Literature Review

Most heart failure patients miss out on guideline-recommended palliative care Cardiovascular Business; by Dave Fornell; 11/6/24 Over the past decade, the American Heart Association (AHA) and European Society of Cardiology have recommended integrating palliative care into heart failure management. Despite these recommendations, the use of palliative care for heart failure remains low in the United States. Racial and geographic variations in access and use of palliative care are also pronounced, highlighting health disparities. These were the findings of a recent study in the Journal of the American Heart Association. Researchers at Saint Louis University led the study and said only one in eight patients with heart failure in the United States receive palliative care consultations within five years of diagnosis. Their study highlights the alarmingly low uptake of palliative care among adults with heart failure in the U.S., especially compared to patients with cancers that have the same mortality rates. The study also pointed out significant racial and geographic disparities. Black patients were 15% less likely to receive palliative care compared to their white counterparts. They said this disparity is particularly concerning given the higher cardiovascular risk and mortality rates in the Black population.

CareTrust, JV partner to acquire 31 skilled nursing facilities in $500 million deal Skilled Nursing News; by Tim Mullaney; 10/29/24 CareTrust REIT (NYSE: CTRE) and a joint venture partner have reached an agreement to acquire a portfolio of 31 skilled nursing facilities for approximately $500 million, the company’s largest acquisition to date. San Clemente, California-based CareTrust anticipates that most of the facilities will be operated by existing partners of the REIT, including The Ensign Group (Nasdaq: ENSG), PACS Group (NYSE: PACS) and Links Healthcare Group, the company announced Tuesday. The portfolio being acquired totals 3,290 licensed beds, with 30 of the locations in Tennessee and one in Alabama. CareTrust anticipates that the deal will close in the fourth quarter of 2024. ... PACS will be adding 12 of the 31 properties to its ranks, all 12 are in Tennessee; PACS currently operates 276 post-acute care and senior living facilities across 15 states. This is a new state for the Utah-based operator. PACS may purchase the real estate on six of the facilities between years four and seven of the lease with CareTrust, PACS said in a statement.

Medicare Part D paid millions for drugs for which payment was available under the Medicare Part A Skilled Nursing Facility Benefit HHS Office of Inspector General; Report Highlights; 10/27/24 What OIG Found: ... On the basis of our sample results, for 2018 through 2020, we estimated that up to the entire Part D total cost of $465.1 million was improperly paid for drugs for which payment was available under the Part A SNF benefit. Of that amount, we estimated that approximately $245.4 million was for drugs that the medical records showed were administered to Part D enrollees during their Part A SNF stays.What OIG Recommends: We made five recommendations, including that CMS work with its plan sponsors to adjust or delete PDEs, as necessary, and determine the impact to the Federal Government related to the Part D total costs of $953,370 for drugs associated with our sample items for which payment was available under the Part A SNF benefit; work with its plan sponsors to identify similar instances of noncompliance that occurred during our audit period and determine the impact to the Federal Government, which could have amounted up to an estimated $465.1 million in Part D total cost; and provide plan sponsors with timely and accurate information, such as dates of covered Part A SNF stays, to reduce instances of inappropriate Part D payment for drugs for which payment is available under the Part A SNF benefit. ... CMS concurred with all five recommendations.

Louisiana partners with Elizabeth Dole Foundation's Hidden Heroes Campaign Audacy.com; by Laine Griffin; 10/24/24 Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry announced last week his support for the more than 100,000 military and veteran caregivers in the state by joining the Elizabeth Dole Foundation’s Hidden Heroes Campaign. The campaign’s goal is to raise awareness and bring critical resources to military and veteran caregivers, who are referred to as hidden heroes and care for wounded, ill or injured service members and veterans. ... Currently, there are 2.3 military and veteran caregiver children and 14.3 million military and veteran caregivers who care for America’s wounded, ill, or injured veterans or service members, according to the foundation’s website. ... The 14.3 million military and veteran caregivers provide care valued at a minimum of $119 billion.

New hospice special focus programAmerican Health Association / National Center for Assisted Living; by Amy Miller; 10/22/23 ​​As required under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, CMS has established a hospice special focus program (SFP) in the Calendar Year (CY) 2024 Home Health Prospective Payment System (HH PPS) final rule (88 FR 77676). Through increased regulatory oversight and enforcement of the selected poor performing hospice programs, the SFP will address issues that could place hospice beneficiaries at risk of receiving poor quality of care. The hospice SFP is like the current Special Focus Facility (SFF) program in place for nursing homes. As many nursing homes refer residents to hospice programs and may receive questions from residents or their families, it will be important to keep informed if there are noted quality of care issues. 

Healthcare trends & transactions Q3 2024 Bass, Berry & Sims; by Bass, Berry & Sims, PLC; 10/21/24 In the healthcare mergers and acquisitions (M&A) market, while deal volumes varied across different sectors, by and large the sure and steady pace of deal volume in Q2 continued into Q3. Moreover, several positive developments in Q3—namely, the Federal Reserve (finally) cutting interest rates, the courts striking down the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) national ban on non-competes, and California Governor Newsom’s vetoing Assembly Bill 3129—may serve as the catalysts needed to boost activity as we head into the final stretch of 2024.

