Literature Review
VITAS® Healthcare continues its pathway of success and promotes two key operations executives
03/03/24 at 03:40 AMVITAS® Healthcare continues its pathway of success and promotes two key operations executives Investors Observer; 2/23/24 Two executive leaders at VITAS Healthcare have been promoted to top operational roles. Joel Wherley now serves as president and chief operating officer (COO) and Bryan Wysong as executive vice president (EVP) of operations for the nation’s leading end-of-life care provider.
A year after Jimmy Carter entered hospice care, advocates hope his endurance drives awareness
03/03/24 at 03:35 AMA year after Jimmy Carter entered hospice care, advocates hope his endurance drives awareness ABC News, by Bill Barrow, Associated Press; 2/18/24Since Jimmy Carter entered hospice care at his home in south Georgia one year ago, the former U.S. president has celebrated his 99th birthday, enjoyed tributes to his legacy and lost his wife of 77 years. Rosalynn Carter, who died in November, about six months after the Carter family disclosed her dementia diagnosis, lived only a few days under hospice supervision, with her frail husband at her bedside. Experts on end-of-life care say the Carters’ different paths show the range of an oft-misunderstood service. Those advocates commend the Carter family for demonstrating the realities of aging, dementia and death. They express hope that the attention spurs more Americans to seek out services intended to help patients and families in the latter stages of life.Editor's Note: How are you addressing this length of 1+ year with the patients you serve? Click here for the CMS pdf of the 6-month rule, "Face-to-Face Requirement Affecting Hospice Recertification."
More than $37,700 raised to fund grief and loss support for children in SWFL
03/03/24 at 03:30 AMMore than $37,700 raised to fund grief and loss support for children in SWFL Avow Foundation Press Reslease; 2/26/24Avow [Hospice] raised funds throughout January as part of a matching gift campaign with St. John’s Episcopal Church, resulting in more than $37,700 donated in support of the Avow Kids program. St. John’s Episcopal Church pledged to match dollar-for-dollar up to $17,350 for children’s grief and loss support, a goal Avow achieved well before the end of the month.
NJ's 'medical aid-in-dying' law upheld by state Supreme Court
03/03/24 at 03:25 AMNJ's 'medical aid-in-dying' law upheld by state Supreme Court Public News Service, by Roz Brown; 2/13/24After a five-year court battle, New Jersey's medical aid-in-dying law has been affirmed by the state's Supreme Court, which rejected an attempt to overturn the statute. Signed by the governor in 2019, the law was soon challenged by a physician based on religious, personal and constitutional grounds. It allows mentally capable, terminally ill adults with six months or less to live to get a prescription they can use to end their lives.
Where hospices are investing their 2024 recruitment, retention dollars
03/03/24 at 03:20 AMWhere hospices are investing their 2024 recruitment, retention dollars Hospice News, by Holly Vossel; 2/20/24As hospices zero in on their investments in staff engagement and operational efficiencies, organizational culture is becoming a higher priority. ... Some have leveraged technology to streamline their operations and reduce documentation burdens, while others have poured resources into sculpting their organizational culture and developing training and career pathways.Notable mentions: Tanya Marion, Enhabit; Craig Dresang, YoloCares; Cooper Linton, Duke HomeCare & Hospice.
Palliative care doctor: What dying feels like
03/03/24 at 03:15 AMPalliative care doctor: What dying feels like Mind Matters, by Denyse O'Leary; 2/15/24What does dying actually feel like? Most human beings have always believed that the essence of a human being survives the death of the body though the outcome is envisioned in a variety of ways. But, assuming that pain and distress are controlled, what does dying actually feel like? Can science tell us anything about that?
Trends in pediatric palliative care research: February 2024 list
03/03/24 at 03:10 AMTrends in pediatric palliative care research: February 2024 listPedPalASCNET, editor Hal Siden, MD, MHSc, FRCPC; email; 2/26/24PedPalASCNET: A network for accessible, sustainable, and collaborative research in pediatric palliative care. Trends in Pediatric Palliative Care Research, 2024, Issue 01.
