Literature Review

Dangerous heat puts tens of millions in the US on alert; paired with NIH & OSHA resources for you to protect patients and employeesAssociated Press article, paired with information and resources from NIH and OSHA; 6/18/24

Bluegrass Care Navigators and Hosparus Health announce landmark affiliation agreement Hosparus Health Press Release; 6/17/24 Today marks a significant milestone as Bluegrass Care Navigators and Hosparus Health announced that their respective boards of directors have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to begin working toward a formal affiliation between the two organizations. The affiliation is rooted in the organizations’ shared mission of providing compassionate, high-quality care to those facing serious illness and end-of-life. It aims to enhance service delivery, improve operational efficiencies, and bolster long-term sustainability — all while preserving the unique identities and local operations of both organizations. David Cook, Hosparus Health President and CEO, said, “This formal affiliation is designed to strengthen and improve resiliency for our organizations. Rest assured, we will continue to honor and maintain the distinct identities and local presence that our communities have come to cherish. This affiliation is a testament to our shared commitment to working together and enhancing care for our communities.” “Both Bluegrass Care Navigators and Hosparus Health share a joint mission: to provide exceptional, compassionate, high-quality care to those facing frailty, serious illness and end-of-life,” added Liz Fowler, President and CEO of Bluegrass Care Navigators. “Our long histories of service, innovation, and excellence make this affiliation a natural and exciting next step.” [Click on the title's link to read more.] 

When your parents die: Becoming an adult orphan The Montecito Journal; by Deann Zampelli; 6/18/24 Shortly after I got married, my 64-year-old mother lost her battle with breast cancer. Seven years later my father joined her. The loss isn’t any less painful just because you are a grown-up. ... Many don’t realize that grief isn’t linear. We don’t go through a neat little phase, checking off each stage as we complete it. The famous (and somewhat debunked) five stages of grief introduced by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross in the 1960s (Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance) were from a study she did on the emotional states of patients who were dying. It was their stages she was referencing, not ours. ... I came to a frightening realization. ...  It suddenly dawned on me that my siblings and I were next in line to kick it. [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]Editor's Note: While serving in your hospice leadership roles, you experience the ongoing aging, changes and likely even deaths of your own family members, friends, and mentors. Do you, your hospice communications, and/or your grief services rely on the outdated "Stages of Grief" model? These "stages" opened the door in the 1960's for talking about death and dying, but became extremely misused and overpopularized for persons surviving the loss. Learn, update your knowledge, information, and clinical bereavement practices with extensive bereavement/loss/grief research, clinical best practices, and more. For expert information, resources, and bereavement professionals, examine www.adec.org, the Association for Death Education and Counseling. 

Revenue pressures driving home care consolidation, private equity’s growing influence, provider group saysMcKnight's Home Care; by Adam Healy; 6/11/24Pressures such as insufficient government reimbursement and rising Medicare Advantage penetration are contributing to consolidation in home care and hospice, LeadingAge told regulators last week in response to a February request for information surrounding healthcare market competition. “Sustainable fee-for-service rates that cover the continually rising costs of delivering care are of critical importance,” LeadingAge said. “Outside revenue pressures such as lower reimbursement rates from managed care plans, reduced units of service through accountable and managed care organizations, and an increasing need to be an organization of a certain size in order to contract with managed care organizations and accountable care organizations are also factors that drive consideration of consolidation options.” One particular concern, LeadingAge noted, is the growing investment in healthcare by private equity firms. Private equity firms have driven a significant share of home care and hospice consolidation in recent years. PE firms had a hand in 35 home health deals, 15 personal care deals and 13 hospice deals last year, according to a recent report. And studies have shown that patients receiving care from PE-owned providers may experience worse health outcomes than patients at nonprofit agencies.

