Literature Review

Hospice of the Chesapeake selects Netsmart myUnity® to propel organizational growth and advance value-based care initiatives StreetInsider.com; Business Wire; 4/30/24 Netsmart and Hospice of the Chesapeake, a premier provider of hospice and palliative care services in Maryland, announce an advanced collaboration through the successful implementation of the myUnity® electronic health record (EHR) system. This move underscores Hospice of the Chesapeake's commitment to enhancing patient care, supporting organizational growth and embracing value-based care models. "Selecting myUnity fulfilled a strategic necessity for us," said Hospice of the Chesapeake CEO Rebecca Miller. "We needed a platform that could not only support our current infrastructure but also grow with us as we expand our services. ..."

Harmony House of Western Massachusetts unveils new home for terminally ill WWLP TV 22 News; by Kayleigh Thomas; posted 4/26/24, updated 4/27/24 [Chicopee, MA] After a long hiatus, the Harmony House of Western Massachusetts unveiled its new home for the terminally ill. It comes after the original home closed in 2019 before Covid-19 hit. Once the pandemic began, plans to renovate the new home were put on hold. Now, they’re completely renovated with a fully staffed team to offer companionship, meals, laundry services, and personal and spiritual care.

How will AI affect care? Let us count the ways McKnights Senior Living; by John O'Connor; 4/25/24 A new report from the editors at Health IT Analytics describes a dozen leading areas where changes will take place. The top three are especially germane to the senior living and care sector. Leading the charge is clinical decision support. ... Following closely is the integration of AI in drug discovery and development. ... Rounding out the top three are electronic health records. ...

'Why we need to talk about dying': Thames Hospice and the reality of palliative careMaidenhead Advertiser; by Sam Leech; 4/27/24What is your understanding of what a hospice does?Many would suggest it is a place where people go to die – but there is much, much more to the journey of patients and loved ones at Thames Hospice [United Kingdom]. ... Catherine McLaughlin, the hospice’s chief executive, said: “This is a place where – yes, death is a big part – but it’s about how do you make memories? How do you give hope at a time when there might not be much of that? Those final days in somebody’s life is a very important time and the lasting memories are important to those who are left behind.”Editor's Note: Too often--in order to make hospice palatable to another's "sign-on-the-dotted-line-so-we-can-admit-you"--marketing professionals overtly deny that hospice is about "dying," "death," or "grief." Take note from this CEO who sensitively weaves in death, dying and bereavement for not only hospice, but also for "palliative care" with gentle, authentic conversation and questions to the public.

Generative AI is supposed to save doctors from burnout. New data show it needs more trainingSTAT+; by Casey Ross; 4/25/24After stratospheric levels of hype, early evidence may be bringing generative artificial intelligence down to Earth. A series of recent research papers by academic hospitals has revealed significant limitations of large language models (LLMs) in medical settings, undercutting common industry talking points that they will save time and money, and soon liberate clinicians from the drudgery of documentation.

VNA completes land purchase near hospital VeroNews.com; by Lisa Zahner; 4/25/24The Visiting Nurse Association of the Treasure Coast finally owns the land under its Hospice House building after closing last week on the purchase for $3.8 million of a prime chunk of real estate just east of Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital. For decades, VNA had leased the 14.56-acre parcel on 37th Street from the Hospital District. The 12,000-square-foot 12-bed Hospice House, plus 4.2 acres of tropical meditation gardens, and a memorial are situated at the rear or south end of the parcel, while more than half of the land with 37th Street frontage remains vacant.

Employing telehealth to ease the hospice transition for kids with cancer mHelathIntelligence, by Anuja Vaidya; 4/23/24 ... In a study published in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management last month, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta researchers detailed a telehealth-based intervention the hospital has employed to ease the transition to hospice for young cancer patients and their families. ... The intervention includes a series of coordinated telehealth visits during the first month of hospice enrollment for children or young adults, 29 or younger, with cancer. ... Hospice nurses participating in the pilot received a tablet equipped with mobile WiFi cellular service that they would take to the family's home, which enabled the [hospital/pediatric specialty] nurses and families to join the call. ... The most important finding of the study was that coordinated telehealth visits between the hospital, hospice, and the families during the first month of hospice enrollment were feasible and acceptable to all participants.

Operator hopes to expand residents’ digital literacy with unique tech concierge program McKnights Senior Living, by John O'Connor; 4/22/24Beginning in June, residents in some BHI Senior Living communities will be able to take advantage of a unique tech concierge program. For residents, the new service will feature on-demand tech support, alongside virtual assistance, in-home appointments and a curriculum of tailored enrichment classes and training sessions. For the operator, the program will deliver immediate tech support while also gathering and analyzing data that can be used to inform future technology investments and strategic moves.Editor's Note: How might you adapt this creative service for the persons you serve? What differences might it make in patient care? In hospice caregiver/family satisfaction? What tech support do you have for your staff, especially when they are making home or other in-the-field visits? Relating this to today's articles on the importance of "trust" and "nurses' negativity about AI," do your innovative technologies improve or impede the patient/family's needs and experiences with you?

[Maine] Attention Section 43 Hospice Services Providers: Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) implementation delayed until further noticeState of Maine Department of Health and Human Services; 4/22/24 As of March 15, 2023, MaineCare temporarily excluded hospice services from EVV requirements as a delayed enforcement of our approved State Plan requirements. On December 1, 2023, we announced our plan to implement EVV requirements for hospice services starting July 1, 2024. following enactment of P.L. 2023, ch. 576 (LD 2055), An Act to Prohibit the Department of Health and Human Services from Implementing Electronic Visit Verification for Hospice Providers Within the MaineCare Program Unless Mandated by the Federal Government, the Department is delaying the implementation of EVV requirements for hospice services until further notice.

Health disparities across states: 6 new findings Becker's Clinical Leadership, by Kelly Gooch; 4/18/24 The Commonwealth Fund released a new report April 18 examining racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare access, quality and outcomes across the U.S. The report, titled "Advancing Racial Equity in U.S. Health Care: The Commonwealth Fund 2024 State Health Disparities Report," examined state health system performance for five racial and ethnic groups — (non-Hispanic) Black; white; American Indian and Alaska Native; Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander; and Hispanic (any race). [Click on the title's link for (1) Six summary findings, and (2) To download the report. 

Save A Lot donates 7,000 pounds of food and $500 to local hospice Hazard Herald [KY], by Justin Begley; 4/18/24Save A Lot has once again lent its support by donating seven thousand pounds of food and water, along with a $500 gift card, to the Greg and Noreen Hospice Center. This year marks the fifth consecutive year that the grocery chain has made such a donation to hospice. Jason Smith, a district manager for Save A Lot, alongside management from other stores, was on hand to unload truckloads of supplies to replenish the hospice’s pantry ...

Remote access technologies expose home care firms to cybersecurity vulnerabilities, experts sayMcKnights Home Care, by Adam Healy; 4/18/24 Some of the most commonly used technologies in home care are also among the easiest for criminals to exploit. ... Remote access systems include any technology that allows users to connect to and access a computer, server or network remotely. Within home care, this could be tools such as remote patient monitoring devices, secure messaging apps, telehealth platforms, cloud-based applications or systems that allow users to remotely access patient data, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. And while these technologies bring efficiency, they can also expose providers and their patients to risk.