Literature Review

Temporary regulatory relief for South Carolina health care providers responding to Hurricane Helene Baker Donelson; Alissa D. Fleming; 10/4/24 South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster declared a State of Emergency on September 25, 2024, to prepare for Hurricane Helene. On September 29, 2024, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) issued a Federal Major Disaster Declaration (FEMA-4829-DR) for South Carolina. On September 30, 2024, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declared a public health emergency in South Carolina, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued several blanket waivers to provide greater compliance flexibility and continuity of care while responding to Helene in the geographic area covered by the President's declaration. These waivers [detailed in the article] provide health care facilities with flexibility in service delivery, staffing, and patient care, aimed at alleviating the strain caused by Helene. Further, HHS, the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS), and other regulatory bodies have announced relief efforts, all aimed at reducing administrative burdens so providers can continue to care for and treat those in need. ...7. Hospices Assessment Timeframe Extension: CMS is extending the timeframe for updating comprehensive hospice patient assessments from 15 to 21 days, though initial and ad-hoc assessments must still be completed based on patient needs. ...Editor's note: Click on the title's link to continue reading. Other CMS waivers are defined for 1. General ... for Health Care Facilities; 2. Critical Access Hospictals; 3. Hospital and Long Term Care Facilities; 4. Skilled Nursing Facilities; 5. Home Health Agencies; 6. DME, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies; 7. Hospice (above); 8. Practioner Licensure and Enrollment ... HIPAA; Disaster Relief

Hoping to reach 100? You’re not going to like these new life expectancy projections New York Post; by Tracy Swartz; 10/7/24 Let’s keep it 100 — your chances of becoming a centenarian are slim. Medical breakthroughs, public health achievements and better diets led to steep increases in global life expectancy in the 1800s and 1900s. But startling new research finds this momentum has slowed and the biggest boosts to longevity may be in the rearview mirror. “Most people alive today at older ages are living on time that was manufactured by medicine,” said lead study author S. Jay Olshansky, a professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of Illinois at Chicago. “But these medical Band-Aids are producing fewer years of life even though they’re occurring at an accelerated pace, implying that the period of rapid increases in life expectancy is now documented to be over,” Olshansky added. The analysis, conducted with researchers from the University of Hawaii, Harvard and UCLA, includes data from eight countries with the longest-living populations (Australia, France, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland), Hong Kong and the US from 1990 to 2019.

Court rules False Claims Act Provisions unconstitutional, with implications for hospice cases Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 10/7/24 A federal judge has struck down the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, with broad implications for hospice and other health care enforcement actions. The ruling centers on the law’s qui tam clauses, which the court found unconstitutional. In a qui tam action, a whistleblower, called a “relator” by the courts, files a False Claims Act suit on behalf of the government and possibly receives a portion of any funds recovered by the government via the lawsuit, typically ranging from 15% to 25%. The overwhelming majority of False Claims Act cases involve qui tam whistleblowers. In Fiscal Year 2023, for example, these cases recovered $2.3 billion of the total $2.68 billion recouped by the government in FCA settlements and judgements, according to a report from the law firm Polsinelli. ... FCA cases have been rampant in the hospice space during the last several years. Many of the major cases and settlements that have occurred during that time have been qui tam actions, including two major actions this year. ...

University of Maryland bolstering palliative care workforce via master’s degree, certification program Hospice News; by Molly Bookner; 10/7/24 The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) School of Pharmacy is seeking to address the dearth of palliative care-trained clinicians and improve care among seriously ill patients. By 2060, the demand for palliative care is expected to nearly double, according to the World Health Organization. Yet, despite this need, significant gaps in training remain, with many professionals lacking exposure to hospice or palliative care during their schooling. UMB seeks to bolster the palliative care workforce through its online Graduate Studies in Palliative Care program, launched in 2017. While most palliative care clinical education programs see small cohorts of five or fewer students, UMB is seeing a larger crowd of professionals enter the workforce. Of the Class of 2024, 36 students received their Master of Science degree and seven received a graduate certificate. “We have an amazing diversity of students,” Mary Lynn McPherson, professor in the Department of Practice, Sciences, and Health Outcomes Research at the School of Pharmacy and executive program director of Graduate Studies in Palliative Care, told Palliative Care News. 

Gallery brings creativity to hospice care BBC News, United Kingdom; Joshua Askew; 10/6/24 A Kent gallery has partnered with a local hospice to bring creative activities and the enjoyment of art to hospice patients. The Turner Contemporary, in Margate, is holding the "Look Club" where those living with life-limiting illnesses can explore ideas and questions around exhibitions with its team. Brian Hodgson, 77, from Broadstairs, who was referred to the hospice by his neurologist, described it as "a special and emotional experience to be there with an artist, listening to them talk about their work". Pilgrims Hospices also hosts "Living Well" sessions, offering patients and their families social, creative, and educational activities. By working together, Turner Contemporary said the pair were showing the "transformative power of art in healthcare settings." It said giving patients opportunities for creative expression, social interaction and personal growth could help break the stigma around hospices being solely places for end-of-life care.