Creative examples of hospice fundraising
03/03/24 at 03:05 AMCreative examples of hospice fundraisingCompiled from recent news posts
Sunday Newsletters
03/03/24 at 03:00 AMSunday NewslettersTop read stories of the last week (in order) is the focus of Sunday newsletters - enjoy!
Today's Encouragement
03/03/24 at 03:00 AMEveryone thinks forgiveness is a lovely idea until they have something to forgive. ~ C.S. Lewis
“Dying with a smile, just knowing that somebody’s listened to me”: End-of-life care and medical assistance in dying in Canadian prisons
03/02/24 at 03:40 AM“Dying with a smile, just knowing that somebody’s listened to me”: End-of-life care and medical assistance in dying in Canadian prisonsOMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying, by Jessica Shaw, Peter Driftmier; 3/24Medical assistance in dying (MAiD) has been legal in Canada since 2016 and some incarcerated patients who are at the end of their lives are eligible for the procedure. Interviews with nine incarcerated men at a federal penitentiary in Canada provide insight into some of the ways that people who are navigating aging and end-of-life in prison think about MAiD.
Knowledge gaps in end-of-life family caregiving for persons living with dementia: A study of hospice clinician perspectives
03/02/24 at 03:35 AMKnowledge gaps in end-of-life family caregiving for persons living with dementia: A study of hospice clinician perspectivesAmerican Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, by Meghan McDarby, David Russell, Lori King, Elissa Kozlov, Elizabeth A Luth; 5/23More than 35% of hospice care recipients 65 and older have a dementia diagnosis. Yet family care partners of persons living with dementia report feeling unprepared to address their hospice recipient's changing needs nearing end of life. Hospice clinicians may have unique insight into the knowledge needs of family care partners and strategies for end-of-life dementia caregiving.
Close but not close enough: How distance caregiving is associated with hospice family caregiver hospice communication experiences
03/02/24 at 03:30 AMClose but not close enough: How distance caregiving is associated with hospice family caregiver hospice communication experiencesHealth Communication, by Lauren T Starr, Karla Washington, Kyle Pitzer, Debra Parker Oliver, George Demiris; 3/24Half of hospice family caregivers report having unmet information needs, which can contribute to poor pain and symptom management, emergency department use, and hospice disenrollment for care-recipients and to caregiver strain and stress. Effective communication between hospice teams and family caregivers is critical yet communication inadequacies persist. Despite the growing prevalence of distance caregiving, including in hospice care, and the relationship between caregiver proximity and communication effectiveness, little is known about how caregiver proximity is associated with caregiver perceptions of hospice communication.
Case histories of significant advances: Cicely Saunders and the modern hospice movement
03/02/24 at 03:25 AMCase histories of significant advances: Cicely Saunders and the modern hospice movementHarvard Business School, by Amar Bhide, Srikant Datar; 2/25/24This Case history describes the role of Dame Cicely Saunders (1918- 2005) in shaping the modern hospice movement. It is narrated in the first person through the words of her brother, Christopher Saunders (1926-2024) as told to one of the authors of this paper.
Oncologist perceptions of racial disparity, racial anxiety, and unconscious bias in clinical interactions, treatment, and outcomes
03/02/24 at 03:20 AMOncologist perceptions of racial disparity, racial anxiety, and unconscious bias in clinical interactions, treatment, and outcomesJournal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, by Alexandrina Balanean, Emily Bland, Ajeet Gajra, Yolaine Jeune-Smith, Andrew J Klink, Harlen Hays, Bruce A Feinberg; 2/24Cancer spares no demographic or socioeconomic group; it is indeed the great equalizer. But its distribution is not equal; when structural discrimination concentrates poverty and race, zip code surpasses genetic code in predicting outcomes. Compared with White patients in the United States, Black patients are less likely to receive appropriate treatment and referral to clinical trials, genetic testing, or palliative care/hospice.
Private equity's plot against older Americans
03/02/24 at 03:15 AMPrivate equity's plot against older AmericansJournal of the American Geriatrics Society, by James Webster MD MS; 2/24/24Over the past several decades more than 140 private equity investment firms have acquired entities in major components of healthcare in the United States... Private Equity firms have undertaken acquisitions of financially or administratively distressed hospitals, nursing homes, physician practices especially emergency care and medical specialties, hospices, home care agencies, physical therapy and rehabilitation operations, ambulance services, and nursing registries... Of particular importance for older Americans, Private Equity firms currently own a significant percentage of U.S. nursing homes; estimates range from 5% to 11%, and a rapidly increasing percentage of hospice and home care agencies. All three are important sources of seniors' care. Why should we be concerned about these issues considering all of the other current challenges to the medical system?...
