Literature Review

HSPN Staffing Summit: Leveraging technology for person-centered care Hospice News; by Sophie Knoelke; 12/9/24 This article is sponsored by CareXM. This article is based on a virtual discussion with Kathleen Benton, President and CEO of Hospice Savannah. ... Dr. Benton has a master’s degree in medical ethics and a doctorate in public health. She has offered and reviewed many publications relevant to the topics of palliative care, ethics, hospice, and communication. [Dr. Benton:] I was schooled in clinical ethics and really mediating ethical dilemmas in health care. Looking at, is this in the best interest of the patient? Are we truly following the patient’s wishes? Many of the dilemmas, I would say a good 90%, occur at the end of life. ... [At] the root of [really trending] cases was one missing element. That element was the lacking area of communication. What do I mean by that? I believe that health care does the worst job of probably all other areas of communicating with folks. We have really taken what it is to be human out of what it is to treat a patient and a person. [Click on the title's link to continue reading this insightful discussion.]

Two states lead the pack on palliative care access, many lag behind Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 12/10/24 Two states — Massachusetts and Oregon — rise above the rest when it comes to access to palliative care. This is according to the new rankings from the Center to Advance Palliative Care, America’s Readiness to Meet the Needs of People with Serious Illness Scorecard. The scorecard ranks each state’s capacity to deliver high-quality care to people facing serious illness on a five-star scale by evaluating five domains, according to Stacie Sinclair, the associate director for policy and care transformation at the Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC). To develop the scorecard, CAPC applied an updated methodology that considers metrics beyond those used in previous reports, which only examined the availability of palliative care in hospitals with 50 beds or more. 

Court rules against former Encompass Health officers in lawsuitHomeCare, Dallas, TX and Birmingham, AL; 12/9/24 The Delaware Court of Chancery ruled in the lawsuit against Encompass Health, a national home health and hospice provider, and Enhabit Home Health and Hospice, an owner and operator of rehabilitation hospitals. The lawsuit related to breaches of fiduciary duty by former company executives within Emcompass Health's former home health and hospice division, which is now Enhabit Home Health and Hospice. The court awarded judgment against VitalCaring Group, a home health and hospice business, as well as the private equity firms Vistria Group and Nautic Partners for aiding and abetting “the egregious breaches of the duty of loyalty” by former Encompass Health CEO April Anthony, former chief strategy officer Luke James and former chief financial officer Chris Walker. The court found that while employed by Encompass Health, Anthony, James and Walker usurped acquisition opportunities falling within Encompass Health’s line of business, used Encompass Health’s confidential information and swayed key Encompass Health employees to join them, with the promise of equity in the home health and hospice competitor that Anthony now heads, VitalCaring Group. 

Design work to prevent burnout: A new model for improving work design supports change that increases employee engagement and reduces stress MIT Sloan Management Review; by Sharon K. Parker and Carline Knight; 12/10/24... In the U.S., 67% of workers report feeling disengaged from their work, and 49% intend to leave their current job. ... In this article, we’ll introduce readers to our SMART Work Design model. This model captures and synthesizes the most important characteristics for worker well-being and performance from both the Jobs Characteristics and Job Demands-Resources models into five dimensions: stimulating work, mastery, autonomy, relational work, and tolerable demands (thus the SMART acronym). HR leaders, managers, and employees can use the model to identify aspects of work that lead to disengagement and burnout and then create a healthier work environment and improve performance. (See “A Model for Making Work Smarter.”)

20 Ways our healthcare system wastes money and prioritizes profits over patients World of DTC Marketing - Healthcare Insights; by Richard Meyer; 12/8/24 Every year, over a half million Americans go bankrupt—often losing pretty much everything they’ve worked their entire lives for—because someone in their family got sick. In 2018 alone, the United States wasted $ 256 billion on “administrative expenses” associated with for-profit health insurance, including multimillion-dollar salaries and armies of bean counters who scour claims looking for reasons to reject payment of hospital, doctor, and pharmaceutical bills. Our healthcare system wastes money and puts patients’ lives at risk. [The list includes:]

Nearly 5,000 Providence workers authorize strikes Becker's Hospital Review; by Kelly Gooch; 12/5/24 Nearly 5,000 nurses, physicians, and other healthcare professionals at nine Providence bargaining units represented by two unions have authorized strikes. Members of the Oregon Nurses Association and Pacific Northwest Hospital Medicine Association from 13 hospitals and clinics across Oregon voted over the past two months, according to a Dec. 4 news release shared with Becker's. Union representatives and Providence have been in contract negotiations for more than a year, and many bargaining units remain without agreements, the release said. ...  Strike authorizations do not mean strikes will occur. If leaders of individual bargaining units set a strike date, a 10-day notice will be issued to Providence's management.

