Literature Review

Introducing the Hospice Outcomes and Patient Evaluation (HOPE) tool [CMS webinar]CMS press release; 10/2/24The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is offering a web-based training course that provides an overview of the Hospice Outcomes and Patient Evaluation (HOPE) tool and how it relates to the Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP) as described in the fiscal year (FY) 2025 Hospice Final Rule. This training is intended for all hospice providers. The 30-minute course can be viewed on demand and includes interactive exercises to help you understand and apply the content presented. While it is intended that these eight lessons be completed in sequential order, you may also jump directly to any topic of interest.

Kennebunk Savings Bank Foundation awards grants to support older adults in York County Seacoastonline, Kennebunk, ME; 10/1/24 The Kennebunk Savings Bank Foundation’s Huntington Common Charitable Fund is dedicated to enriching the lives of older adults in York County by funding various project proposals from local nonprofits. ... Another grant of $15,000 was awarded to Hospice of Southern Maine, which provides compassionate end-of-life care in York and Cumberland Counties, as well as surrounding areas. The funds will support improvements to the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House, including new carpeting and flooring, hallway handrails, updated wayfinding signs, and enhanced Wi-Fi.

SNF, home health [and hospice] CEOs could be jailed over cybersecurity issues under new billMcKnight's Senior Living; by Kathleen Steele Gaivin; 9/30/24New legislation aimed at improving cybersecurity in healthcare could see leaders at skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies and hospices jailed if they lie about their cybersecurity precautions, according to one of its sponsors. Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) announced the Health Infrastructure Security and Accountability Act on Thursday. The bill also covers other types of healthcare businesses. “The healthcare industry has some of the worst cybersecurity practices in the nation despite its critical importance to Americans’ well-being and privacy,” Wyden said. “These commonsense reforms, which include jail time for CEOs that lie to the government about their cybersecurity, will set a course to beef up cybersecurity among healthcare companies across the nation and stem the tide of cyberattacks that threaten to cripple the American healthcare system.”

Vitas Healthcare introduces premier hospice care in Bakersfield and Fresno GlobeNewswire; by Vitas Healthcare; 10/1/24 To meet the growing need for quality end-of-life care in California’s Central Valley, Vitas Healthcare hospice services are now available for residents of Bakersfield and Fresno. With local interdisciplinary teams based in each city, Vitas now offers expert clinical, emotional and spiritual care for seriously ill patients in their homes, nursing homes, assisted living communities and inpatient care settings. 

The road ahead: 2 pressures framing the future of hospice care Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 10/1/24 The workforce shortage and value-based care will shape the future of hospice, according to some providers. The health care reimbursement environment is moving towards significant change. The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has signaled its intention to align every Medicare beneficiary with a value-based payment system by 2030. To keep pace, hospice providers must start preparing now, according to Phil Ward, president and CEO of Community Hospice of Northeast Florida. We’re implementing quality movement projects now. So that when these changes come we’re not taken by surprise,” Ward said at the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) Annual Leadership Conference. ... The second major force that could mold the industry’s future is the staffing shortage, Leigh Anderson, medical director for Our Hospice of Indiana, said during the NHPCO conference. This includes issues like turnover, nurse-to-patient ratios and health care worker burnout, she said.

10 vital skills to future-proof healthcare leaders Becker's Hospital Review; by Laura Dyrda; 9/30/24 The most successful healthcare leaders in the next two years will leave the traditional organizational structures and models in the past in favor of extreme nimbleness, stronger soft skills and optimization of digital technology. Becker's Healthcare connected with 77 leaders from hospitals and health systems across the U.S. who shared the qualities and skill sets that will become more important in the next few years. Here are 10 areas of focus:

CIOs must understand change management theories, frameworks and practices Health IT News; by Bill Siwicki; 9/27/24 [Part 2 of 2] Change management is a very important subject today in health IT as more and more new and amazing technologies make their way into the delivery of healthcare. (Hello, artificial intelligence.) Robert Slepin knows quite a bit about change management. He is an emeritus CIO advisor at EHR kingpin Epic. There, he constantly is helping CIOs across the country change their health IT setups. ... Question: What would you say are the important components of a change management initiative? What must CIOs be doing? Answer: There are several key areas to consider, starting with:

Community partnership helps Veterans navigate their health care U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC; by Dr. Chien Chen; 9/27/24 VA’s National Center for Healthcare Advancement and Partnerships (HAP) helps create and manage partnerships between VA and community organizations. The goal is simple: bring together VA and those in the community who share the same goals and mission when it comes to providing Veterans with outstanding health care and support. They are called Veteran Community Partnerships, or VCPs. “Developing and nurturing strong partnerships with VA and community providers is crucial to supporting Veteran health care,” said Dr. Jamie Davis, HAP health system specialist. “VCPs are instrumental in ensuring these partnerships enhance the health and well-being of Veterans across the country.” The East Bay VCP at Martinez VA is part of Northern California VA. Martinez VAMC and Veteran Community Partnerships focus on getting Veterans access to all available health care services. 