Hospice fraud: Predicting ability and intent
03/02/24 at 03:10 AMHospice fraud: Predicting ability and intentIllness, Crisis & Loss, by Laura M. Waters, Patricia Moyle Wright; 2/28/24Hospice fraud is a growing concern around the world. Yet, little attention has been given to the study of hospice fraud in the extant literature.
Palliative medicine fellows’ discussions, perceptions, and training regarding medical cannabis
03/02/24 at 03:05 AMPalliative medicine fellows’ discussions, perceptions, and training regarding medical cannabisJournal of Pain and Sympotom Management, by Dylan R. Sherry MD, Rushad Patell MD, Harry J. Han MD, Laura E. Dodge ScD MPH, Ilana M. Braun MD, Mary K. Buss MD MPH; 2/27/24Medical cannabis is increasingly considered for palliation of pain, nausea/vomiting, anorexia, and other symptoms. We aimed to determine whether training in hospice and palliative medicine (HPM) adequately prepares fellows to counsel patients about medical cannabis.
Today's Encouragement
03/02/24 at 03:00 AMThere is only one cardinal rule: One must always listen to the patient. ~Oliver Sacks, MD, Neurologist and Author
Saturday Newsletters
03/02/24 at 03:00 AMSaturday NewslettersResearch literature is the focus of Saturday newsletters - enjoy!
Other Business Headlines of Interest, updated 2/29/24 per nasdaq.com
03/01/24 at 03:30 AMOther Business Headlines of Interest, updated 2/29/24 per nasdaq.com
St. Croix Hospice improves access to end-of-life care with new branch in Clarinda, IA
03/01/24 at 03:15 AMSt. Croix Hospice improves access to end-of-life care with new branch in Clarinda, IAPR Newswire, by St. Croix Hospice; 2/29/24St. Croix Hospice expands their presence in Iowa with a new branch in Clarinda. This location marks the fifteenth St. Croix Hospice branch in Iowa and helps patients and families residing in the surrounding communities access exceptional hospice care from local caregivers and clinical staff.
Facing dementia: Clarifying end-of-life choices, supporting better lives
03/01/24 at 03:00 AMFacing dementia: Clarifying end-of-life choices, supporting better lives The Hastings Center; 2/28/24The report includes 10 recommendations for policymakers, research funders, clinical and legal practitioners, and professional societies. ... “Facing Dementia: Clarifying End-of-Life Choices, Supporting Better Lives” is the major product of a Hastings Center research project, codirected by Hastings senior research scholar Nancy Berlinger and President Emerita Mildred Z. Solomon.
Home-based palliative care shows promise in reducing ER visits, hospitalizations
03/01/24 at 03:00 AMHome-based palliative care shows promise in reducing ER visits, hospitalizationsHome Health Care News, by Patrick Filbin; 2/28/24Patients who receive home-based palliative care (HBPC) services experience fewer emergency department visits, fewer hospitalizations and lower costs once they start receiving services. That’s according to a recent study conducted by the West Health Research Institute of Blue Shield of California.
False Claims Act - 2023 Year in Review
03/01/24 at 03:00 AMFalse Claims Act - 2023 Year in ReviewJD Supra; by William Athanas, A. Lee Bentley III, Gene Besen, Ryan Dean, Jonathan Ferry, Daniel Fortune, Giovanni Giarratana, Ty Howard, Elisha Kobre, Anna Lashley, Gregory Marshall, Lyndsay Medlin, Stephen Moulton, Ocasha Musah, Scarlett Singleton Nokes, Cara Rice, Brad Robertson, Tara Sarosiek, Jack Selden, Erin Sullivan, Courtlyn Ward, Virginia Wright; 2/28/24As we do every year, this issue revisits the key cases and other developments from the year gone by. And by most metrics, 2023 was a notable year for the False Claims Act (FCA).