Literature Review

Palliative care access for indigenous populations: Removing barriers and reducing disparities ECRI, Plymouth Meeting, PA; by Eileen Cornish; 10/22/24 ... Indigenous populations across North America face barriers to healthcare due to a combination of historical, social, economic, and systemic factors. Key barriers include historical trauma and distrust, remote or rural geography, economic disparities, cultural differences, systemic racism, and discrimination.  ... For this topic, ECRI librarians identified 35 studies, including six systematic reviews, that discuss barriers to palliative care for Indigenous people across North America. ...  Removing Barriers: Here are several key takeaways from the studies we identified. Other barriers are likely exist; however, these common themes emerged from the studies identified in ECRI’s review.

Research synthesis related to oncology family caregiver spirituality in palliative care Journal of Palliative Medicine; by Betty R. Ferrell, Tami Borneman, Marianna Koczywas, and Paul Galchutt;  10/21/24 online ahead of print Family caregivers are central to the delivery of serious illness care and also have needs related to their role and experience. One aspect of the family caregiver quality of life (QOL) that has received less attention is caregiver spirituality. The research objectives for this analysis were (1) Describe spirituality in oncology family caregivers. (2) Determine the impact of palliative care interventions on spirituality and related variables in oncology family caregivers. (3) Describe findings from the research literature related to spirituality in family caregivers. The authors include two nurse researchers (BF, TB) and a physician (MK) who conducted these studies and a board-certified chaplain (PG) who contributed his expertise in chaplaincy.  ... The authors' research synthesis and the literature support the importance of additional research and clinical focus in family caregiver spirituality in serious illness care. 

Kaiser Permanente mental health workers go on strike in Southern California Fox 5 - KUSI, San Diego, CA; by Danielle Dawson; 10/21/24 Thousands of mental health workers at Kaiser Permanente locations across Southern California hit the picket lines on Monday for the first day of an open-ended strike, calling for measures to reduce employee turnover and better patient care. ... The unionized mental health professionals — encompassing therapists, psychologists, social workers and psychiatric nurses — have been demanding Kaiser address issues in their next contract that have contributed to “substandard” care in Southern California. ... Last year, California behavioral health regulators flagged several of these problems when it hit Kaiser with a $50 million fine — the largest-ever penalty issued by the department — for failing to provide timely care to its patients as part of a wider $200 million settlement agreement. “Our agency could lose its Medicare license because we have five days to see our patients and, because our unsustainable caseloads, patient care is being delayed,” Elizabeth Meza, a San Diego-area hospice worker, told KUSI Monday morning. “We are only able to provide the minimum amount of care that they need.”

[In case you missed it] The HOPE Assessment Tool: What you need to know [free webinar by CHAP]Community Health Accreditation Partner (CHAP); 10/21/24 On October 16, 2024, we hosted a webinar on the upcoming implementation of the HOPE Assessment Tool, which will catalyze hospice care starting in 2025. The webinar provided valuable insights into the tool’s implementation, content highlights, and its anticipated impact on hospice program operations. During the session, participants asked numerous important questions, many of which we’ve compiled into this FAQ for further clarification. Access the recorded session and handouts if you missed it or would like to review the presentation.

Southern Tier Health helps HomeCare & Hospice, Total Senior Care on USDA grant Olean Times Herald, Olean, NY; by Kellen M. Quigley; 10/22/24 A collaboration between three local agencies looking out for the health and well-being of their clients is getting a modern technological boost thanks to a federal grant. The Southern Tier Health Care System, Inc. (STHCS) was recently awarded nearly $140,000 through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Rural Utilities Service Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Program. This funding is meant to empower rural communities by leveraging advanced technology to connect residents and healthcare providers, overcoming the challenges of distance and low population density. Of the total grant, $114,606.80 was allocated to HomeCare & Hospice and Total Senior Care for state-of-the-art digital communication and remote learning tools, including high-definition displays, advanced cameras and integrated audio systems.

Leveraging sales strategies in hospice payment cap management Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 10/22/24 Errors or other inconsistencies with the payment cap can have significant consequences for providers, and sales and marketing staff can help hospices achieve a healthy balance. The cap is designed to prevent overuse of hospice, put controls on Medicare spending and foster greater access to care among patients. For Fiscal Year 2024, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services set the cap at $33,394. In 2025, this will rise to $34,465. If a hospice has a cap liability, they will have to repay that amount to Medicare. In some situations, a hospice might face additional monetary penalties, interest charges or referrals to the U.S. Treasury Department in severe cases.

