Literature Review

Empassion achieves $34 million in savings in novel Medicare program serving high needs patients Globe Newswire, New York City; 11/21/24 Empassion Health, Inc., the nation’s largest managed care provider of high-quality end-of-life care for adults living with serious illness so that they can have more good days, today reported near-record results for four Medicare Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) serving Original Medicare lives in 35 states.  Specifically, Empassion achieved total gross savings of $34.1m in the High Needs Population Track of ACO REACH for Performance Year 2023 while managing a record number of lives – nearly 9,000 across 35 states – in total cost-of care arrangements.  This includes a 50-percent reduction of unnecessary hospital stays.  Empassion also earned the highest quality scores for provider communication and care coordination.  “While we are enormously proud of the $34 million in Medicare savings, more important is that Empassion provided high-quality end-of-life care for adults living with serious illness so that they had more good days,” said Robin Heffernan, the CEO of Empassion. “These outcomes are specific to Empassion and its unique model. ..." 

3 clear signs to quickly identify someone with good leadership skills: Good leadership in the business world extends beyond hitting targets, increasing revenue, and achieving status. Inc., by Marcel Schwantes; 11/20/24 If you’ve ever had the chance to work under a good leader, you’ve probably noticed something important: They actually care about their people. They’re not just focused on hitting targets or climbing the ladder themselves—they genuinely care about helping their team succeed, both in their current roles and in their long-term goals. For many leaders, this doesn’t come naturally. It’s tough to balance caring for others when you’re under pressure to deliver results and meet expectations. But here’s the thing: Research—and countless stories from top leaders I have interviewed on my podcast—shows that focusing on your people is a game-changer for the success of your business. It’s not just a feel-good approach; it’s smart strategy. ... When leaders consistently show they care and foster the right environment, the positive ripple effects are undeniable. Let’s talk about three clear signs that will tell you someone is fit for leadership:

Hospice a cornerstone of New Day’s 3-pronged growth strategy Hospice News; Holly Vossel; 11/20/24 New Day Healthcare LLC is prioritizing hospice growth in its strategic plans as the home-based care company focuses on improving quality for patients across the care continuum. Texas-based New Day launched in 2020 by a group of former hospice and home health professionals. The organization offers hospice, home health and personal care through several brands. New Day’s three-pronged merger and acquisition approach hinges on culture, quality and clinical excellence, according to CEO and Founder G. Scott Herman. Quality is perhaps the most important driver in a transaction consideration, Herman stated. ... To date, New Day has integrated 11 acquisitions into its pipeline, four of which have involved hospice assets.

Walking pneumonia is booming − and targeting the young and the poor USA Today, Arlington, VA; by John Bacon; 11/20/24 Infections of the bacteria that cause walking pneumonia, a lesser evil of the more serious illness of pneumonia, is seeing a dramatic jump after a lengthy decline that came with the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, health officials say. Most alarming is the sharp increase in children infected with the disease. And, as with COVID-19, the impact of the disease can hit low-income Americans the hardest. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said infections from the bacteria that can cause walking pneumonia are common: An estimated 2 million infections occur each year in the United States. However, the true number isn't known, in part because so many people get it without seeking medical help and in part because there is no nationwide reporting system. The infections dropped off during the COVID pandemic but are now booming. Hospital emergency department discharge data from April to October showed an increase in infections of the bacteria among all age groups, according to the CDC.

Official collaboration between IAHPC and INCB ehospice; 11/19/24 The International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC) is pleased to announce that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB). The purpose of the MoU is “to provide a framework of cooperation and understanding and to facilitate collaboration to further their shared goals and objectives in regard to improving the availability of internationally controlled substances for medical and scientific purposes.” ... The objectives laid out in the MOU include among others, the exchange of research, data, and analysis on an annual basis on controlled medicines and the exploration of possible solutions such as joint activities to make such information available to the international community. These objectives will be achieved through regular dialogues between INCB and the IAHPC.

Pursuit of quick profits makes hospice care worse, new research says Ohio Capital Journal; by Marty Schladen; 11/20/24 Private equity firms — high-dollar investors known for aggressively seeking profit — and publicly traded health conglomerates have been buying up businesses that provide hospice care. But when it comes to caring for patients facing the end of their lives, those businesses perform worst, according to a research letter published Monday in the Journal of the American Medical Association. ...  Publicly traded behemoths such as UnitedHealth Group and CVS Health are already the subject of investigations and lawsuits by federal and state government over allegedly anticompetitive actions as drug middlemen. At the same time, both provide hospice care. Meanwhile, the business practices of private equity groups have been coming under increasing scrutiny over the past decade. They often buy businesses in deals structured so they can quickly recoup their investment, identify the most profitable assets, sell them and then sell the resulting business or declare bankruptcy. ... The firms also have been accused of being predatory toward consumers.