Communication gaps among clinicians may limit conversations about prognosis, hospice Healio - HemOncToday; by Jennifer Byrne; 10/16/24 Clinicians in acute or post-acute care settings may delay or avoid serious illness conversations with patients whose cancer prognoses are worsening out of deference to the patient’s oncologist, according to study findings. Researchers conducted 37 semi-structured interviews with physicians and leaders in hospital medicine, oncology, palliative care, home health care and hospice. Investigators coded and analyzed the interviews using thematic content analysis. Evaluation of the responses yielded insights into how care silos, lack of clear clinical roles and other factors may affect communication between oncologists and other clinicians. ... "We know that the 3-month window after an older adult with cancer is discharged to a skilled nursing facility can be comprised of complex medical decision making and changing preferences of care. Lack of appropriate serious illness communication during this time can result in unwanted hospitalizations and unwanted, aggressive care at the end of life."

A compassionate guide to caring for someone with dementia: 5 essential tips NBC-4 Washington, DC; 10/14/24 According to the World Health Organization, more than 55 million people worldwide are living with dementia, with over 10 million new cases each year. Dementia encompasses a range of brain conditions that lead to a decline in cognitive function, affecting a person's ability to manage everyday tasks. While the disease can present unique challenges for both medical professionals and caregivers, there is hope in the growing understanding of how to best support those affected. ...

Private equity in senior living an increasing focus of federal, state government McKnights Senior Living; by Kimberly Bonvissuto, Lois A. Bowers and Kathleen Steele Gaivin; 10/7/24 At press time [10/7], a bill that would require private equity firms and hedge fund organizations in California to give prior notice of acquisitions or changes in control to the state’s attorney general was sitting on the governor’s desk, to become effective Jan. 1 if he signed it into law. It is just one example of legislation recently put forth at the state or national level focused on the private equity and real estate investment trust funding sometimes used in senior living and in other industries. ... The legislation calls for greater transparency for private equity firms and for-profit companies that own healthcare entities, including nursing homes, hospitals, and mental or behavioral health facilities. ...

Florida health-care workers exhausted as Hurricane Milton approaches The Washington Post; by David Ovalle and Sabrina Malhi; 10/8/24The storm shutters are up at Stephen Johnson’s house near the water in North Fort Myers, Fla. ... But  Jones won’t be home when Hurricane Milton is expected to thunder ashore this week along the Gulf Coast. Instead, the paramedic — like thousands of health-care workers across Florida — intends to ride out the storm at work, then jump into action when the winds die down, the waters recede and people seek medical assistance. ... “It gets stressful. You don’t know if you’re going to come back to a home,” Johnson, 28, of Brewster Ambulance Service, said during a brief break Tuesday after two straight days of organizing evacuations of patients from hospitals and assisted-living facilities across Lee County in southwest Florida while surviving on granola bars and energy drinks. ... By Tuesday afternoon, Florida health officials had deployed nearly 600 ambulances, buses and other transport vehicles to ferry patients out of harm’s way. More than 200 health-care facilities — including 115 assisted-living facilities, 10 hospitals and five hospice providers — have reported evacuations, according to the state’s health department.

Newsweek: America's Best Nursing Homes 2025 Newsweek; introduction by Nancy Cooper, Global Editor in Chief; 10/8/24 ... This year's list recognizes 1,050 nursing homes across the 25 states with the highest number of facilities, according to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services data. The top nursing homes in each state were assessed and ranked based on four pillars: performance data, recommendations of medical professionals, accreditations and resident satisfaction.Editor's note: To access lists, click on the title's link and scroll down to select "... 50-99 beds," "... 100-149 beds," "... 150+ beds." Results are ranked and organized by state.

VIA Health Partners - NC & SC: Donate to Hurricane Helene Relief Fund VIA Health Partners, formerly Hospice & Palliative Care of Charlotte, NC; contact Tara Connelly, VP & Chief Growth Officer; 10/7/24 At VIA Health Partners our people are our strength.  Recently, so many of our people – hospice & palliative care patients, their families, staff members, and volunteers – have experienced unimaginable hardship at the hands of Hurricane Helene. Our clinical staff continue to serve their patients despite ongoing challenges to themselves and their respective families. In response to this growing need, VIA Health Partners has launched a Hurricane Helene Relief Fund. Donations will be used to support patients, families, and staff members directly impacted by the storm. To help us in our response, please consider donating today. Editor's Note: See this page for a map of the 9 counties in North Carolina and 21 counties in South Carolina counties in VIA's service area that are impacted by Hurricane Helene. On a personal note, Hospice & Palliative Care of Charlotte provided palliative and hospice care to my Dad through his death, with significant bereavement care for my Mom. Thank you VIA Health Partners for your hospice services past, present and future.

Hurricane Helene havoc: Major damage, evacuations, uncertainty at nursing homesMcKnight's Long-Term Care News; by John Roszkowski; 10/1/24Many nursing homes and senior living communities in Florida and North Carolina are reeling in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which resulted in forced evacuations of residents, major property damage, power outages and other issues. The hurricane was being blamed for at least 132 deaths in six Southeastern states and federal officials said at least 600 people were still unaccounted for as of Monday evening. Many people lacked power and cellular service, making the job of accurately assessing personal and property damage all the more difficult.