete the primary vaccination series. These results join those of other studies that found an association between vaccine mandates and increased vaccinations in specific populations. Studies like that by Wang et al provide more information that could be used to design mandates and communicate the impact of future mandates, providing much needed and better measures of the perceived tradeoffs of governmental action in preparation for the next pandemic and in the prevention of nonpandemic infectious diseases.

Lay-led intervention for war and refugee trauma-A randomized clinical trialJAMA Network Open; Lori A. Zoellner, PhD; Jacob A. Bentley, PhD; Kawther Musa, MA; Farhiya Mohamed, MSW; Luul B. Ahmed, BA; Kevin M. King, PhD; Norah C. Feeny, PhD; for the Islamic Trauma Healing Clinical Team; 8/24The global refugee crisis disproportionately affects the Muslim world [and] forced displacement often results in trauma-related mental health issues. Effective psychotherapy exists, but there are barriers to uptake by refugee groups as well as a lack of culturally appropriate interventions. In a randomized clinical trial with a US-based sample of 101 refugees, Islamic Trauma Healing showed significant effects on posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and well-being, compared with the control group, with gains maintained through 12-week follow-up. Islamic Trauma Healing was well received by community members, consistent with faith and culture. The findings of this study suggest that this deep-cultural–adapted intervention has the potential to provide an easily trainable and scalable model to reach war and refugee communities unlikely to either have access to or seek Western-based mental health interventions.

Individual-and community-level risk factors of cancer-related financial hardship among cancer survivorsJAMA Network Open; Apoorv Dhir, MD; Kristian Donald Stensland, MD, MS, MPH; Lindsey Allison Herrel, MD, MS; Rishi Robert Sekar, MD, MS; 8/24Cancer survivors face substantial economic hardships during and after oncologic care, compounding the physical and psychosocial implications of a cancer diagnosis and compromising treatment adherence, quality of life, and survival. In this cross-sectional study, approximately 50% of cancer survivors experienced cancer-related financial hardship, with a disproportionate number of survivors who were younger, were Medicare or Medicaid beneficiaries, were socioeconomically disadvantaged, and had advanced disease. Although policy efforts to curb the costs of cancer care are essential, acknowledging the role of community and structural barriers and identifying socially vulnerable populations for targeted interventions represent a potential strategy toward mitigating financial hardship and delivering equitable cancer care.

Injurious fall risk differences among older adults with first-line depression treatmentsJAMA Network Open; Grace Hsin-Min Wang, PharmD, MS; Edward Chia-Cheng Lai, PhD; Amie J. Goodin, PhD; Rachel C. Reise, PharmD, MS; Ronald I. Shorr, MD, MS; Wei-Hsuan Lo-Ciganic, PhD, MS, MSPharm; 8/24One-third of older adults in the US have depression, often treated with psychotherapy and antidepressants. In this cohort study of older Medicare beneficiaries with depression, first-line antidepressants were associated with a decreased FRI risk compared with untreated individuals. These findings provide valuable insights into their safety profiles, aiding clinicians in their consideration for treating depression in older adults.

Saturday newsletters focus on headlines and research - enjoy!

Accuracy of the “surprise question” in predicting long-term mortality among older patients admitted to the Emergency Department: Comparison between emergency physicians and nurses in a multicenter longitudinal studyPalliative Medicine Reports; by Alexandra Coulon, Delphine Bourmorck, Françoise Steenebruggen, Laurent Knoops, Isabelle De Brauwer, on behalf of the COPE Project; 8/24The “surprise question” (SQ) (“Would you be surprised if this patient died in the next 12 months?”) is the most frequently used screening tool in emergency departments (EDs) to identify patients with poor prognosis and potential unmet palliative needs... The SQ is a simple tool to identify older ED patients at high mortality risk. Concordant responses from [emergency physicians and nurses] are more predictive than either alone.