Facing terminal cancer, former flight attendant granted final wish to fly one last time CBS News 13, Sacramento, CA; by Ashley Sharp; 11/19/24 A special last wish was granted for a Calaveras County hospice patient facing a daunting diagnosis. Janet McAnnally, 79, was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer which spread to her spine. She knows she doesn't have long, but that did not stop the former flight attendant from taking to the skies one last time. ... McAnnally is now in the care of Hospice of Amador and Calaveras, ... Turning the page back to 1971, McAnnally was a flight attendant for seven years for Trans World Airlines, based in Chicago. ... The hospice center, under its Last Wish Program, reached out to local United Airlines pilot Rob Davids to help fulfill McAnnally's wish for one final flight high above Calaveras County. "I just felt lucky to be part of it and give her that chance," Davids said. "I just appreciate every flight like it's the last." At 79, for the first time, McAnnally even got to pilot the plane herself during their hour-long flight. ...

Lamar Area Hospice’s grief programs are made possible from BBB donations The Prowers Journal, Lamar, CO; by Barbara Crimond; 11/20/24 The words “good” and “grief” don’t commonly go together.  At the Lamar Area Hospice, however, they not only go together but, when combined, embrace the idea of a place to go which allows children and adults to normalize their grief, receive support from others experiencing similar emotional struggles and education in healthy ways to move through their grief.  They learn that they can tell their stories in a safe, loving and nurturing environment.  I recently met with Deb Pelley (Executive Director of Lamar Area Hospice). Roni Vallejos (Children’s Good Grief Coordinator) and Kelsie Cedeno (Adult Bereavement Coordinator) to learn more about these programs.  I could immediately sense the compassion and love for their jobs that all three women have. Before telling me about the programs though, they told me that it was only because of the generous donations from the BBB each year that the programs can even exist. They wanted to express how extremely grateful they are to BBB for enabling them to continue Jillian Sweet Tinnes’s legacy. ...

Agrace closing in-patient care unit in Janesville WCLO, Janesville, WI; by wclonews; 11/19/24 Agrace is no longer accepting patients at its 12-bed hospice care facility on Wright Road in Janesville. After a tough 10 months struggling to recruit enough staff, Agrace made the difficult decision to temporarily close its in-patient hospice care unit in Janesville for an extended period of time. Assistant Vice President of Marketing and Communications Liz Kopling says Agrace is working to find long term solutions to meet Janesville and the Rock County community’s needs. Kopling says Agrace will continue to provide hospice care to nearly 200 Rock County patients in their homes. The closing also won’t affect administrative operations at its Janesville office, or the thrift store on Humes Road. 

Great ideas need landing gear as well as wings. ~ C.D. Jackson

Local veteran supports SSM Health hospice services with generous estate gift Envision, Greater Fond du Lac, WI; 11/20/24 Thanks to a generous $225,000 gift from the estate of William (Bill) Faubel, who passed away peacefully in December 2023 at age 103, the Agnesian HealthCare Foundation will continue its support of SSM Health at Home Hospice services in Fond du Lac and Green Lake. ... “We appreciate the generosity of Bill and his family, for this incredible support that will help us continue to meet the growing need for hospice care in our communities,” according to Kim Laws, Agnesian HealthCare Foundation director of development and interim leader. “Bill was very supportive of the communities where he lived and left an example of selfless giving. We have an outstanding team of caring providers that help our patients and their families through a difficult time guiding them through every step of this final journey. ... “We were very fortunate to have Uncle Bill as part of our family,” Polly says. “He was an extraordinary man. He was very poor growing up and worked hard to earn everything he achieved in life. He was most proud to be a veteran, including being a part of an Old Glory Honor Flight in 2010.

Stewarding loss Stanford Social Innovation Review; by Camille Acey; 11/19/24 - "Winter 2025" What happens when organizations and institutions need to die? And why is this part of the work often overlooked in systems change and social innovation practice? ... Stewarding Loss is a field-building initiative focused on the process of closure, ending, and dismantling as a journey to be designed. Over the course of several years, Stewarding Loss has engaged in a range of activities, from creating “loss circles” as spaces where people anticipating organizational closures can come to share stories and concerns; to conducting interviews with a range of practitioners involved in end-of-life care, including ritual and ceremonial hosts, grief therapists, and death doulas so we could learn how to translate practices across different contexts; to hosting roundtables with philanthropic foundations and speaking at numerous events to allow us to gather insight and feedback regarding ideas and needs for this work; to prototyping a Farewell Fund to learn what type of invitation and application might encourage organizations to become proactive about closing, and what supports might be needed by people on the journey to closure.