Literature Review

A looming crisis: Millennials caring for aging parentsFalls Church News-Press, by Brian Reach; 1/11/24... Millennials, born between 1981 and 1996, comprise roughly 73 million Americans. By 2030, all boomers, and over 70 million Americans in total, will be ages 65 and older. This represents an at least 25 percent increase in the number of senior citizens — in just over five years.

Use of palliative care for ICU patients, familiesReview of Doherty, C., Feder, S., Gillespie-Heyman, S., & Akgün, K. M. (2023). Easing Suffering for ICU Patients and Their Families: Evidence and Opportunities for Primary and Specialty Palliative Care in the ICU. Journal of Intensive Care Medicine. Yale School of Medicine, review by Chigoziri Knokwo; 1/8/24... The authors identify the most commonly worrisome symptoms affecting ICU patients as the inability to communicate, pain, difficulty breathing, and thirst. They also highlight distressing experiences for families and caregivers of patients in the ICU, particularly depression and complicated grief. They recommend the continued incorporation of humanistic palliative care principles, considering perspectives from a more diverse representation of countries and cultures, particularly more resource-limited settings.

Home health agencies grapple with 'acuity creep' as patient needs become more complexHome Health Care News, by Patrick Filbin; 1/5/24As the demand for home-based care continues to rise, so does the need for more intensive care plans as patients continue to be sicker and more complex. Home health agencies are feeling this “acuity creep,” and they’re adjusting. But at times, it’s hard to keep up. “When I’m talking about acuity creep, I’m thinking about how much need do the patients in our care models require?” Michael Johnson, president of home health and hospice at Bayada Home Health Care, said. “It’s not just medical needs, either — there’s a social need as well."

Memorial Hermann drops Humana Medicare AdvantageBecker's Payer Issues, by Jakob Emerson; 1/4/24Houston-based Memorial Hermann Health System is no longer in network with Humana's Medicare Advantage plans, effective Jan. 1. The 17-hospital system told Houston Public Media that it continues to participate in Humana's commercial network. Humana told the outlet that its Medicare Advantage members who are actively receiving treatment at Memorial facilities, can "continue care until treatment is completed." In November, Memorial Hermann issued termination notices after the reimbursement dispute came to an impasse. It is unclear how many people are affected by the dispute. Along with its hospitals, Memorial has 6,700 affiliated physicians across 260 care delivery sites. Humana is the country's second largest MA insurer, with 5.9 million members as of Nov. 1.

Optum, SSM Helath end partnershipBecker's Hospital CFO Report, by Jakob Emerson; 1/3/2024St. Louis-based SSM Health and UnitedHealth Group's Optum have ended their administrative partnership around inpatient care management, digital transformation and revenue cycle management, an SSM Health spokesperson confirmed with Becker's. The health system declined to provide any additional information when asked on Jan. 3. The partnership was announced in October 2021 and formally began in early 2022. The deal included the hiring of about 2,100 SSM employees by Optum.

How do you ethically integrate a GIP hospice service into the hospital?Hospitalist.org, by William Frederick, et.al.; 1/2/24[General inpatient (GIP) hospice] ... provides holistic end-of-life care and family support in acute-care hospitals. Patients who are appropriate for GIP hospice services often have a life expectancy of hours to days, require care that cannot be delivered at home, and have symptoms that are difficult to control in any other settingEditor's Note: Examine this article for (1) a flow chart of the "GIP Hospice Process at UCSD Health System" and (2) Indications for GIP Hospice Care Indications for GIP Hospice Care."

12 healthcare trends and issues we are following for 2024 Becker's Hospital Review, by Scott Becker and Molly Gamble; 1/2/24The year begins with a number of challenges that have only intensified for U.S. healthcare providers. Below are a dozen trends and issues that commanded our attention throughout 2023 and hold our curiosity in the year ahead. These patterns and shifts directly or indirectly influence how healthcare providers fare in 2024, and ultimately affect how Americans access, afford and receive care.

The 10 biggest Medicare Advantage stories in 2023Becker's Payer Issues, by Rylee Wilson; 12/21/232023 was an eventful year for Medicare Advantage. As the program continued to grow, with enrollment surpassing 30 million in 2023, some hospitals are beginning to push back on private Medicare plans. CMS also introduced new rates and regulations in 2023 that are taking effect in 2024. Here are 10 of the biggest Medicare Advantage stories Becker's reported in 2024...

‘Medicare Advantage plans are crippling rural hospitals,’ CEO saysModern Healthcare; 12/28/23Delayed Medicare Advantage reimbursement is among the top concerns of rural hospital operators, one of several factors expected to be a drag on rural hospital finances in 2024. Rural hospitals, which tend to run on thinner operating margins than metro-area hospitals, have been hurt by reimbursement cuts, staffing constraints, inflation, the aging population and interest rate hikes.

How broadband expansion is bolstering rural healthcareModern HealthcareDecember 26, 2023Health systems have emerged as crucial collaborators in government efforts to improve access to high-speed internet in rural communities. Nearly 30 million people in the U.S. live in places that lack broadband infrastructure, according to the Commerce Department. 

Palliative Care Consultation and Family-Centered Outcomes in Patients With Unplanned Intensive Care Unit AdmissionsJournal of Palliative MedicineJamie T Nomitch, et.al.December 25, 2023Context: Hospitalized patients who experience unplanned intensive care unit (ICU) admissions face significant challenges, and their family members have unique palliative care needs. Objectives: To identify predictors of palliative care consultation among hospitalized patients with unplanned ICU admissions and to examine the association between palliative care consultation and family outcomes.Conclusions: For patients experiencing unplanned ICU admission, palliative care consultation often happened after transfer and was associated with illness severity, comorbid illness, and hospital site. Patient death was associated with family symptoms of psychological distress.

Serious Medical Errors Rose After Private Equity Firms Bought HospitalsNew York TimesDecember 26, 2023The rate of serious medical complications increased in hospitals after they were purchased by private equity investment firms, according to a major study of the effects of such acquisitions on patient care in recent years. The study, published in JAMA on Tuesday, found that, in the three years after a private equity fund bought a hospital, adverse events including surgical infections and bed sores rose by 25 percent among Medicare patients when compared with similar hospitals that were not bought by such investors. The researchers reported a nearly 38 percent increase in central line infections, a dangerous kind of infection that medical authorities say should never happen, and a 27 percent increase in falls by patients while staying in the hospital.