Literature Review

4 CFOs' keys to improved operating performance Becker's Hospital CFO Report; by Andrew Cass; 6/13/24Altru, Memorial Health, Penn State Health and Sharp HealthCare are among the systems that reported improved year over year operating performance in their most recent financial reports.  Becker's asked the CFOs of the four health systems to share one key to their boosted operating performance: ...

Acting now to sustain and improve America’s healthcare system: Advice from innovative physicians and health system leadersSheppardMullin Healthcare Law Blog; by Kathleen O'Neill, John Golembesky, Jeralin Cardoso, Chi Huynh & Carolyn Young; 6/6/24 At [the recent] America’s Physician Groups Spring conference in San Diego, California, we listened as physicians and health system leaders described the ways in which they are responding to short and long term challenges to the sustainability of America’s healthcare system in its current form. It now stands at a critical juncture, facing challenges such as provider shortages and burnout, increasing concerns around access and cost for pharmaceutical products and other supplies, the increasing burden of managing chronic diseases, rising demand for services across the spectrum from an aging population, and balancing the transition to value-based care models in a predominantly fee-for-service environment. ... Here, we outline the key areas of focus described by leaders at the conference: ... 

3 keys to hospice oversight preparation Hospice News; by Jack Silverstein; 6/4/24 When hospice providers are being investigated not just by CMS but the FBI, the stakes for compliance are higher than ever. In May of 2024, the federal law enforcement agency placed its spotlight on the rising number of complaints about hospice fraud, in which hospices participate in signing up seniors for care without the seniors’ knowledge. Integrity concerns are in four states: Arizona, California, Nevada and Texas. The mechanics vary but the end result is the same: hospices getting paid for services they either did not provide, provided at a substandard level or had no authority to provide at all. ...

What health system CEOs need to tackle conflict, change Becker's Hospital Review; by Laura Dyrda; 5/31/24  Health system CEOs are leaving behind ego-driven, top down leadership in favor of a trusting and a supportive culture to guide their organizations and transform healthcare delivery. Change is hard, but necessary, to grow. "One of my greatest realizations is the importance of fostering a culture where every individual genuinely feels valued and supported," K. Craig Kent, MD, CEO of Charlottesville, VA.-based UVA Health and executive vice president of health affairs at the University of Virginia told Becker's. ... Change is happening on many fronts. More care is exiting the hospital to be delivered at outpatient sites, in the home and through virtual connections. Patients are more actively participating in decision-making about their care, and digital technology makes it possible to personalize care more than ever before. ...

How businesses should (and should not) use AI: A strategic blueprint Forbes; by Bernard Marr; 5/31/24 Businesses often find themselves at a crossroads in the race to leverage artificial intelligence (AI). The lure of AI's promise is undeniable—from enhancing customer experiences to automating routine tasks. Yet, how a company approaches AI can spell the difference between mere technological flirtation and achieving real, transformative outcomes. Here, I offer a strategic blueprint for businesses keen on not just piloting AI but also scaling it effectively.

Manassas Park teens complete inaugural nurse aide course while earning high school diploma ABC News 7 Washington DC; by Victoria Sanchez; 5/30/24 Ten Manassas Park seniors completed their high school nurse aide program and are on their way to being certified by the Virginia Board of Nursing, all while earning their diploma. The inaugural Nurse Aide Pathway class is a competitive, five-day-a-week program that teaches the teens 22 skills they need to become a CNA. They also learned outside the classroom during 40 hours of clinical rotations at a local hospice center. ... “This is the best opportunity I could ever have in high school and will forever be one of the best opportunities I ever have in my life,” said student Javi Sedeno Cisneros. He has an eye on earning an MD after becoming a CNA. ... During their time at the hospice center, the 17-year-olds experienced life lessons most of their peers won’t learn for years.... [Read more for this inspiring, innovative solution.]

What AccentCare’s clinicians wanted from the company’s AI implementationHome Health Care News; by Joyce Famakinwa; 5/23/24Like many others, AccentCare has embraced artificial intelligence. However, the company wasn’t satisfied with implementing generative AI and looping in its clinicians afterwards. Instead, the company made its nurses a part of this process from the start. “It’s our philosophy at AccentCare that we don’t make changes to clinical practice without having a conversation with the people who are delivering clinical care,” Tracy Dent, vice president of clinical operations at AccentCare, told Home Health Care News. “They’re the people who are delivering care at the bedside. We want to make sure they have a voice in decisions that are going to impact their ability to do so.”Editor's Note: Pair this with another article in today's newsletter, "Three ways to communicate with Gen-Z—and why it’s important."

