Literature Review

VITAS seeking large acquisitions in hospice CON states Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 11/13/24 As it considers potential acquisitions, VITAS Healthcare is focused on large assets in certificate of need (CON) states. VITAS is a subsidiary of Chemed Corp. (NYSE: CHE). The company this year made its return to the M&A market after a hiatus of several years. In April, VITAS acquired Covenant Health and Community Services’ hospice operations as well as one assisted living facility in an $85 million deal. With that transaction under its belt, more are likely on the way, according to Mike Witzeman, vice president and CFO for Chemed. “We are fairly optimistic on a pipeline of potential Covenant-size deals, but there are a few hurdles from an internal perspective that we would certainly want to keep in mind. First is we like CON states or states where there are restrictions on barriers of entry,” Witzeman said during a presentation at the UBS Healthcare Conference. “The second would then be locations that, generally speaking, have some size to them. That’s important, obviously, from a patient flow perspective, but also from a staffing perspective.” The third major consideration is the price tag. The Covenant deal was sealed at a multiple of 6x to 8x EBITDA. ...

Aroostook Hospice Foundation achieves $150,000 matching grant campaign goal The County, Presque Isle, ME; 11/13/24 The Aroostook Hospice Foundation is thrilled to announce the success of its recent Matching Grant Campaign, which raised an astounding $150,000 for the Aroostook House of Comfort. This achievement was made possible through the community’s generosity and a $75,000 match pledged by an anonymous donor. Launched in June, the campaign quickly gained momentum, with individuals and organizations coming together to meet the matching goal. These funds will directly support the Foundation’s mission to provide compassionate, inpatient hospice care when patient needs exceed what home hospice care can offer. Established in 2009 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Aroostook Hospice Foundation was created to establish and sustain an inpatient hospice facility for the region. After years of dedicated fundraising and  community support, the Aroostook House of Comfort opened its doors in 2018, becoming one of only four inpatient hospice facilities in Maine. Since then, it has delivered quality end-of-life care to approximately 1,000 individuals and their caregivers in partnership with Northern Light Home Care & Hospice, a Medicare-certified hospice provider. Together, they ensure patients receive comfort, dignity and compassionate support on one’s journey through  hospice, serving both the patient and their caregivers.  

Strengthening nondiscrimination protections and advancing civil rights in health care through Section 1557 of the Affordable Care ActHHS press release; 11/13/24Publisher's note: While the final rule was released this Spring, compliance deadlines begin this month and might be burdensome for some providers to implement. In addition to the link above, guidance can be found here: final rule, press release, fact sheet.

Former employees speak out after 89-year-old woman disappeared from care facility, then died WSB-TV 2 Atlanta, GA; by WSBTV News Staff; 11/12/24 An 89-year-old woman died after she disappeared from the facility that was supposed to keep her safe. ... Lee worked for the Marietta Police Department when he and his team searched for a woman who disappeared from the Greenwood Place Assisted Living and Memory Care facility on Whitlock Avenue. ... Police reports reveal more than a dozen investigations at the facility over the past four years. Of those, two arrests were made for two different alleged crimes which include larceny and assault. “I didn’t think the care was at the level I was told it would be at,” Anthony Argano, who removed his dad from the facility, said. Argano said he pulled his dad out of the facility after staff forgot to turn his dad’s oxygen tank on, which he said resulted in a trip to the hospital and eventually a stay in hospice. ...

Onslow Caregivers Inc. donates $400,000 to Onslow Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville for hospice care WITN, Jacksonville, NC; by Olivia Dols; 11/12/24 One eastern Carolina hospital received a donation to help it continue serving the community with hospice services. Healthcare centers like Onslow Memorial Hospital are used daily for a plethora of services, including hospice care. That’s why Onslow Caregivers Incorporated donated $400,000 to the hospital to continue helping the community. Thomas Giffin who is the Executive Director for the Onslow Memorial Hospital Foundation says this gift is all about the community. “It’s more than just a great $400,000 gift,” said Giffin. “It opens up a number of doors in a number of different directions.”

New Health Equity Guide from Center to Advance Palliative Care provides a roadmap to transform care for black patients with serious illness Cision PRWeb; by Center to Advance Palliative Care; 11/13/24 Having medical concerns dismissed, not being believed when reporting pain, and facing multiple barriers to care are just three of the experiences reported to Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC) in a focus group of Black patients with serious illness. In fact, when Black people in the United States are living with a serious illness like cancer, heart failure, or dementia, they experience disproportionately high suffering compared to white patients—often due to poor pain management, low-quality communication from their care teams, and high family caregiver burden. To address these inequities, CAPC has released a new, comprehensive guide, Advancing Equity for Black Patients with Serious Illness, to equip palliative care leaders and health equity change agents with practical tools to implement meaningful change. Drawn from research, examples of health equity initiatives from across the country, and the wisdom of health equity leaders, the guide provides a practical roadmap for transforming care for Black patients, and their families and caregivers.

