Literature Review

Why Nurses QuitMedscape; by Jodi Helmer; 6/27/24Over 262,000 registered nurses (RNs) graduate yearly; 33 percent quit within the first 2 years. "Retention is a huge issue in nursing," says Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, PhD, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, president of the American Nurses Association (ANA). "COVID highlighted the issue, but these problems existed well before [the pandemic], and what we're seeing is a failure to truly do something about it." ... Diagnosing the Problem: burnout, work environment, inadequate staffing. Finding a Cure: legislation, residencies and mentorship, improved work conditions, resources for self-care.

NAHC-NHPCO Alliance Transition Board met for 1st time last weekNAHC press release; 7/1/24Today, July 1, 2024, is the first day of the NAHC-NHPCO Alliance. While the two organizations will continue to operate separately in some areas until the end of the year, they are now governed by a single body, the Transition Board, which held its inaugural meeting last week. “This is an important step in the process of transitioning from our fiduciary duties as governing bodies of NAHC and NHPCO respectively, to a singular focus on our duties of care, obedience and loyalty to what is now the merged entity,” said Alliance Transition Board Chair Ken Albert. “From July 1 on, we are NAHC-NHPCO Alliance (soon to be named)..." Until the Alliance hires a new CEO, Bill Dombi and Ben Marcantonio will be acting as co-CEOs of the organization, and will be closely consulting with each other on all important matters. Below is a full list of attendees at the Transition Board meeting.

[Four-day workweeks:] A flexibility trend gaining steam in nursing Becker's Clinical Leadership; by Erica Carbajal; 6/26/24 A growing number of health systems are embracing  four-day workweeks for nurse leaders — a strategy that has helped some boost recruitment, retention and staff engagement. Over the past year, the needs and well-being of nurse managers have come into focus, with hospitals and health systems taking a closer look at how to best support them in addition to bedside nurses. Survey findings have indicated nurse managers have a hard time fully disconnecting from work, and they crave much of the same work environment factors that front-line nurses do, such as the ability to take time off when needed and work-life balance support. As such, four-day schedules have increasingly become part of the conversation at many hospitals and health systems. 

Health system C-suites expanding Becker's Hospital Review - Leadership & Management; by Laura Dyrda; 6/18/24 Health system C-suites are evolving to meet the changing needs and priorities of the organization. Roles focused on the patient experience, sustainability and health equity are on the rise. Large and small health systems are revamping their C-suites to tackle new projects and oversee emerging areas of growth. Others are elevating clinical and IT leaders as their core accountabilities become an essential aspect of hospital strategy moving forward. Here are five emerging roles at health systems across the country.

From nurse to CEO: 2 executives reflect on their paths to the top Becker's Hospital Review - Leadership & Management; by Erica Carbajal; 6/25/24 Throughout their careers, Laureen Driscoll, MSN, RN, and Kathy Tussey, DNP, RN, remained open to change and said yes more often than no, even to opportunities about which they were skeptical or knew would be a challenge. Today, Ms. Driscoll is chief executive of Providence's South Division, which spans 17 hospitals in Northern and Southern California, and Dr. Tussey is CEO of Harrison Memorial Hospital in Cynthiana, Ky. Neither envisioned pursuing a path to the top role when they began their healthcare careers as bedside nurses. ... Hospital and health system CEOs with a background in nursing appear to be few and far between, though the true proportion of nurse CEOs in healthcare is unclear due to a lack of data. Becker's recently caught up with Ms. Driscoll and Dr. Tussey to learn more about their career trajectories and their top pieces of advice for other nurses eyeing a path to the helm. 

Big Bend Hospice names leaders to head Seven Oaks Health Business Wire, Tallahassee, Florida; 6/25/24 Big Bend Hospice, a leading provider of end-of-life care in Florida's Big Bend region, announced key leadership promotions today to head its new parent company, Seven Oaks Health. The promotions position Seven Oaks Health for continued growth in fulfilling its mission of reimagining healthcare for those facing chronic, serious, or terminal illness, with a focus on empowering patients to live healthier lives wherever they call home.