Providence, Compassus form home care joint ventureModern Healthcare; by Diane Eastabrook; 10/22/24Home care provider Compassus will take over management of Providence’s home-based care services through a joint venture the two companies announced Tuesday. Under the arrangement, Brentwood, Texas-based Compassus would manage and jointly own Providence’s home health, hospice, community-based palliative care and private duty nursing services under the name Providence at Home with Compassus, the companies said in a news release. Neither company would disclose financial terms of the deal, which is subject to approval by state and federal regulators.Publisher's note: This joint venture is different from other recent Compassus joint ventures with Mercy Health, OhioHealth, and Bon Secours.

Home health care aide charged with manslaughter in death of elderly central Florida man

Aging Mastery: 10 weeks, 10 topics to empower seniors for healthy living New Hampshire Union Leaders; by Kathleen D. Bailey; 10/20/24 Jen Brechtel, director of Community Health for the Granite VNA, said one of the biggest issues in the agency’s “Aging Mastery” program” is sleep. “It’s the topic people come in most for,” she said. “We partner with a sleep center to help them out. Another big one? Community engagement.” The Granite VNA and Hospice is interested in all factors affecting their senior clients. With a menu of data-driven programs, the agency is reaching out to help seniors master aging. The “Aging Mastery” program is a project of the National Council on Aging, according to Brechtel. ... The 10-week class, ongoing now in Sanbornton, has sessions devoted to the concepts that please (or plague) elders: navigating longer lives, exercise, sleep, healthy eating/hydration, financial fitness, advance planning, healthy relationships, medication management, community engagement and falls. Experts from the community take turns teaching the topics, with a VNA staffer as moderator.

3 strategies for hospice GIP compliance Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 10/21/24 Utilization of the general inpatient level of care (GIP) is frequently the subject of audits by Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs), and avoiding or responding to that scrutiny requires strict compliance to a complex web of rules. Audits are becoming more frequent in the hospice space, and GIP is an increasing focus, including ​for the most common types — Supplemental Medical Review Contractor (SMRC) and Targeted Probe and Educate (TPE). In a survey earlier this year, more than half of hospice providers reported having undergone multiple types of audits within a six-month period. ... In addition to these routine MAC audits, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (GIP) has been performing a national audit of GIP utilization, as well as an additional investigation into management of the associated payment cap. The inpatient cap limits the number of days of inpatient care for which Medicare will pay to 20% of a hospice’s total Medicare patient care days, according to OIG. If GIP billing exceeds that metric, the hospice must refund those payments to Medicare.

A special dedication for a Make-A-Wish room KOB-4, Albuquerque, NM; by KOB; 10/18/24 There’s nothing like making a child’s wish come true. For children fighting a critical illness, those wishes are a gift of hope that can help give them the strength to continue their fight. Through tears and hugs, the Make-A-Wish room where wishes are planned and granted was dedicated to the memory of a Wish Kid.  ... “After two days in the hospital, we were able to bring our precious boy home. ...” It’s a situation no family prepares for after bringing their newborn home. ... Seth was placed on hospice and his family focused on letting him live out his best life. That’s when make a wish became part of his story. “They were pure magic from the moment we met them, after sitting down to meet and learn about Seth, we discussed possible wish ideas.” That meeting was done in the Wish Room. ... “Our Wish Room is where Wish Kids come in to do their discovery visits, to talk about their wish to plan. And so it’s a really fun space just for kids to come in, forget about their diagnosis for a while and dream big,” said Sara Lister, president & CEO of Make-A-Wish New Mexico.

Help at Home to acquire Helpmates, Inc. The Daily Herald, Huntingdon, PA; 10/21/24 Penn Highlands Healthcare and Excel Companion Care, LLC, doing business as Help at Home, have agreed to the acquisition of Helpmates, Inc., the health system’s non-skilled in-home services. Help at Home is a national in-home provider with a focus on unskilled personal care services. “The acquisition of Helpmates enables our health system to focus and grow the core services of Healthcare at Home which include home health and hospice,” said Cheryl Mitchell, Service Line Leader of Penn Highlands Healthcare at Home. ... The acquisition will occur on or around December 9, 2024 following governmental approval. 

October is a fallen leaf, but it is also the wider horizon more clearly seen. ~ Hal Borland