Dr. Andrew Mayo: Hospice leaders face ‘delicate balance’ in today’s regulatory, workforce climateHospice News; by Holly Vossel; 11/12/24Today’s hospice leaders need to take a wide view into the range of challenges facing their interdisciplinary care teams, according to Dr. Andrew Mayo, chief medical officer at St. Croix Hospice. ... The Minnesota-headquartered hospice provider is a portfolio company of the private equity firm H.I.G. Capital. ...He recently sat down in a Hospice News Elevate podcast to discuss what pulls workers towards the end-of-life care space — and the factors that are leading them away. While competitive compensation and work-life balance are important priorities for hospice workers, organizational culture is one of the most significant retention factors, Mayo stated. ... “One of the most important things is culture. As you grow as a hospice, I think [it’s about] paying particular attention to culture, because people want to work for an entity, a health care provider that has their heart in the right place. That goes a long way for retaining employees … Maintaining that culture is an easy thing to say, but a very difficult thing to do.”

National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation, and American Cancer Society unveil Advanced Cancer Guide to Support Patients & Families Facing Terminal Cancer Cision - PR Newswire, Washington, DC; 11/13/24 Today, the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), the national voice for nonprofit serious illness care providers, proudly introduces the Advanced Cancer Care Patient & Caregiver Guide, developed in collaboration with the American Cancer Society. This essential resource is designed to assist individuals living with cancer and their caregivers by providing critical information that enables them to receive care in the comfort of their own homes. ... This comprehensive guide aims to minimize hospital and emergency room visits, easing stress for patients, families, and medical facilities alike. Drawing on the expertise of over 100 serious illness care providers and the American Cancer Society, it delivers practical, reliable support for those navigating cancer care at home. Editor's note: The National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) is a sponsor for our newsletter.

Kaiser keeps cutting costs to stem operating losses Modern Healthcare; by Caroline Hudson; 11/8/24 Kaiser Permanente has continued implementing cost-cutting measures in an attempt to quell losses stemming in part from high medical expenses. ... Oakland, California-based Kaiser reported a $608 million operating loss in the third quarter, compared with a $156 million gain in the year-ago period. Net income was $845 million in the third quarter, compared with $239 million a year ago. CEO Greg Adams said in a news release he remains confident in Kaiser's integrated model and thinks it helps the health system navigate changes in the operating environment. Kaiser reported a $13 million gain in the quarter related to the Geisinger Health acquisition earlier this year. Kaiser Foundation Hospitals acquired Geisinger in April and folded it into Risant Health, a new nonprofit formed to create a national value-based care network. Washington, D.C.-based Risant is tasked with acquiring a handful of other systems to add to the network. In June, Risant announced plans to buy Cone Health in Greensboro, North Carolina, as part of a deal expected to close next year.

Older Americans living alone often rely on neighbors or others willing to help California Healthline; by Judith Graham; 11/12/24Donald Hammen, 80, and his longtime next-door neighbor in south Minneapolis, Julie McMahon, have an understanding. Every morning, she checks to see whether he’s raised the blinds in his dining room window. If not, she’ll call Hammen or let herself into his house to see what’s going on. Should McMahon find Hammen in a bad way, she plans to contact his sister-in-law, who lives in a suburb of Des Moines. That’s his closest relative. Hammen never married or had children, and his younger brother died in 2022. Although Hammen lives alone, a web of relationships binds him to his city and his community — neighbors, friends, former co-workers, fellow volunteers with an advocacy group for seniors, and fellow members of a group of solo agers. ... American society rests on an assumption that families take care of their own. But 15 million Americans 50 and older didn’t have any close family — spouses, partners, or children — in 2015, the latest year for which reliable estimates are available. Most lived alone. By 2060, that number is expected to swell to 21 million. ... [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]Editor's note: This important article includes "a noteworthy study published by researchers at Emory University

Ascension president addresses UN on cyberattacks Becker's Hospital Review; by Kristin Kuchno; 11/11/24 Eduardo Conrado, president of St. Louis-based Ascension, discussed the health system's May ransomware attack at a Nov. 8 United Nations Security Council meeting. The council met to discuss strategies for countering cyberattacks in healthcare, according to a Nov. 8 news release from the U.N. Ascension's response to the May 8 ransomware attack cost the health system approximately $130 million. The attack forced its hospitals and clinics off its EHR system and disrupted key diagnostic services, including MRIs and CT scans. ... "Overnight, nurses were unable to quickly look up patient records from the computer stations and were forced to comb through paper back-ups for patient medical history and medications," Mr. Conrado said at the meeting.  ... A comprehensive approach is key, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, PhD, director-general of the World Health Organization, told the U.N. "Countries should invest not only in technologies for detecting and mitigating cyberattacks but in training staff to respond to them," he added...

How health system palliative providers can leverage data to gain more resources Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 11/12/24 Palliative care clinicians in health systems can apply research to lobby administrators for additional resources. In doing so, they may get a profile boost due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Palliative care’s reputation grew during the pandemic, with more patients and health care organizations recognizing its benefits and value. Stakeholders can leverage this in discussions with organization leaders, according to Dr. Tamara Vesel, chief of the Palliative Care Division at Tufts Medical Center and associate professor of medicine and pediatrics, Tufts University School of Medicine. ... When approaching organization leaders to advocate for palliative care, the importance of data cannot be overstated, according to study co-author Dr. Bernice Burkarth, chief medical officer of Tufts Medicine Care at Home and assistant professor of medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine.Editor's note: Reminder, our newsletter's Saturday edition always compiles relevant, timely research articles for you. To me, the word "research" means to "re-search," as in to search again--now--for the best information and appliciations available, today. We do alot of the work for you, re-searching and re-searching topics, pairing timely hospice and palliative challenges with formal research's background needs, research methods, data, references, conclusions, applications, and needs for further examination.