Fighting ‘phantoms’: How fraud skews competition in the hospice market Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 9/26/24 Fraudulent operators’ marketing strategies are morphing the competitive landscape, making it difficult for legitimate hospice providers to maintain visibility among patients and families. A mounting concern is that fraudsters stepping into the hospice industry have been implementing marketing and outreach practices that at times mirror strategies utilized by quality providers, according to Jeanne Chirico, president and CEO of the Hospice & Palliative Care Association of New York State (HPCANYS). This makes it difficult for referrals, patients and their families to discern the best end-of-life care option. Another significant concern is that the fraudulent actors may have deeper pockets compared to smaller or nonprofit hospices, allowing them to invest more heavily and saturate the market with their messaging. 

I watched "His Three Daughters" on Netflix, and have to talk about how relatable the family conflict is Y!entertainment.com; by Corey Chichizola; 9/25/24 The streaming wars are showing no signs of slowing down, with the various services offering a variety of new and exciting content. One new film that might end up being one of the best Netflix movies out there is Azazel Jacobs' His Three Daughters, which is streaming now for those with a Netflix subscription. I recently streamed the flick, and have to talk about the family dynamics, especially as we slowly get closer to The Holidays. His Three Daughters focuses on (you guessed it) three sisters, adult women who are forced to cohabitate as their father is in hospice care. Director Azazel Jacobs put tributes to hospice nurses in the film, but other than that its largely about the three women's relationships with each other. And I loved how realistic it felt, especially in the way that family occasions tend to bring out honesty among relatives... for better or worse. Editor's note: This movie is getting alot of media buzz. I watched it and found the family's dynamics through their father's final days of actively dying to be spot-on. However--especially since "hospice" is core to the story--I was concerned about some basic communications and practices from the the hospice nurse. Examples include discussions about calling 911, what to do when the death occurs, no sense of a larger hospice team or  agency support (just these 2 nurses), an ICU-like monitor, and (yikes!) smoking inside a small apartment with the father's oxygen machine nearby. (Oh no!) I put these forth as you hear others talk about this "hospice" movie. Still, the family conflicts--specific to their father's dying--are indeed "relatable," authentic, and worth the watch.

VFW Post 4019 donates $10K to Hospice [of the Panhandle] The Morgan Messenger, Berkeley Springs, WV; by Kate Shunney, editor; 9/24/24 The Risinger-Stotler VFW Post 4019 in Berkeley Springs presented a $10,000 check to Hospice of the Panhandle recently – proceeds from a fundraiser the post held to benefit Hospice patients and families. Donors and supporters at the VFW have donated close to $55,000 to Hospice over several years of fundraisers. “We are overwhelmed by their generosity – and they are so grateful for the care that we offer veterans,” said Maria Lorensen, Development Director for Hospice of the Panhandle.

Most annoying office behaviors HR Daily Advisor; by Lin Grensing-Pophal; 9/25/24 ... Identifying Behaviors That Annoy: A great first step in combating annoyed employees is to understand what behaviors and actions set those employees off in the first place. A recent survey by Kickresume reveals the most annoying colleague behaviors. The findings showed that 85% of people have dealt with an annoying coworker, with 58% saying these behaviors significantly affect their productivity. Here is the list of the top 15 [with % of employees who find these behaviors annoying]: Credit stealer, 33%. Micromanager, 32%. Chronic complainer, 30%. Personal space intruder, 30%. Lunch thief, 27%. Non-stop chatter, 27%. Loud talker, 26%. Know-it-all, 24%. Procrastinator, 21%. Underperformer, 21%. Email spammer, 20%. Sick but shows up to work, 17%. Ignore-my-headphones talker, 17%. Corporate over-optimist, 16%. Tech illiterate, 15%. Late arriver, 15%.

Clearing a path for diverse leadership Becker's Hospital Review; by Mariah Taylor; 9/20/24 Creating a diverse nurse workforce and leadership team takes intentionality. "Diversity doesn't happen by itself. It takes effort, thought and planning," Jesus Cepero, PhD, RN, chief nursing officer, senior vice president patient care services at Palo Alto, Calif.-based Stanford Medicine Children's Health, told Becker's. Dr. Cepero first joined Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford four years ago and said part of what made him comfortable joining was seeing the diverse team of executives already at the hospital. "Since then, our diversity at the executive level has grown," he said. "This shift has transformed our culture, promoting a sense of safety and belonging, which is key to fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce." Now, he oversees 3,500 employees and one of his priorities is to further diversity work at the system. Here are his three guidelines for building a more diverse workforce and leadership team: