Literature Review

Code status discussions; difficult but necessary The Hospitalist, by Mark Menet, MD, MPH; 4/1/24 I thought it was just where I practiced, but it turns out that, in the medical field, we’re really bad about having code discussions, which is a significant issue. When some of my patients revealed that no one had ever asked them about their code status before, I decided to conduct some research on this topic. It turns out that, at most, 41% of patients recall discussions about their code status, however, the 10.3% as documented by another study seems much more accurate.

The indispensable role of critical thinking in healthcare leadership Forbes, by Dr. Hudson Garret, Jr and the Forbes Business Council; 4/1/24 In the fast-paced and complex landscape of healthcare, where decisions can have life-altering consequences, the value of critical thinking cannot be overstated. Critical thinking is not just a skill; it's a mindset—an essential tool for healthcare leaders to navigate uncertainty, make informed decisions and drive positive outcomes. ... Here are three examples of how I've applied critical thinking in leadership.

Hospice care for those with dementia falls far short of meeting people’s needs at the end of life ArcaMax, Maria J Silveira, University of Michigan; 4/1/24... Strikingly, only 12% of Americans with dementia ever enroll in hospice. Among those who do, one-third are near death. This is in stark contrast to the cancer population: Patients over 60 with cancer enroll in hospice 70% of the time. In my experience caring for dementia patients, the underuse of hospice by dementia patients has more to do with how hospice is structured and paid for in the U.S. than it does patient preference or differences between cancer and dementia.

Pediatric Division - National Coalition for Hospice and Palliative Care National Coalition for Hospice and Palliative Care; 3/28/24The National Coalition for Hospice and Palliative Care’s Pediatric Division represents a multi-disciplinary, volunteer team of pediatric palliative care (PPC) leaders. The Division membership is comprised of representatives from all 14 members of the Coalition, three family advocates, as well as representatives from aligned stakeholder organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychological Association, Association for Child Life Professionals, and the State Coalition Network. 

Hospice of the Chesapeake’s culinary event raises $100K for care in Calvert CountySouthern Maryland News Net; 3/28/24The Calvert County community came together to enjoy fine cuisine, local wines and spirited dancing, helping to raise more than $100,000 for Hospice of the Chesapeake at the 11th annual Culinary Event held March 22 at The Hall at Huntingtown. ... Funds from this year’s event will continue to benefit programs at the Burnett Center as well as hospice and supportive care for residents of Calvert County. 

WhidbeyHealth Hospice - $600,000 donation toward new buildingSouth Whidbey Record, WA; by Jessie Stensland; 3/26/24Thanks to an anonymous donation, the staff members of WhidbeyHealth Hospice will soon have their own space outside of the hospital in Coupeville. The board of Whidbey Island’s public hospital district voted last week to purchase a 3,100-square-foot building at 101 Northeast Birch Street in Coupeville. ... The [hospice] staff currently works out of an awkward space inside the hospital that’s not always easy for families to find. The office space acts as a hub for the employees and a place to store supplies. It’s also the site of volunteer training, patient care meetings and bereavement support. ... The hospital’s palliative services will also share the building.

A multicentre survey on the perception of palliative care among health professionals working in haematology Multicenter Study / PubMed; by Sara Di Lorenzo, Lisa Mozzi, Flavia Salmaso, Claudia Silvagni, Silvia Soffientini, Vanessa Valenti, Vittorina Zagonel; 3/27/24Purpose: Patients with haematologic malignancies have less access to palliative care and are referred later than patients with solid tumours. We developed a survey to investigate this phenomenon, with the intention of analysing palliative care perceptions among health professionals who treat haematology patients and identifying barriers and facilitators to referrals to palliative care services.

Palliative care bill a win for South Dakota, Amendment F looms as possible major setback for cancer community American Cancer Society / Cancer Action Network Press Release; 3/28/24 When Gov. Kristi Noem signed Senate Bill 147 into law it improved access to palliative care and allowed the state’s health care providers to better serve individuals with serious illnesses. ...  SB 147 adds the definition to statute, allowing for improved access to and reimbursement for palliative care services as well as providing for the distribution of education materials on palliative care.  ... SB 147 was the health care high point for the 2024 Legislature, which missed an opportunity to improve coverage for breast cancer diagnostic tests for South Dakotans by not advancing House Bill 1122 and passed the problematic Senate Joint Resolution 501 [will be Amendment F on November ballot] ... 

High intensity of end-of-life care for minority patients with lung cancerU.S. Medicine; 3/27/24While disparities in lung cancer mortality among racial and ethnic minorities are well documented, not as much is understood about how racial and ethnic minority patients with lung cancer are treated at the end of life. A study led by researchers from the Indiana University School of Medicine and the Richard L. Roudebush VAMC, both in Indianapolis, sought to determine if those patients experience higher rates of intensity of care at the end of life (EOL) compared with non-Hispanic white (NHW) patients.

$45B worth of physician group acquisitions since 2019 Becker's ASC Review, by Paige Haeffele; 3/28/24 Here are 10 of the biggest-budget acquisitions of physician groups, totaling approximately $45.3 billion, as reported by Becker's since 2019: ...

Northwell backs 'emotionally intelligent' AI voice startupBecker's Health IT, by Gile Bruce; 3/28/24The venture capital arm of New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Northwell Health is backing a startup that is developing a conversational artificial intelligence platform that mimics human speech. Northwell Holdings participated in a $50 million series B funding round March 27 for Hume AI, which was founded by a former Google researcher to provide "near-human-level conversation" with AI. Northwell has already invested several million dollars in the "emotionally intelligent" voice interface.Editor's Note: Is this an April's Fools Day joke? No. Will these replacements of human conversation improve or potentially harm the patient/caregiver experience? What outcomes could be generated if $50 million was invested in making human professionals more emotionally intelligent? For this high-tech oriented hospice and palliative editor/leader, this direction raises patient/caregiver/professional concerns and cautions. 

Death is inevitable. Doctors should be prepared to manage it appropriately. MedPageToday, by Gabrielle Kis Bromberg, MD; 3/28/24In preparation for my clinical year, my medical school instructors taught me about the importance of assessing the goals and wishes of patients at the end of life. ... [My Aunt] Daniella shared with my mom and me that she was tired of being so sick and tired of feeling stuck in the hospital's revolving door. So, I asked my aunt the questions I'd just learned in class. "What is most important to you?" "If you were sicker and could not share your own medical wishes, what would you want us to tell your doctors about your goals?" "Would you accept another ICU stay, CPR, a breathing tube?" My mom and I drove home with crystal clear instructions from Daniella. If she got sicker, she wanted to die without prolonged suffering. ... [Months later] Despite many doctors, hospitalizations, a years-long decline, and countless healthcare touch points, no one had asked Daniella how she was faring as her body failed. Why did it require a medical student -- me -- just 4 months into training, to achieve an end of life consistent with her wishes?