Literature Review

Employees crave Right-to-Disconnect Law HR Daily Advisor; by Lin Grensing-Pophal; 12/12/24 The rise of telecommunications tools like email, online chat, and smart phones has meant that people can stay connected virtually wherever they are, at all times. While that interconnectedness can be a blessing in some situations, it has also led to a lot of stress and burnout among workers who feel like they can’t disconnect when it comes to work. Recent data from web tool review firm EmailTooltester helps flesh out this sentiment, based on survey responses from over 1,000 American adults. Here are some of the key data points:

Will AI help improve healthcare security in 2025? Health IT Answers; by Roberta Mullin; 12/10/24 The healthcare sector is particularly vulnerable to cybersecurity risks and the stakes for patient care and safety are particularly high. Healthcare facilities are attractive targets for cyber criminals in light of their size, technological dependence, sensitive data, and unique vulnerability to disruptions. Strengthening our cybersecurity infrastructure and defending against malicious attacks requires vigilance, vision, and collaboration. Can AI help improve healthcare security? We asked our experts what improvements to security we might see in 2025. Here is what they had to say. ... [Click on the title's link to read input from 21 healthcare IT experts.]

The politics of loss: What grief reveals Psychology Today; by Daniela E. Miranda, PhD; 12/10/24 It has been a bit over two years since my 27-year-old brother unexpectedly passed away, exactly two weeks before my 64-year-old father, quickly and expectedly, died from cancer. What followed was a series of “secondary losses”. For my family, secondary losses included the shifting dynamics of caregiving and the emotional labor required to rebuild a daily life after multiple losses, while permanently uprooting to a different country. This article is not about my grief but about how the experience of loss can illuminate the fractures and possibilities within our systems of care. ... Key points:

A call to action for business leaders in health care: Prioritizing employees’ mental health is a necessity Las Vegas Sun - Veagas Inc; Guest column by Karen Rubel; 12/9/24 As mental health continues to be recognized as a vital component of overall well-being, businesses—especially those in health care—must stay vigilant and proactive in addressing mental health challenges within the workplace. The importance of this issue has never been greater,  ... In a hospice setting, the emotional toll on caregivers is significant. Health care workers often form close bonds with their patients and their families, and the loss of a patient can be deeply affecting. At Nathan Adelson Hospice, our teams regularly come together to review patient care plans, but they also take time to discuss their personal experiences and challenges. These discussions provide an opportunity for our staff to offer mutual support and care. This peer-to-peer connection fosters a sense of community and helps staff process their emotions in a healthy way. ...

Dallas’ Analog Informatics emerges from stealth to modernize patient engagement in over 150 languages Dallas Innovates, Dallas, TX; by Lance Murray; 12/4/24 AIC aims to "bridge the communication gap" between healthcare providers and patients worldwide by leveraging secure AI and modern communication tools. CEO Philip Lieberman created the platform based on his experiences in caring for his hospitalized mother-in-law during the COVID pandemic. ... Shocked that he knew “more about his Amazon packages” than the state of his loved one, Lieberman vowed to use the experience and resources he’d gained from the previous multinational companies he created “to bring compassionate yet automated continuous communication to every patient and their families.” ... AIC aims to "bridge the communication gap" between healthcare providers and patients worldwide by leveraging secure AI and modern communication tools.  ... AIC said its platform “bridges the communication gap” between healthcare providers and patients, offering continuous automated logistical support in more than 150 languages. 

Top News Stories of the Month Nov 2024 - TCN Podcast Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast by Chris Comeaux with Mark Cohen; 12/4/24 What if the future of Hospice and Palliative Care depends on understanding the intricacies of industry integration and regulation?  Join us for an insightful journey through November's most compelling stories that have captured the attention of Hospice and Palliative Care Today's readership. Our conversation reveals the significant impact of national events, from elections to regulatory changes, on shaping news cycles and industry priorities.  Also, rising workforce demands and political changes, such as immigration restrictions, paint a concerning picture for the future labor pool in Hospice Care. We provide a comprehensive analysis of the month's key themes that may have been missed, like tackling issues from CMS payment cuts to the Justice Department's stance on UnitedHealthcare Group's acquisition of Amedisys. This episode is a must-listen for those seeking a deeper understanding of the critical yet often overlooked issues in Hospice and Palliative Care today, and Mark delivers another excellent masterclass on creating compelling headlines. 

Key differences between palliative and hospice care in California Psychology Today; by Bob Uslander, MD; 12/3/24 ... Key Difference Between Palliative and Hospice Care in California: Whether you’re looking for support early in an illness or need end-of-life care, Californians have resources available to help. California also has some unique programs and resources, such as palliative care programs for people covered by Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program. Additionally, California has strict laws to protect patients’ rights, ensuring that people are fully informed about your care options and can make choices that align with your personal values and cultural beliefs. Below are some of the key differences highlighted to help you make the best choice possible for you and your family when the time comes. [Click on the title's link for more information.]Editor's note: Through recent years, too many hospice agencies have eliminated references to end-of-life care, a life-expectancy of six months or less, and references to dying, death, or grief. Various fraud and abuse cases have described that persons/caregivers did not even realize they had signed up for "hospice" care. Ethically, this is untenable. Key differences between palliative and hospice care--with applications to the person--are significant.