Legacy society honors ardent supporters of Blue Ridge HospiceThe Winchester Star; by Brian Brehm; 5/21/24 Blue Ridge Hospice holds its cofounder in such high esteem, it has created a legacy society and named it in her honor. The new Helen Zebarth Legacy Society aims to honor Zebarth’s vision, inspire philanthropy and ensure the continuity of compassionate end-of-life care for generations to come, according to a media release from Blue Ridge Hospice in Winchester. Blue Ridge Hospice was formed after Zebarth visited England while her husband, Roger, was stationed in Europe on a military assignment in the 1970s. When the Zebarths returned to the United States in the late 1970s, Helen Zebarth, a former nurse at Winchester Memorial Hospital, got in touch with the hospital’s CEO, George Caley, and told him they needed to start a local hospice. Editor's Note: May we learn from Blue Ridge Hospice. On this day of remembering, we thank those whose vision and perseverance for "hospice care" carved out new paths for better living, dying, moments of death, and bereavement. Who were those pioneers for your hospice? How do you remember their legacies?

America’s biggest Medicaid insurer just pledged to help build nearly $1 billion of affordable housing: ‘We know 80% of what drives health is nonmedical’ Fortune Well; by Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez; 5/20/24The nation’s largest Medicaid insurer is pledging to help build nearly $1 billion worth of affordable housing in eight states as it moves to address one of the biggest determinants of health. ... “We know 80% of what drives health is nonmedical. Eighty percent,” Dr. Michelle Gourdine, senior vice president at CVS Health, said earlier in the conference. “We could have the best doctors in the universe and it would only fix 20% of the problem.”  

Androscoggin Home Healthcare + Hospice rebrands to ‘Andwell Health Partners’ Home Health Care News; by Andrew Donlan; 5/21/24 The Maine-based Androscoggin Home Healthcare + Hospice is rebranding to “better reflect its evolutions and future,” and will be operating under the name Andwell Health Partners moving forward. ... Andwell – formerly Androscoggin – is a nonprofit operator that employs more than 500 workers across all 16 counties in Maine. The company ... has expanded past just home health care over the years to provide hospice, palliative, behavioral health and pediatric care services to patients. Its president and CEO, Ken Albert, has served on the board of the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) ... including as chairperson of the board. ... The word Andwell is “an amalgamation of the organization’s history, mission and services,” the company said. Specifically, the “And” makes reference to Androscoggin, the “Well” emphasizes the focus on health and wellbeing and “Dwell” evokes its home-based care focus.

Making AI actionable in healthcare – a high-level guide Becker's Hospital Review; by Calum Yacoubian, MD, Director Healthcare AI Strategy, IQVIA; 5/14/24 Never has there been more interest and excitement around the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare. The advent of Generative AI and LLMs, popularized by OpenAI with ChatGPT, has opened many people’s eyes to what might be possible. Yet, the translation of this promise to patient impact is only in its infancy, and while it is a path with huge potential, as healthcare professionals, we must tread carefully and responsibly. In this article, we discuss the importance of the ecosystem in which healthcare AI must exist, to be successful. That ecosystem is made up of people, process, and technology.

NAHC advocacy scores wins in CongressNAHC Newsroom; Press Release; 5/10/24Tireless advocacy by the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) and our partners at the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, has resulted in the approval of the Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act (H.R. 8261) through the Ways & Means Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives. While the committee advanced the legislation, it will still need to be passed by the full House of Representatives and the Senate as well. This first step was crucial to get the bill on the pathway to its ultimate enactment into law. This legislation provides:

LifeBio announces partnership with New York State Office for the Aging to capture the legacies of hospice patientsKFOL/KJUN HTV10; 5/9/24 LifeBio has launched a partnership the New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) and the Association on Aging in NYS (AANYS) to rollout an innovative life story project to people in hospice care. This is the first initiative of its kind in the U.S. to be supported with funding from a state-level unit on aging. Using the LifeBio Memory app to record the voices of New Yorkers, each participating hospice patient will receive back a Life Story Book containing stories, memories and favorite photos to share with loved ones. Audio files will be saved privately and securely. LifeBio will also offer the option of journals for handwriting the stories.