Literature Review

Health care utilization and opioid use in patients receiving an integrated palliative care intervention for treatment of head and neck cancer compared to a historical control Elsevier, International Journal of Radiation; by F. Rizwan. C. D'Avella, M. Albert, T. King, B. Egleston, T.J. Galloway, M. Chwistek, C. Fang, A. El-jawahri, J.R. Bauman; online access for 4/1/24 release Patients receiving chemoradiation therapy (CRT) for head and neck cancer (HNC) can develop significant symptomology (odynophagia, malnutrition) resulting in frequent hospitalizations and decreased quality of life (QOL) and continue to have chronic symptoms such as dysphagia and/or pain. The integration of a palliative care (PC) team during CRT has the potential to address the high symptom burden and improve QOL.

Preventing adverse drug events in hospice care Hospice News, by Holly Vossel; 3/15/24 Documentation errors and a fragmented health system pose the greatest risks for adverse drug events among hospices. ... Evaluating these risks involves having solid medication reconciliation processes in place — both at the time of a patient’s admission and throughout their end-of life care experience, according to Mary Lynn McPherson, professor and executive program director of advanced post-graduate education in palliative care at the University of Maryland’s School of Pharmacy. McPherson also serves on the board of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM).

ACC updates HFrEF Decision Pathway, reinforcing the Four Pillars of Therapy

Pharmacy associations join forces to advocate for pharmacists during change healthcare outageNewswire Press Release; 3/3/24 Association executives from the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA), the National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations (NASPA), and the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP) released an open letter to pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) executives and other insurance payers whose systems may have been impacted by the Change Healthcare outage. Pharmacists and pharmacies are asking for assurances that claims fulfilled during this outage will be paid, and paid in a timely manner, considering the challenges faced by pharmacies and pharmacists with predicting co-payments and determining eligibility and coverage. 

Reimagining end-of-life care: Balancing polypharmacy, treatment modification, and quality of life in advanced cancer patientsBNN, by Mahnoor Jehangir; 2/15/24In a recent groundbreaking study, researchers have illuminated the complexities surrounding polypharmacy and the prescription of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) to patients at the end of their lives, particularly those battling advanced cancer. This investigation, involving a cohort of 265 older adults, sheds light on the nuanced challenges and critical decisions faced by healthcare providers in managing the delicate balance between treatment efficacy and quality of life for terminally ill patients. 

Palliative care’s psychedelic futuretruthdig, by Jane C. Hu; 2/14/24In Oregon, hospice doctors are expanding the menu of treatments for end-of-life anxiety and depression.

How PBM legislation would transform the industryModern Healthcare, by Lauren Berryman; 1/24/24The pharmacy benefit manager industry could look a lot different soon if Congress follows through with bipartisan efforts to pass bills governing the sector. PBMs such as CVS Caremark, Express Scripts and OptumRx would face new transparency requirements that would give health insurance companies, employers, customers and regulators new insights into how they negotiate prices for prescription medicines—and how much of the savings they generate find their way to patients and plan sponsors. Pending legislation also would prohibit lucrative practices such as spread pricing.

A pathophysiological approach for selecting medications to treat nociceptive and neuropathic pain in servicemembersMil Med, by Khan Thi Nguyen, Daniel W Beauchamp, Reginald B O'Hara; 1/31/24The prevalence of chronic pain of service members (SMs) in the U.S. is estimated to be higher (roughly 31-44%) compared to that of civilian population (26%). This higher prevalence is likely due to the high physical demands related combat and training injuries that are not immediately resolved and worsen over time. Mental Health America reports that chronic pain can lead to other mental health conditions such as severe anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Breakthroughs in Alzheimer's research give cause for optimismKiplinger, by Elaine Silvestrini; 1/29/24... Finding a cure or even an effective treatment has been difficult. Now, after billions of dollars in research and more than 100 drug failures, advocates are celebrating breakthroughs, including drugs that for the first time treat the underlying causes of the disease. Experts are optimistic that we may be on the precipice of significant changes in how the disease is treated and potentially even prevented. 

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

Have you been overcharged for prescription drugs? We want to hear from you. - The New York TimesThe New York Times, by Reed Abelson and Rebecca Robbins; 1/9/24Most prescriptions in the United States are handled by one of three companies: CVS Caremark, Express Scripts or Optum Rx. These pharmacy benefit managers serve as middlemen between the drug companies that make the medications and the insurance plans that pay for your prescriptions. These relationships have been in the news because of the high cost of prescription drugs. We want to hear about your experiences with these companies, including whether your medications were covered and how much you paid for them. We’re also interested in hearing from pharmacists and doctors about their experiences and those of their patients.

Upcoming e-prescribing regs could give relief to hospice, palliative care providers, advocates sayMcKnights Home Care, by Adam Healy; 1/5/24Proposed rules, if finalized, could make it easier for providers to prescribe controlled substances via telemedicine. The Drug Enforcement Administration is expected to develop a “special registry” for certain controlled substances that could be prescribed without an in-person visit, according to Katy Barnett, director of home care and hospice operations and policy at LeadingAge. Certain substances were already granted similar prescription flexibilities during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE); a new registry would subject these substances to oversight by the DEA.