Literature Review

Hundreds gather in St. Louis to remember former US Sen. Jean Carnahan The Public's Radio - AP; 2/11/24Children and grandchildren of former U.S. Sen. Jean Carnahan of Missouri recalled her wit, curiosity, kindness and hard work during a public memorial service on Saturday. Carnahan, 90, died Jan. 30 in hospice care in suburban St. Louis after a short illness. Carnahan became Missouri's first female U.S. senator when she was appointed in 2001 to replace her husband, Mel Carnahan, [who] died in a plane crash that also killed his son, Randy, and campaign adviser Chris Sifford, just weeks before the 2000 election.

Amazon cuts jobs in healthcare divisionsBecker's Health IT, by Naomi Diaz; 2/6/24Amazon is eliminating a few hundred roles at One Medical and in its online pharmacy unit Amazon Pharmacy...

How the funeral industry got the FTC to hide bad actorsWall Street Journal, by Dominique Mosbergen; 2/5/24Mortuaries that violate fair-practices rules are allowed to take a remedial training program that shields their names from public scrutiny; WSJ investigation reveals more than 500 homes. Unethical funeral homes have exploited grieving customers for decades. What consumers don’t know is that many of the industry’s bad actors have been hidden from the public thanks to a sweetheart deal struck between the Federal Trade Commission and the funeral industry more than 25 years ago.

Humana eyes $700M cuts amid $541M lossModern Healthcare, by Nona Tepper; 1/25/24Humana plans to trim $700 million in administrative expenses after recording a disappointing fourth quarter and 2023, the company announced Thursday. The health insurer warned investors last week that medical costs exceeded expectations in 2023. On Thursday, the company disclosed that expenses were $3 billion more than anticipated. Quarterly and annual earnings didn't meet projections amid rising costs and disadvantageous Medicare Advantage policies.

Healthcare bankruptcies in 2023 hit highest level in 5 yearsModern Healthcare, by Caroline Hudson; 1/25/24Healthcare company bankruptcies soared in 2023 to their highest level in the last five years, according to a report released Thursday by Gibbins Advisors. The advisory firm's report, which looked at Chapter 11 bankruptcy case filings from 2019 to 2023, found 79 healthcare companies with more than $10 million in liabilities filed for bankruptcy protection last year. Pharmaceutical and senior care companies made up nearly half of the list. The next-highest year for bankruptcies was 2019, when 51 companies filed for protection.

Former Trump health official to oversee Oracle HealthModern Healthcare, by Brock E. W. Turner; 2/1/24Seema Verma, former administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, is expanding her role at tech giant Oracle. Verma, who was CMS administrator under President Donald Trump, will serve as executive and general manager of Oracle Health.

Staying Competitive With Consumerism in HealthcareMedCity News, by Mike Szczesny; 2/2/24Adapting to healthcare consumerism is vital for providers to stay competitive. Shifting from traditional roles to informed consumers requires embracing transparency, technology, and personalized care.

Congress' failure to address violence against health care workersHealth Affairs, by Eli Y. Adashi, Daniel P. O’Mahony, I. Glenn Cohen; 2/2/24According to federal government statistics, the “health care and social service industries experience the highest rates of injuries caused by workplace violence and are 5 times as likely to suffer a workplace violence injury than workers overall.” Health care workplace violence has been a persistent and growing concern for more than a decade. 

Rising workplace violence against nurses: A pressing issue in the healthcare sector Medriva, by Zara Nwosu; 2/5/24According to a report published by National Nurses United, there has been a disturbing increase in violence against nurses in their workplace, with a staggering 81.6% of nurses reporting experiences of violence. ... It negatively impacts recruitment and retention, with 60% of nurses stating that the experience of violence has influenced their decision to change jobs, leave jobs, or even consider leaving the profession.

Colorado’s paid leave program just launched. Here’s why that’s good for the state.U.S. Department of Labor Blog, by Gayle Goldin; 2/5/24Today marks the 31st anniversary of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), landmark federal legislation that provides eligible workers unpaid, job-protected leave for specific family and medical reasons. ... But the FMLA is not enough. The lack of a paid leave standard means that many people cannot afford to take time away from work, even when they need it. That’s why we’re celebrating Colorado’s new paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program (FAMLI), which began accepting applications on Jan. 1.

When a spouse goes to the nursing homeThe New York Times, by Paula Span; 2/5/24After moving his partner of 33 years to a memory care residence, Joseph Drolet, a retired lawyer in Atlanta, said his fear of what would happen to her if he died or became disabled has abated.

What happens to the pets of local hospice patients?InterReviewed, by Mercedez Hernandez; 2/1/24Nonprofit organizations dedicated to finding homes for animals say there is a great need for these services when a pet owner is experiencing their final moments in hospice care. Kerrvile Pets Alive recently rescued Gracie, a 9-year-old tabby cat whose owner was about to die in hospice. Karen Guerriero, president of the nonprofit’s board of directors, said the agency works directly with Peterson Health Hospice in Kerrville to accommodate pets when requested, as in Gracie’s case.

Dying mother wins $10m from WA after cancer became terminal in prisonNewsFinale; 2/2/24Washington State has paid just shy of $10 million to settle a lawsuit with a mother-of-two whose cervical cancer became terminal while she was in prison after doctors there failed to diagnose and treat the disease. Paula Gardner, 42, was serving time for drug and burglary offences and did not receive adequate medical care for over two years despite tests showing possible signs of cancer in that time before a scan revealed a growth inside her uterus, according to the lawsuit.