Literature Review

Executives detail UnitedHealthcare, Optum Health's growth plansModern Healthcare, by Lauren Berryman; 12/28/23At its annual investor conference, company executives provided an update on how the healthcare behemoth has sought to minimize the financial impact of Medicare Advantage rate changes, its progress hiring physicians and its use of technology to improve the patient, provider and payer experiences. The company said it projects 2024 revenue to hit $400 billion, a 9.1% increase over 2023's anticipated revenue, after accounting for Medicare funding reductions. The company's insurance arm expects revenue of $302 billion to $304 billion next year.

History despite its wrenching pain cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again. ~Maya Angelou

Best Buy Health plans bigger healthcare presence in 2024Becker's Health IT, by Laura Dyrda; 12/28/23Best Buy Health became a major player in healthcare over the last 12 months by partnering with some of the largest health systems in the U.S. to support in-home services, virtual care, supply chain management and more. The company partnered with Charlotte, N.C.-based Atrium, a part of Advocate Health, in March to deliver hospital-level care at home. Best Buy provides patient education and enabling technologies, and deploys the Geek Squad to provide logistics and technical support. The company also has a partnership with Danville, Pa.-based Geisinger to deliver in-home care for chronic conditions.

CHP Angel Foundation grants wishes to terminally ill adultsThe West Bend News; 12/30/23Back in 1995, the staff at CHP Home Care & Hospice noticed the need to fulfill wishes for adults in its hospice program who had limited time remaining in their lives. The idea was expanded to include individuals from throughout the state of Ohio, and the Angel Foundation was established.

Evaluation of Phase II of the Medicare Advantage Value-Based Insurance Design Model Test: First three years of implementation (2020–2022)CMS Report; 12/29/23Year Two Evaluation Report - Key Takeaways: The Medicare Advantage (MA) Value-Based Insurance Design (VBID) model test enables MA insurers to offer one or more innovative benefit design options in eligible MA plans. The model aims to encourage the use of high-value care and promote healthy behavior, with goals of enhancing care quality, improving beneficiary health, and reducing spending. Most VBID benefits can be targeted based on beneficiaries’ chronic conditions or socioeconomic status (SES). A separate Hospice Benefit component is also included in the model. 

'This Is Not Rocket Science': A Doctor's Mission to Overcome Children's Fear of NeedlesKQED, by April Dembosky; 12/27/23Any new parent has been through it: The distress of seeing your child scream at the doctor’s office. The torture of having to hold them down as the clinician sticks them with one vaccine after another. ... “We are taught to see pain as an unfortunate but inevitable side effect of good treatment,” said Dr. Diane Meier, a palliative care specialist at Mount Sinai in New York. “We learn to repress that feeling of distress at the pain we are causing because otherwise we can’t do our jobs.” During her medical training, Meier had to hold kids down for procedures, a task she hated. It drove her away from pediatrics. She went into geriatrics instead and later helped lead the modern movement to promote palliative care in medicine.

Happy New Year!Welcome to 2024 and the inaugural issue of Hospice & Palliative Care Today! Hospice & Palliative Care Today is a daily email summarizing numerous topics essential for understanding the current landscape of serious illness and end-of-life care. Building on Mark Cohen's Hospice News Today publication, Dr. Joy Berger (Editor-in-Chief) and Dr. Cordt Kassner (Publisher) continue providing relevant and timely information emailed daily. We're also incorporating a few changes, including:

Chris Comeaux announces the release of first leadership book.News ReleaseNovember 30, 2023 Hendersonville, NC—Chris Comeaux, President/CEO of Teleios Collaborative Network announces the release of his timely book, The Anatomy of Leadership, on November 30, 2023. The Anatomy of Leadership provides a framework for leadership while providing tools and strategies for leaders to develop their skills. The Anatomy of Leadership is published by Teleios Communications and is available on Amazon and in print.Editor Note: While this press release occurred a couple weeks ago, we wanted to include it in our inaugural newsletter.

Ask Amy: Annual charity column shows ways to giveDenver Post, by Amy Dickinson; 12/26/23Dear Readers: As I offer my 20th annual year-end “charity roundup,” I’d like to remind readers that while charity truly does begin at home, it need not stay there. Those who can afford to share their material wealth should give abundantly, donating locally to the local library, after-school program, hospice center, arts organizations, historical society and animal shelter. Acts of kindness and compassion are always worth their weight in gold: Shoveling a walk for a neighbor, writing a letter to an elder and volunteering at the local food bank are all ways to express your generosity.

The curious joy of being wrong – intellectual humility means being open to new informationKansas Reflector, by Daryl Van Tongeren; 12/30/23Four main aspects of intellectual humility include being:

Solving for X at the end of lifeNext Avenue, by Thomas Kamber, PhD; 12/29/23In interviews with people who were dying, we learned they wanted to mark their final days with meaningful experiences and leave their affairs in order. It's time to reset logistics, last days and legacy.

They stayed in nursing after COVID. But these Wisconsin nurses will never be the same.Oshkosh Northwestern, by Natalie Eilbert; 12/28/23FOND DU LAC – Hannah Pecora moves through the fifth floor of SSM Health St. Agnes Hospital in Fond du Lac with the confidence that comes with serving as a registered nurse since 2009. ... Pecora was there when the first shock of COVID hit the staff, along with a stream of new medical guidelines. ... Then Pecora watched a patient younger than her die. This one left her reeling.

Hospice of Care receives general support grantHouston Herald; 12/27/23Hospice Foundation of the Ozarks has awarded $10,000 to Texas County Memorial Hospital Healthcare Foundation to support TCMH Hospice of Care.