Literature Review

Race, ethnicity, and cancer type influence which patients access hospice careOncology Nurse Advisor, by Jennifer Larson; 1/19/24... [A] researcher from a comprehensive cancer center in North Carolina conducted a clinical literature review to investigate research outcomes of hospice use in the United States. ... A total of 17 quantitative studies, published between 2017 and 2023, was included in this review. Notable differences by cancer type were found. ... The analysis also showed disparities in hospice use by race and ethnicity.

'Snow was up to my knees': Iowa hospice nurse walks through blizzard to reach patientKETV (NE), by Maddie Augustine; 1/20/24Iowa — Communities across Nebraska and Iowa have felt the impact of recent snowfall and below-zero temperatures, but that weather didn't stop one Iowa hospice nurse. Tiffany McArdle, hospice nurse for St. Croix Hospice, told KETV that in her seven years of working as a hospice nurse, she never imagined she would be walking through a blizzard to reach a patient, but she said she never doubted she would find a way to make it to the family in need on Sunday.

$15 billion win for physicians on prior authorizationAMA, by Kevin B. O'Reilly; 1/18/24Under the leadership of Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released a final rule making important reforms to prior authorization to cut patient care delays and electronically streamline the process for physicians. Together, the changes will save physician practices an estimated $15 billion over 10 years, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Role matters in understanding 'quality' in palliative care: a qualitative analysis of patient, caregiver and practitioner perspectivesBMJ Open, by Laura M Holdsworth, Karleen Giannitrapani, Raziel C Gamboa, Claire O'Hanlon, Nainwant Singh, Anne Walling, Charlotta Lindvall, Karl Lorenz; 1/17/24Objectives: To compare the discussions from two panels on the concept of palliative care quality for patients with advanced cancer, exploring the priorities reflected in each group's perspectives.

Does morphine speed up death at the end of life? What we knowHealthDigest, by Jennifer Anandanayagam; 1/17/24... [Hospice care workers often hear a common concern], if giving morphine to your dying loved actually brings about their death sooner.Quotes from Elisabeth Smith, Hospice of the Chesapeake's Director of Education and Emergency Management

MedPAC approves hospital, physician pay bump; Doubles down on post-acute cutsInsideHealth Policy, by Bridget Early; 1/12/24Congress’ Medicare pay advisors recommended pay raises in 2025 for hospitals and physicians along with extra so-called Medicare safety-net pay and voted Thursday ... to recommend a second year’s worth of post-acute pay cuts as it approved proposals that would lower base pay rates for skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies and inpatient rehabilitation facilities. 

Increasing longevity, decreasing health quality: A close look at American health trendsBNN, by Ayesha Mumtaz; 1/16/24Recent data paints a concerning picture of Americans’ health despite an increase in longevity. While people are living longer, the quality of their health during these extended years is deteriorating. 

Coming to terms: Female veterans' experience of serious illnessJournal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing, by Brandon M. Varilek and Mary J. Isaacson; 1/16/24Female veteran populations are growing internationally and are more likely than men to develop certain serious illnesses, including some cancers. ... This study reports the qualitative findings from a multimethod study using qualitative inquiry to explore female veterans' experiences of living with a serious illness. 

Palliative telecare improves quality of life for those with chronic illnesses, and results last for months: StudyMedical Xpress, by CU Anschutz Medical Campus; 1/16/24Researchers from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have found that a team intervention, provided by phone, leads to persistent improvements in depression, anxiety, and quality of life for people managing chronic illnesses. Additionally, researchers found that the improvement in quality of life results last months after intervention concludes.

Association Forum announces 2024 Woman of InfluenceForum; 12/11/23Association Forum is pleased to announce Wendy-Jo Toyama, MBA, CAE, FASAE, CEO of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (a client of the Association Management Center), as the 2024 recipient of the Woman of Influence Award.  This honor is awarded to trailblazers in the industry who have a proven track record of innovation, impact and paying it forward through coaching, mentoring and service to others.  Being named the 2024 Woman of Influence reflects Toyama’s ... dedication to the advancement of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

Construction of Hospice Care evaluation system for terminally ill patients in ICUPubMed, Patient Prefer Adherence, by Qin-Ling Wang et.al; 1/10/24Conclusion: In this study, three rounds of Delphi consultation methods were used to construct an evaluation index system for the nursing quality of hospice care for ICU patients. The evaluation indicators formulated closely focus on the physiological and psychological characteristics of ICU patients, which can provide a better reference for ICU patients with advanced life in the future.

Best healthcare jobs in 2024: US newsBecker's Hospital Review, by Alexis Kayser; 1/9/24U.S. News & World Report has ranked the top 26 jobs in the healthcare industry, encompassing some of America's top-paying jobs with high growth potential. [Of note: #1 Nurse practitioner. #2 Physician assistant.] 

PeaceHealth nurses mull a strike amid wage, workload pressuresHospice News, by Holly Vossel; 1/9/24Nurses at PeaceHealth’s Sacred Heart Home Care Services have voted to authorize a strike, citing low wages and staffing strains.PeaceHealth operates two hospice locations in Oregon, along with six others in Alaska and Washington state.