Spousal caregivers need emotional support before losses, not just after, study findsMcKnight's Long-Term Care News; by Donna Shryer; 6/9/24A recent study suggests that healthcare professionals and policymakers should expand their focus on supporting the emotional well-being of individuals whose spouses have dementia, especially in the years leading up to their partners’ deaths. The clinical investigation, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, indicates that these caregivers experience heightened levels of psychological distress compared to those whose partners have normal cognitive function. ... After the partner’s death, the levels of loneliness and depression were similar across all groups, regardless of the deceased partner’s cognitive status. This suggests that the period before the loss is particularly challenging for those caring for a spouse with dementia. Furthermore, about two-thirds (64%) of these spouses reported lower life satisfaction compared to nearly three-quarters (74%) of those with cognitively healthy partners. However, the study found no significant difference in social isolation levels among the groups.

June is Adult Protection Awareness MonthKREX Grand Junction (CO); by Jessica Livingstone; 6/8/24June is Adult Protection Awareness Month, and Mesa County kicked this month off by tying purple ribbons around their campus to show their support for the victims. WesternSlopeNow talked to HopeWest about the resources they have to protect the community. If you’d like to know more information about HopeWest’s resources, you can call or click here.Publisher's Note: How is your hospice participating in Adult Protection Awareness Month?

MedPAC releases June 2024 report on Medicare and the health care delivery systemMedPac - Medicare Payment Advisory Commision; Press Release; 6/13/24The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) released its June 2024 Report [on June 13, 2024] to the Congress: Medicare and the Health Care Delivery System. Each June, as part of its mandate from the Congress, MedPAC reports on improvements to Medicare payment systems, issues affecting the Medicare program, and changes to health care delivery and the market for health care services. This year’s report covers the following topics:

Bluegrass Care Navigators and Hosparus Health announce landmark affiliation agreement Hosparus Health Press Release; 6/17/24 Today marks a significant milestone as Bluegrass Care Navigators and Hosparus Health announced that their respective boards of directors have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to begin working toward a formal affiliation between the two organizations. The affiliation is rooted in the organizations’ shared mission of providing compassionate, high-quality care to those facing serious illness and end-of-life. It aims to enhance service delivery, improve operational efficiencies, and bolster long-term sustainability — all while preserving the unique identities and local operations of both organizations. David Cook, Hosparus Health President and CEO, said, “This formal affiliation is designed to strengthen and improve resiliency for our organizations. Rest assured, we will continue to honor and maintain the distinct identities and local presence that our communities have come to cherish. This affiliation is a testament to our shared commitment to working together and enhancing care for our communities.” “Both Bluegrass Care Navigators and Hosparus Health share a joint mission: to provide exceptional, compassionate, high-quality care to those facing frailty, serious illness and end-of-life,” added Liz Fowler, President and CEO of Bluegrass Care Navigators. “Our long histories of service, innovation, and excellence make this affiliation a natural and exciting next step.” [Click on the title's link to read more.] 

NIH: Hot weather safety for older adults OSHA: Heat - Working in outdoor and indoor heat environmentsOSHA - Occupational Safety and Health Administration; retrieved from their website 6/18/24 

AAHPM CMO Joe Rotella: Hospice does not exist to save money Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 6/17/24Dr. Joe Rotella, chief medical officer of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM), calls on hospices to maintain their core principles amid a churning sea of regulatory and economic changes. Rotella began his medical career as a primary care physician in a small, rural town in central New Hampshire, where he stayed for 12 years [followed by serving Hospice & Palliative Care of Louisville, KY/Hosparus as Chief Medical director for 15 years]. ... Now, Rotella will soon retire from AAHPM. Hospice News sat down with Rotella to discuss the ways hospice and palliative care have changed during his tenure in the space, as well as the forces shaping the field’s future. ...

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.” 

How fraudulent hospices evade regulators Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 6/5/24A slew of fraudulent hospices in California are dodging consequences by shuffling patients around between provider numbers. That’s according to multiple sources who spoke with Hospice News, expressing their concerns about patterns of fraud continuing even as government regulators crack down on the sector. Since 2021, numerous media and government reports have emerged of unethical or illegal practices among hundreds of newly licensed hospices, particularly among new companies popping up in California, Texas, Nevada and Arizona. Despite the best efforts of regulators and law enforcement, hospice leaders are concerned that many bad actors are slipping through the cracks. ...