What adult children should know when discussing their parents’ end-of-life care StudyFinds; by StudyFindsStaff, reviewed by Christ Melore; 12/8/24 Talking about death can be difficult for anyone at any time. For adult children who need to know their parents’ final wishes, it can be excruciating. A new survey is revealing the stark disconnect between our beliefs and actions when it comes to end-of-life planning. While an overwhelming 90% of adults recognize the importance of these critical conversations, half have yet to take the first step with their closest loved ones. ... The numbers tell a revealing story. Twenty-six percent of respondents simply keep putting off the conversation, while 23% admit they don’t know how to approach the topic. Sixteen percent are outright scared to broach the subject, creating a wall of silence around a universal human experience. ... When people do open up, the conversations prove surprisingly rich and multifaceted.

Kaiser's Risant Health to become $35B system in 5 years: 14 things to know Becker's Hospital CFO Report; by Alan Condon; 12/5/24 Risant Health, a nonprofit formed by Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente, has acquired two health systems in the last 10 months and plans to acquire three to four more systems over the next five years to grow into a company with $30 billion to $35 billion in annual revenue. Fourteen things to know: [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

72 hospitals, health systems cutting jobsBecker's Hospital CFO Report; by Kelly Gooch; updated 12/6/24 A number of hospitals and health systems are reducing their workforces or jobs due to financial and operational challenges. ... [This article lists] workforce reduction efforts or job eliminations announced this year. [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

Kimberly Duchossois donates $2 million to The HAP Foundation for Palliative Care Education The HAP Foundation - Hospice & Palliative Care Research & Education; by Rachel French; 12/9/24 The HAP Foundation receives a major gift from philanthropist and Board of Trustee Kimberly Duchossois to grow education on palliative care and increase collaboration among health care systems to ensure access to care for all. ... “Ms. Duchossois’ commitment to community and making an impact for families is inspiring and humbling. She has been a leader throughout the health care field and is always willing to listen and lead. With this gift, The HAP Foundation will strengthen our existing palliative care education programming and foster relationships for collaboration among health systems in Illinois." ...

Community raises $6,190 for CVHHH on Giving Tuesday VB Vermont Biz; 12/7/24 Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice (CVHHH) in Barre raised $6,190 on Giving Tuesday, December 3, 2024, thanks to a generous match challenge from J.A. Gould Plumbing & Heating. In 24 hours, thirty-five donors contributed $4,690. An additional $1,500 match from J.A. Gould Plumbing & Heating brought the Giving Tuesday total to $6,190 to support home health, hospice, long-term care, and family-child health care at Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice (CVHHH). “We are humbled by the outpouring of support from donors near and far on Giving Tuesday,” said Emily McKenna, CVHHH’s Chief Advancement Officer.  

Resources are expanding for older adults on their own California Healthline; by Judith Graham; 12/9/24 Jeff Kromrey, 69, will sit down with his daughter the next time she visits and show her how to access his online accounts if he has an unexpected health crisis. Gayle Williams-Brett, 69, plans to tackle a project she’s been putting off for months: organizing all her financial information. ... Until a few years ago, few resources were available for this growing slice of the older population. Now, there are several Facebook groups for solo agers, as well as in-person groups springing up around the country, conferences and webinars, a national clearinghouse of resources, and an expanding array of books on the topic. [Click on the title's link to read more.]

A call to action for business leaders in health care: Prioritizing employees’ mental health is a necessity Las Vegas Sun - Veagas Inc; Guest column by Karen Rubel; 12/9/24 As mental health continues to be recognized as a vital component of overall well-being, businesses—especially those in health care—must stay vigilant and proactive in addressing mental health challenges within the workplace. The importance of this issue has never been greater,  ... In a hospice setting, the emotional toll on caregivers is significant. Health care workers often form close bonds with their patients and their families, and the loss of a patient can be deeply affecting. At Nathan Adelson Hospice, our teams regularly come together to review patient care plans, but they also take time to discuss their personal experiences and challenges. These discussions provide an opportunity for our staff to offer mutual support and care. This peer-to-peer connection fosters a sense of community and helps staff process their emotions in a healthy way. ...