Literature Review

Be kind to yourself and others. We're all walking our own unique path. - Sheryl Lee Ralph

Compassus certified to provide palliative care Tahlequah Daily Press; 2/25/24Compassus, a leading nationwide provider of integrated home-based care services, including palliative care, is now certified to provide palliative care under the Veterans Administration benefit in Oklahoma. The Community Care Network credential is awarded by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to community providers that demonstrate high-quality standards and a commitment to offering veterans the best possible care.

How new CEOs play tough handsBecker's Hospital Review - Leadership & Management, by Kelly Gooch and Alexis Kayser; originally posted 2/16/24, redistributed 2/26/24 It's a rare CEO that doesn't dream of a seamless transition. Unfortunately, the healthcare industry is riddled with seams. In addition to long-standing systemic challenges, each hospital and health system comes with its own set of concerns that may include high turnover, financial losses and/or recent job cuts. What's more, trust is paramount — but fragile — in the early days of a CEO's tenure. The responsibility can be tough to navigate as employees express doubts based on the past and boards bring demands for the future.

[Updated] CMS crackdown on fraudulent hospice providers in full effect in 2024, expert says McKnights Product Theater, by Adam Healy; 2/22/24In recent years, unscrupulous hospice providers have cropped up in California and other states. In response, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has prepared a slew of tools to curtail the fraud. States continue to feel the effects. As an example, a California hospice operator last week was convicted in a Medicare fraud scheme for billing nearly $3 million for services that patients did not need, according to the Department of Justice. 

CMS updates Hospice Care CompareCMS website; 2/22/24Hospice care dataset updates; updated 2/1/24, released 2/21/24.

Health care workers push for their own confidential mental health treatmentKFF Health News, by Katheryn Houghton; 2/22/24States are redefining when medical professionals can get mental health treatment without risking notifying the boards that regulate their licenses. Montana is among the states looking to boost confidential care for health professionals as long as they’re not deemed a danger to themselves or patients. In recent years, at least a dozen states have considered or created confidential wellness programs to offer clinicians help early on for career burnout or mental health issues. ... The changes are modeled after Virginia legislation from 2020.

How many docs are feeling burned out? Almost all of them, survey findsMedPageToday, by Joyce Frieden; 2/22/24More than half of survey participants (56%) said they've thought about either staying in medicine but no longer seeing patients, or leaving the field entirely, the poll found. Primary care doctors expressed more frustration than specialists, with a higher percentage considering leaving the field entirely (54% vs 42%). Only 30% of respondents overall said they were optimistic about the future.

The employment outlook for hospice aidesHospice News, by Holly Vossel; 2/23/24Rising wages, reimbursement pressures and immigration policies are fueling high turnover rates for hospice and personal care aides. Similar trends are proliferating among hospitals and health systems that provide these services. Current reimbursement structures for aide services represent the most significant challenge in maintaining a sufficient workforce, according to Kenneth Albert, president and CEO of Maine-based Androscoggin Home Healthcare + Hospice. 

Vancouver hospital asked wrong family whether to pull the plug on patientKGW8 NBC News; 2/21/24In a terrible case of mistaken identity that has never been publicly disclosed, KGW found PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver allowed a family to pull the plug on the wrong man. “We made life-ending decisions for a person we don’t even know,” said Danielson’s husband, Gary.

How immersive technology became a Veteran’s dying wish At the end, he wanted to “fly over” the Virgin Islands VA News, by Dr. Anne Lord BaileyImmersive technology gave one Veteran a last chance to experience his homeland. Mr. Tito, an Army Vietnam Veteran and Virgin Islands native, lived in the Phoenix VA Health Care System Community Living Center (CLC) for four years. 

Palliating serious illness during disasters and public health emergenciesAm J Nurs, by Masako Mayahara, Djin L Tay, Jeannette Kates, William E Rosa; 2/23/24, ahead of print 3/1/24The increase in disasters and public health emergencies in recent years is a serious public health concern. The needs of suffering victims can be multifaceted, particularly the needs of those who are from systematically marginalized populations. Palliative care nurses play a vital role in mitigating the suffering of those affected by these events. 

MA may be worth the gamble: How agencies can win at a new game HomeCare, by Lindsay Doak; 2/23/24 Over the past decade, a major shift has occurred in the Medicare market that many of us didn’t see coming: the takeover of Medicare Advantage (MA). ... This is a true game changer for the home health and hospice industry. ... So, how can agencies successfully contract with MA plans, while ensuring their costs are covered? This is where I like to refer to the wise words of Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler,” who said, “If you’re gonna play the game…You gotta learn to play it right.”

Eagle Scout keeps hospice patients warm ABC News KAALTV, by Rachel Mantos; 2/23/24A service project for one Rochester Eagle Scout ended with a heart-warming friendship after a kind gesture to Mayo Clinic hospice patients. Lars Ingram got the idea to help out hospice patients for his Eagle Scout project from his father, a Mayo Clinic hospice physician. ... After the blankets were delivered to 100 patients, Ingram received word one of them was also a former Eagle Scout.