The ‘Inter-AI’ Period: 7 key actions leaders should take now CEOWorld Magazine; by Nada R. Sanders, PhD; 6/20/24 Generative AI is not transient, part of a hype cycle, or a fleeting trend. It’s a game-changing innovation that’s opened the door to novel human-machine partnerships, AI-driven superintelligence, and a new way to win in business. In the AI timeline, we’ve entered “The Inter-AI Period,” a small window of opportunity where leaders can shape how they use AI now and in the future. This window of opportunity is short—perhaps a few years at most—after which decision processes embedded in AI will harden. ... By studying transformative AI leaders ... and conducting interviews with dozens of corporate CEOs, we’ve identified seven key actions every leader should take now:

Compliance landmines in the hospice regulatory landscape Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 6/14/24 Hospice providers are navigating a minefield in today’s regulatory environment to avoid getting caught up in the mix of fraudulent activity in the space. The current state of hospice regulations has providers walking compliance tightropes, according to Patrick Harrison, senior director of regulatory and compliance at the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO). Fraud, waste and abuse exist in several different industries and health care is no exception. But the majority of hospices are striving to provide quality end-of-life experiences to terminally ill patients and their families, Harrison said at the Hospice News Elevate conference in Washington D.C. 

New AMA president says he's ready to take on big challenges facing doctors amid payment cuts and rising burnout rates Fierce Healthcare; by Emma Beavins; 6/13/24 Bruce Scott, M.D., took the reins of the American Medical Association (AMA) for his first full day on Wednesday, June 12, succeeding immediate past president Jesse Ehrenfeld, M.D. ... During his tenure, Scott said he wants to emphasize the things that unite providers rather than the things that divide them. ... Some of the AMA’s biggest policy priorities include reducing prior authorization, bolstering Medicare payments for physicians and tamping down on increased scope of practice by non-physician providers. Scott said he hopes to follow in the steps of Ehrenfeld in engaging policymakers on these topics. In addition to banding together on those cross-discipline issues, Scott wants to advocate for rural clinics. 

Advocates rally in DC for the future of hospice: NHPCO and HAN amplify provider voices on Capitol Hill NHPCO; Press Release; 6/13/24 More than 100 hospice and palliative care advocates from across the country met with over 150 congressional offices this week to discuss key legislative and regulatory priorities for ensuring and expanding access to hospice and palliative care. The meetings were part of Hospice Action Week, hosted in Washington, DC by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) and its advocacy affiliate, the Hospice Action Network (HAN). “The cornerstone of effective advocacy is storytelling. It’s about sharing why hospice holds personal significance and why serious illness and end-of-life care policy should resonate with our lawmakers,” said Logan Hoover, NHPCO’s VP of Policy & Government Relations. “From Hawaii to Rhode Island, advocates from 35 diverse states came to DC this year. The relationships they’re building with Members of Congress hold the potential to shape the future of the healthcare landscape.” 

Discharge for non-compliance?[Podcast] CHAPcast; 6/12/24Ever wondered why patients miss their medication schedules despite clear instructions? Our enlightening conversation with Dr. Kate Jones reveals the critical shift from simply labeling patients as "non-compliant" to understanding the complexities behind "patient adherence." Discover how patient-centered care and shared decision-making can transform healthcare outcomes and why addressing social determinants of health (SDOH) is paramount for effective and realistic care plans.

Top News Stories of the Month May 2024 - TCN Podcast TCN Talks - Teleios Collaborative Network; Mark Cohen, Cordt Kassner and Joy Berger; 6/13/24In this week’s podcast, Mark Cohen, Cordt Kassner, and Joy Berger discuss the top news stories in the Hospice community for the month of May.  Additionally, they take you behind the scenes of how newsletters like Hospice News Today was assembled each day and how Hospice & Palliative Care Today is produced for your leadership to use, each day.

Lightways Hospice and Serious Illness Care grieves the death of hospice leaderThe Times Weekly; by Times Weekly Staff; 6/6/24 One of the former CEOs of Joliet Area Community Hospice, now known as Lightways Hospice and Serious Illness Care, has died. Duane Krieger was instrumental in the efforts to acquire land and build the first hospice residence in Illinois. Until this time, hospice care in this state was provided in patients’ homes and facilities. “Duane’s passion and dedication to building a free-standing hospice facility in Joliet was unwavering, said Mary Kay Sheehan, CEO of Lightways Hospice and Serious Illness Care. “Duane understood the need and knew who to talk to, in both the private and public sector, to secure funding and pass the regulations to build this hospice home and elevate the level of and access to hospice care. Duane always went above and beyond to ensure the residents of Joliet and the surrounding area had access to the care they needed. He was an inspiration and a true leader who will be missed.”