Leadership is an ongoing and endless pursuit, process, and journey Forbes; by Len Jessup; 10/3/24 Have you ever wondered how the sacrifices, pain, sadness, and regrets you’ve faced shape your leadership journey? After decades in higher education, I’ve certainly experienced my share of difficulties and made my share of mistakes. Some were small, while others were significant. In each instance, I’ve tried hard to learn and grow, recognizing that leadership is an ongoing journey and an endless pursuit. ... I strive to be a better dad, friend, brother, husband, partner, and leader by being caring, loving, supportive, respectful, kind, and in service to others. This involves being selfless in both mindset and actions. Self less leadership, as I write about here, isn’t about reaching a destination. It’s about making daily choices that reflect this commitment. Leadership should be thought of as an ongoing journey, something we continue to develop and hone over time. I don’t think of myself as a leader. I think of myself as a student of leadership. I’m always learning, growing, and striving to get better, continually seeking ways to do more for others. ...

PACE Programs emerge as ‘natural allies’ to home-based care providers Home Healthcare News; by Joyce Famakinwa; 10/4/24 Home-based care providers and Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) organizations are in a unique position to strengthen the work one another is doing to care for seniors. No one understands this better than Alivia Care, a home-based care provider that also has PACE programs under its umbrella. In 2021, Alivia Care opened up Jacksonville, Florida-based The PACE Place. “We thought No. 1, it related to the type of care that we gave, in terms of chronic elderness, geriatric frailty, many of the things that we see in our hospice patients, so we felt that we had some core competencies there,” Alivia Care CEO Susan Ponder-Stansel told Home Health Care News. ...

VIA Health Partners - NC & SC: Donate to Hurricane Helene Relief Fund VIA Health Partners, formerly Hospice & Palliative Care of Charlotte, NC; contact Tara Connelly, VP & Chief Growth Officer; 10/7/24 At VIA Health Partners our people are our strength.  Recently, so many of our people – hospice & palliative care patients, their families, staff members, and volunteers – have experienced unimaginable hardship at the hands of Hurricane Helene. Our clinical staff continue to serve their patients despite ongoing challenges to themselves and their respective families. In response to this growing need, VIA Health Partners has launched a Hurricane Helene Relief Fund. Donations will be used to support patients, families, and staff members directly impacted by the storm. To help us in our response, please consider donating today. Editor's Note: See this page for a map of the 9 counties in North Carolina and 21 counties in South Carolina counties in VIA's service area that are impacted by Hurricane Helene. On a personal note, Hospice & Palliative Care of Charlotte provided palliative and hospice care to my Dad through his death, with significant bereavement care for my Mom. Thank you VIA Health Partners for your hospice services past, present and future.

Model improved Advance Care Planning for cancer patients Cancer Therapy Advisor; by Jen Smith; 10/4/24 A machine learning survival model that selects patients for serious illness conversations can increase the rate of advance care planning and prognosis documentation for cancer patients, according to research published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.  The study included 33 oncologists and 22 advance practice providers. Once a month, the providers were randomly selected to receive the intervention. It consisted of weekly automated emails notifying providers about patients who were identified by the machine learning model as a high priority for serious illness conversations. Patients were categorized as high priority if they had less than 2 years to live according to the model and had no prognosis documentation. ...

[Interview] Andrew Molosky, President & CEO, Chapters Health System Capital Analytics Associates; 10/3/24 In an interview with Invest:, Andrew Molosky, president and CEO of Chapters Health System, discussed Chapters Health’s focus on personalized care and flexibility, how it uses data analytics and artificial intelligence to supplement medical expertise, and the reason for its rapid expansion. 

Family matriarch crosses ocean swim off bucket list Star News Group, Manasquan, NJ; by Alex Dyer; 10/3/24 Dorothy Jean “Dot” Temple ventured into the rough surf, her arms supported by loved ones, her feet tickled by sea foam and soft sand. Wading in the ocean is an ordinary pleasure. But on this day, it was special for Temple and for everyone who came to watch her enjoy the water. At age 93, it’s no longer an easy task for Temple to indulge in her love of ocean swimming, an activity in which she had excelled for a majority of her life. ... Dot was recently admitted to the hospital, where the family was not “sure if she would survive the night.” Afterwards, she was put on hospice, where she was advised to cease her medication. “We were heartbroken at the prospect of possibly losing her, but in typical Nanny fashion…she is holding her own and is still doing great — all things considered,” said Gasetel. “A strong-headed woman, she has been very vocal that before she passes, she absolutely must go swimming in the ocean one more time; so that’s exactly what we did.”

What's important? A hurricane lets you know. ~ Unknown

Heartless activist who took selfie with woman’s dying father in hospice shows no emotion upon learning of her fate following sick harassment campaign What'sNew2Day; written by "Jack," with another author listed "Bethan Sexton for Dailymail.com"; 10/5/24 An activist who snuck into a hospice and took a selfie with a woman’s dying father because he opposed her support for LGBTQ rights showed no emotion as he was sentenced for his sickening campaign of harassment. Bubba Pollock, 35, was sentenced to two months in prison after pleading guilty to criminally harassing Britt Leroux, 38. Pollock, from London, Ontario, openly protested the drag queen stories and was seen on video promising to pay people up to $500 to sabotage events. He had a fierce debate with Leroux, which culminated in him driving 120 miles to the Windsor hospice where Leroux’s father, Andre Leroux, was receiving palliative care and taking the photograph in an attempt to mock his victim.