Literature Review

Maxwell Healthcare Associates, Hospice Dynamix, and Medalogix announce partnershipPR Newswire; 2/20/24Maxwell Healthcare Associates (MHA), a leading provider in the post-acute space with an average of 20 years of experience, is proud to announce a groundbreaking partnership with Hospice Dynamix, and Medalogix. This collaboration aims to revolutionize hospice care delivery through cutting-edge innovation.

Embodied decisions unfolding over time: a meta-ethnography systematic review of people with cancer's reasons for delaying or declining end-of-life careBMC Palliat Care, by Jessica Young, Antonia Lyons, Richard Egan, and Kevin Dew; 2/19/24Conclusions: Decisions about when (and for some, whether at all) to accept end-of-life care are made in a complex system with preferences shifting over time, in relation to the embodied experience of life-limiting cancer. Time is central to patients' end-of-life care decision-making. ... The integration of palliative care across the cancer care trajectory and earlier introduction of end-of-life care highlight the importance of these findings for improving access whilst recognising that accessing end-of-life care will not be desired by all patients.

Death can be isolating and dehumanizing. But what if it didn’t have to be?City Life, by Ben Seal; 2/17/24... In the three years since Elaine’s passing, I’ve longed for a world where more people could be given the chance to die as she did — with the fullness of life surrounding her, and with complete support, emphasizing the emotional and spiritual, not just the medical. In Philadelphia and beyond, a growing community of death-care workers — doulas, nurses, grief counselors, social workers, even funeral directors — is trying to build that world. They are reclaiming death and dying from the institutional model that has become the norm over the past century. Editor's Note: Has hospice now become so institutionalized and medical/regulatory focused that we have lost sight of "emphasizing the emotional and spiritual, not just the medical"? I ask the question, but do not draw judgment, as answers must be contextualized. 

NorthStar Care Community partners with Centrica Care Navigators affiliate, creating one of the largest not-for-profit providers in the United StatesHospice of Michigan; retrieved 2/19/24Centrica’s community-leading presence in southwest Michigan will be a strong complement to the capabilities that Hospice of Michigan and Arbor Hospice bring to the state. By joining the NorthStar Care Community, they can ensure that a strong not-for-profit provider is an option in southwest Michigan for those needing serious illness care for years to come.

Looking at the challenges involving hospice careNPR WOSU PBS, podcast by All Sides with Anna Staver; 2/19/24Hospice care prioritizes comfort and quality of life by reducing pain and suffering for patients facing the end of life. However, physicians are voicing concerns about a prevalence of serious deficiencies in hospice care and believe it is in need of fixing.Host: Mike Thompson, WOSU chief content director of radioGuests: Dr. Ira Byock, palliative care physician and advocate; Dr. Jennifer Hirsh, hospice & palliative medicine specialist, Mt. CarmelEditor's Note: Originally aired 7/24/23; reposted 2/19/24

Bon Secours Mercy Health outsourcing home health, hospiceBecker's Health IT, by Naomi Diaz; 2/16/24Cincinnati-based Bon Secours Mercy Health will turn over operations of its home health and hospice operations across five states to home-based care company Compassus. Per the arrangement, Compassus will be responsible for overseeing the operations of 10 home health agencies and 11 hospice operations. ... Bon Secours Mercy Health will retain ownership of its hospice house real estate assets in specific locations, while Compassus takes charge of managing the operations.

Commentary: Virginia hospice care coalition a model for other states to emulateThe Roanoke Times, by Steve Cone; 2/16/24 Here in Virginia, eight nonprofit hospice care organizations are working together with a private sector sponsor on a statewide initiative called the Virginia Hospice Awareness Campaign to publicize the benefits of hospice. This approach should serve as a model for other states to emulate. (Two of the nonprofits in the campaign serve the Roanoke and New River valleys and Alleghany Highlands: Good Samaritan and ConnectionsPlus.)

Chippewa Co. Health Department announces end of Home Health and Hospice services 9and10news.com, by Logan Kassuba; 2/14/24 The Chippewa County Board of Commissioners announced their decision to end the health department’s Home Health and Hospice division. ... CCHD was the only health department in Michigan that still had a Home Health and Hospice division. In the absence of Home Health and Hospice services, CCHD said hospice patients can choose to spend their final days at Ball House, Pennington Home, Harbor View Home and White-Wiles Home. Patients are also able to remain in their own homes and receive care there.

Essentia Health-Fosston Home Care and Hospice team recognized for excellenceEssentia Health Newsroom, by Caitlin Pallai; 2/14/24The Essentia Health-Fosston Home Care and Hospice Team has been recognized for providing exceptional patient experiences. The team was named a 2023 Human Experience Guardian of Excellence Award winner by Press Ganey, which works with more than 41,000 health care facilities — including Essentia — to solicit patient feedback and create meaningful change. To receive a Guardian of Excellence Award, a team must rank in the top 5% of health care providers on patient surveys conducted by Press Ganey. 

How New Day Healthcare plans to be the face of a changing home health landscapeHome Health Care News; 2/12/24New Day Healthcare has been one of the most active acquirers in home health care over the last year. As it grows, it’s looking to set itself apart from the home health company archetype of yesteryear.

PeaceHealth home care nurses strike: Picketers demand equal pay, better staffingThe Register-Guard, by Miranda Cyr; 2/13/24About 30 home care and hospice nurses and supporters were spread out at the entrances to the PeaceHealth offices in Springfield. The strike, which started Saturday, is scheduled to last until 7 a.m. on Feb. 24. "I really care about my community. I care about them being able to receive good care," said Heather Herbert, an ONA member and hospice nurse who was among those picketing on Monday. "We would not be striking if we felt that there was any other way to get what our community deserves."

Former President Jimmy Carter spends 12 months in hospice careNewsNation, by Katie Smith; 2/14/24Sunday will mark one year since America’s longest-living president, 99-year-old Jimmy Carter, entered hospice care to spend his remaining time at home with his family. The 39th U.S. president elected to receive hospice care Feb. 18, 2023, according to a statement The Carter Center issued that day.Editor's Note: How are you addressing this length of 1+ year with the patients you serve? Click here for the CMS pdf of the 6-month rule, "Face-to-Face Requirement Affecting Hospice Recertification." 

$25k donation to Hospice of the Piedmont from the Countybank FoundationIndependent Banker, by William Atkinson; 2/12/24Countybank's Half-Century of Charitable Giving ...  One recent donation of $25,000 from the Countybank Foundation went to Hospice & Palliative Care of the Piedmont, a community nonprofit network of care that provides specialized healthcare for those living with advanced illnesses. ... “When children lose someone they care about, it affects their entire life: their nutrition, their sleep, their relationships, their behavior and their schoolwork,” Charlene Kish, CEO of Hospice & Palliative Care of the Piedmont, said in a statement. “With financial support from organizations like Countybank and Greenwood Capital, we are able to provide education and support to both the child and the parents.”