Literature Review

Rising suicide risk among seniors due to loneliness, mobility, financial insecurity, study finds McKnights Home Care, by Adam Healy; 3/5/24As the number of adults over 65 continues to grow, suicide rates among older adults have also been rising, according to data from the National Center for Health Statistics. Between 2008 and 2017, the share of suicide-related emergency department visits among adults 65 years and older more than doubled. These older adults face age-related stressors that can negatively affect mental health, such as declining physical health, reduced mental sharpness, or the loss of friends or loved ones, which can heighten the risk of suicide. 

Cornhole tournament raises $33K for Chatham-Kent HospiceCK News Today, by Millar Hill; 3/4/24The Chatham-Kent Hospice Foundation's inaugural cornhole tournament was a success, raising over $33,000 for end-of-life care in Chatham-Kent. The event, which took place Saturday at the Everest Convention Centre in Chatham, saw 28 teams take part who wanted to help raise some funds.Editor's Note: Who would have thought that cornhole could raise so much money? With its growing popularity in the US, consider incorporating a revenue-generating cornhole area into your standard (appropriate) fundraisers. Are you hosting a golf tournment? Consider including an intergenerational, family/team oriented cornhole contest for family, friends, and community groups.

The framework on palliative care in Canada - five years later: a report on the state of palliative care in Canada.Government of Canada; 3/5/24[From the "Minister's Message," The Honorable Mark Holland, PC, MP] As Minister of Health, I am pleased to present Health Canada’s 2023 Report on the State of Palliative Care in Canada. Since the release of the Framework on Palliative Care in Canada in 2018, there have been collective efforts to advance palliative care awareness, access to training, supports for caregivers and providers, and to stimulate research and improve data collection on palliative care. And I am especially encouraged to report that, since 2018, we have moved closer to our collective vision for palliative care in Canada. This progress is the result of collective and collaborative efforts by governments, organizations and individuals over the last five years.Editor's Note: What can we learn from our Canadian neighbors from their new five-year report "On the state of palliative care in Canada"? In our daily gleaning of articles for this newsletter, numerous articles with similar topics, ethical challenges, and core purposes appear from Canada. 

Primary care physician's next frontier: Palliative careMedscape, by Larry Beresford; 3/5/24Palliative care, a medical specialty that focuses on clarifying the treatment goals of seriously ill patients, helping with end-of-life planning, and emphasizing pain and symptom management, has been growing in recent years. Already well-established in most US hospitals, it is also expanding in community settings, often as an extension of hospice programs. Now, by adding primary care physicians and practices to their service mix, palliative care groups are better meeting the needs of a neglected — and costly — population of frail elders.

Hackers behind Change Healthcare breach get $22M  Becker's Health IT, by Laura Dyrda; 3/5/24The cybercriminal organization responsible for hacking UnitedHealth Group's Change Healthcare has received a multimillion dollar payment in bitcoins, according to Reuters.UnitedHealth Group said Change was hit by BlackCat ransomware group Feb. 21, forcing its systems offline. The claims processing and revenue cycle management platform is still working to restore functionality, and asked health systems to use alternative methods for claims processing while its systems are down. BlackCat claimed it stole 6 terabytes of data from Change, including medical records and Social Security numbers. 

Ounce of prevention: Is a selling hospice or home health agency ready for the 36-Month Rule? McGuire Woods; 3/4/24Medicare-enrolled hospices and HHAsshould take the following steps toassess and avoid triggering the 36-month rule: [click on the link for content]

15 C-level job openings with HCA Becker's Hospital Review, by Molly Gamble; 3/5/24The largest health system in the country is seeking leaders for numerous roles at the top of its hospitals. With more than 182 hospitals and 2,300 sites of care, Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare is seeking to fill thousands of positions across its 20-state enterprise. [Included] are job listings active on the HCA job boards as of March 4 for C-level executive positions with its hospitals or subsidiaries, organized by role and presented alphabetically.

Be yourself; everyone is already taken. - Oscar Wilde

The current state of community-based palliative careHospice News, by Jim Parker; 3/4/24“Palliative care” is becoming a buzz word in health care, even if many people don’t understand the loosely defined term. However, wide variation exists in how different providers deliver these services in the absence of a standardized, national definition or a more concrete regulatory structure that includes quality measures, Logan Hoover, vice president of policy and public relations for the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), said at the Hospice News Palliative Care Conference in Tampa, Florida.

Federal Trade Commission, the Department of Justice Department and the Department of Health and Human Services launch cross-government inquiry on impact of corporate greed in health careFederal Trade Commission; 3/5/24The Federal Trade Commission, the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Antitrust Division, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) jointly launched a cross-government public inquiry into private-equity and other corporations’ increasing control over health care. ... The agencies seek comments on a variety of transactions, including those involving dialysis clinics, nursing homes, hospice providers, primary care providers, hospitals, home health agencies, home- and community-based services providers, behavioral health providers, as well as billing and collections services.

Hospice launches Mothers Day tribute page Newrie.ie; 3/3/24Southern Area Hospice has launched an online tribute page ahead of Mother’s Day, providing a platform for individuals to remember their mothers, grandmothers, and mother figures who have passed away. Visitors to the Mother’s Day online tribute page can leave messages, share stories, and upload photographs of their loved ones. The page also allows individuals to read other dedications, fostering a sense of community and remembrance. 

Bill to legalize medical aid in dying fails to advance in General Assembly, won’t become law in 2024 ABC News 8, Richmond, VA; by Tyler Englander; 3/4/24A bill to allow terminally ill patients to ask for physician-assisted death, or “medical aid in dying,” failed to pass a House committee on Monday, meaning it won’t become law in 2024. The House Courts of Justice Committee agreed to continue Senate Bill 280 to 2025, ending its chances of final passage in this year’s session.

A whistleblower lawsuit cost ChristianaCare $47M. Why are whistleblower cases increasing? Delaware Online, by Esteban Parra and Xerxes Wilson; 3/4/24A former medical director specializing in neurosurgery at southern Delaware’s largest health care provider claims in a lawsuit that Bayhealth Medical Center misclassified “brain-dead” patients in order to overbill for services. ... [The whistleblower reported that] hospital officials discussed a "new hospital initiative" in which suspected "brain-dead" patients would be discharged and admitted to hospice before any declaration of brain death, according to the lawsuit. The scheme allowed for prolonged billing where previous billing ended with the patient’s death, the complaint states. [Please refer to the article for details.]