United States settles claims of durable medical equipment fraud against Wilmington physicianDOJ press release; 9/11/24WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Attorney David C. Weiss announced today that Dr. Vishal Patel, a Wilmington physician, has agreed to pay $1,080,000 to resolve allegations that he violated the False Claims Act by ordering medically unnecessary durable medical equipment for patients covered by Medicare and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP). Between February 2018 and April 2019, Dr. Patel referred patients for more than 1750 orthotic devices, including wrist, shoulder, knee, ankle, and back braces. The United States alleges that Dr. Patel had no medical relationship with these patients and that the referrals were based on brief reviews of the patients’ medical charts, which failed to establish any legitimate medical justification for the devices. Medicare and FEHBP paid, on average, more than $400 for each device. Patient files were provided to Dr. Patel by RediDoc, LLC, a purported telemedicine company based in Phoenix, Arizona whose owners pleaded guilty to participation in a $64 million health care fraud conspiracy in May 2022.

Parent company of three area senior living facilities files bankruptcy Springfield Business Journal, Springfield, IL; by Michelle Ownbey; 9/11/24  Three Springfield-area facilities that serve seniors have been listed for sale as part of a recent bankruptcy filing, but representatives from the parent company say no closures or immediate changes are planned. Midwest Christian Villages, Inc., doing business as Christian Horizons, recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and announced plans to restructure. The St. Louis-based nonprofit operates 12 communities with independent living, assisted living and memory care services and also has short-term rehabilitation and long-term health care centers. ... A statement posted on Christian Horizons’ website notes: “A series of events has put significant pressure on the company’s finances” and lists resident and patient volumes sharply declining at the outset of the pandemic, staffing shortages and increased costs to procure goods and services as factors. 

Rethinking medical records and electronic health EMR Industry - Information & Intelligence; 9/11/24 Since healthcare delivery is rapidly moving toward a more digital model, electronic health records, or EHRs, are likely to become even more important and impactful in the years to come. EHRs are the foundation for providing safe and effective care. The themes covered in this seventh edition of Healthcare Foresight are insight-driven decision making based on data platforms, developing regional EHR approaches that enable integrated care, and avoiding implementation problems. ... The phrase “electronic medical record” is becoming a bit archaic. It has been replaced by an electronic health record, or patient record, which compiles clinical data from several locations into a single, all-encompassing picture of the patient. Healthcare providers can now more easily achieve the long-aspired-for health data ideal of one patient, one record, thanks to developments in cloud computing, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence (AI). Patients moving between multiple care settings—the community, hospitals, primary care clinics, and wherever else they might receive care—should have a seamless experience thanks to the EHR. However, the possibilities are far more.

Telehealth groups urge feds to extend virtual prescribing flexibilities  Healthcare IT News; by Mike Miliard; 9/11/24 With just four months to go until the scheduled expiration of Drug Enforcement Administration flexibilities on virtual prescribing of controlled substances, a long list of hundreds of healthcare stakeholders is calling on Congress and the White House to extend them before "countless patients [are] abandoned, left without lifesaving clinically appropriate care." Led by the American Telemedicine Association and its ATA Action arm, more than 330 disparate organizations have signed on to an effort urging federal officials to extend pandemic-era allowances for virtual prescribing that "have been a lifeline for countless individuals across the country, ensuring uninterrupted access to essential mental health care, substance use treatment, end-of-life care, and many other crucial treatments during a time when in-person visits were impossible or unsafe."

Agrace grants local 1990 Brewers bat boy a final baseball wish Agrace; 9/12/24 In 1990, Will Natz was 10 years old and about to have his dream come true—he was going to be a Milwaukee Brewers bat boy. As he waited in the County Stadium dugout, he heard Bob Uecker announce his name. ... Natz treasured the cassette tape that held a recording of that moment. ... [Due] to his progressing illness and the need for supplemental oxygen, Natz—a lifelong baseball fan—doubted he would get to another Brewers game in person. That was until his Agrace Hospice Care social worker, Kristin Kalpinski and nurse Jill Cooley saw a chance to make his wish come true with assistance from Agrace’s Wish program. Through the Wish program, Kalpinski, Cooley and staff from the Agrace Foundation contacted the Brewers Community Foundation, American Family Field and other community partners. A donor gave Natz and his family four wheelchair-accessible seats for a Brewers game, plus tickets for Kalpinski and Cooley to go along to support Will’s care needs. Just a few days later, Natz was on his way to a game.