Caring for patients at the end of life: CEJA reports AMA - American Medical Association; by Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs (CEJA); 12/2/24 Reports by the Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs (CEJA) interpret the AMA Principles of Medical Ethics to provide practical ethics guidance on timely topics. When the AMA House of Delegates adopts the recommendations of a CEJA report they become Opinions in the Code of Medical Ethics. The body of the report, which sets out CEJA’s ethics analysis, is archived and remains available as a resource to help users apply guidance. CEJA reports may not be reproduced without express written permission. [Click here to access these CEJA reports.]

Homebound seniors living alone often slip through health system’s cracks KFF Health News; by Judith Graham; 12/2/24 Carolyn Dickens, 76, was sitting at her dining room table, struggling to catch her breath as her physician looked on with concern. “What’s going on with your breathing?” asked Peter Gliatto, director of Mount Sinai’s Visiting Doctors Program. “I don’t know,” she answered, so softly it was hard to hear. “Going from here to the bathroom or the door, I get really winded. I don’t know when it’s going to be my last breath.” Dickens, a lung cancer survivor, lives in central Harlem, barely getting by. She has serious lung disease and high blood pressure and suffers regular fainting spells. In the past year, she’s fallen several times and dropped to 85 pounds, a dangerously low weight. And she lives alone, without any help — a highly perilous situation. Across the country, about 2 million adults 65 and older are completely or mostly homebound, while an additional 5.5 million seniors can get out only with significant difficulty or assistance. ... It’s a population whose numbers far exceed those living in nursing homes — about 1.2 million — and yet it receives much less attention from policymakers, legislators, and academics who study aging.

Don’t let CMS publish list of lowest-performing hospices, Alliance tells lawmakers McKnights Home Care; by Liza Berger; 11/26/24 Acting on its plan to keep the hospice Special Focus Program in the spotlight until the end of the year, the National Alliance for Care at Home has sent congressional leaders a letter urging them to remedy the grading system for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ program targeting underperforming hospices. “CMS is on the verge of publishing a list of what they claim will be poor-performing hospices based on this flawed grading system,” Ken Albert, president and CEO of Andwell Health Partners and chair of the Alliance, wrote in a Nov. 22 letter to chairmen and ranking members of House and Senate finance committees. “When you see this list, you should view it skeptically, because CMS will have committed a grave error that risks steering patients away from reputable hospices that may be on the list and toward providers that — because they may not have been surveyed at all — could be low-quality or completely fraudulent.”

Faith Home Health and Hospice to take over Holton Hospital’s home-based care programs Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 11/27/24 Kansas-based Faith Home Health and Hospice will acquire the home-based care operations of Holton Community Hospital. The hospital in September announced that it would be closing its home health and hospice services as of Dec. 31, citing “significant financial challenges brought on by changes in health care payment models, the expansion of Medicare replacement plans and increasing competition from other agencies.” “[The two organizations are] actively working towards finalizing a purchase agreement that ensures [the hospital’s] dedicated local staff will continue to provide compassionate care to the community,” Holton Community Hospital CEO, Carrie Lutz, said in a press release. 

Providers hoping for better days ahead with ‘suspicious,’ unannounced CMS site visits McKnights Long-Term Care News; by James M. Berklan; 11/25/24 A campaign to strip mystery out of unannounced, often thinly explained site visits by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services contractors may be bearing some fruit. Providers have been rattled by visitors’ demands for information and the ability to take photos with little explanation. They’re hoping that the government-hired fact-checkers communicate and execute their mission better moving forward. ... “When the people who educate consultants and others don’t know about something, it’s concerning. It was so suspicious with the way they [contractors] came into facilities,” McCarthy said. Upon investigation, provider advocates were able to confirm the site visits are legitimate and can happen to any provider or supplier as part of their Medicare enrollment or verification process. And while explicit advance notice may not be given, a record of the visits’ orders can be confirmed in the Provider Enrollment, Chain, and Ownership System (PECOS). [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

Hospices have long road ahead on improving health equity Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 11/21/24 Prolific health disparities have driven hospices to implement various strategies to improve diversity, equity and inclusion among underserved patient populations. Some providers say the needle has much farther to go toward equitable access. End-of-life care models have increasingly diversified to reach a broader range of patients with different beliefs, values and spiritual outlooks, according to Altonia Garrett, COO of Blue Ridge Hospice. Garrett is also executive director of the Virginia-based hospice’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Committee. Yet, hospice providers lack a full scope of understanding around the nuanced challenges impeding utilization and the ways to more effectively address unmet patient needs, Garrett said.