Literature Review

A guide to creating a comforting hospice facility Cerebral Overload; by Kelly; 10/8/24 Hospice care is for patients nearing the end of their lives and wanting to do so in a comfortable, safe environment. This comfort is incredibly important, as it is integral to supporting patients’ physical and emotional needs during this time of uncertainty. If you are designing a hospice facility, here is a guide to creating a comforting space. The features we discuss will enhance the quality of care and ease the emotional journey of patients and their loved ones.

The best bets for palliative care reimbursement post-VBID Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 10/8/24 The hospice component of the value-based insurance design model (VBID) will sunset at the end of this year, but opportunities for payment through Medicare Advantage and other models remain. The hospice component is part of the larger VBID program, which will continue through 2030. The component was designed to test coverage of hospice through Medicare Advantage. It also contained elements intended to expand access to palliative care, for which reimbursement in general is scarce. Hospice News spoke with Dr. Bob Parker, chief clinical officer and chief compliance officer for the Texas-based hospice provider Kindful Health, about the opportunities in place for palliative care providers. [Click on the title's link for this interview.]

Food with love: A Lafayette kitchen provides meals and 'walks that final walk with families' Nola.com; by Catherine S. Comeaux; 10/6/24 Approaching retirement, Kent Zerangue had the idea of running a small catering business in his backyard kitchen. A bowl of gumbo changed those plans. Now, from that kitchen, he and a team of volunteers operate Food With Love — a ministry that brings food, love and guidance to hospice families. ... In 2016, as his own father was in hospice care, a neighbor brought over a shrimp and okra gumbo. It not only comforted and fed the family, but it also set Zerangue to think, “Why not just cook for people and give it away? By 2017, he and his wife Susie began doing just that — first for a friend whose son had a stroke, then another whose husband was terminally ill. Word-of-mouth spread and by the end of that year, they were feeding 10 families. They also began leaving food for families in the freezers at Hospice of Acadiana. Knowing the hospice nurses’ workload didn’t always allow time for food delivery, a hospice volunteer coordinator asked Zerangue if he would like to deliver the meals to families. His initially declined since he was content with just cooking. That is, until he realized that the frozen meals weren’t moving as frequently as he was cooking them. ....Editor's note: What a meaningful ministry that surely makes a difference. This can be easy to adapt for you own hospice. Assess needs. Brainstorm ideas. Find partners and sponsors. As this article's title voices, "walk that final walk with families."

AccentCare sued by EEOC for pay discrimination, retaliationMcKnight's Home Care; by Adam Healy; 10/1/24The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission disclosed last week that it filed a lawsuit against AccentCare, a national provider of home health, personal care and hospice services, alleging wage discrimination and retaliation against workers.

BREAKING NEWS 10/1/2024, 12:30pm - Medicare Program; FY 2025 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update, Hospice Conditions of Participation Updates, and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements; Correction Federal Register - The Daily Journal of the United States Government; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services  (CMS), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); 10/1/24 This document corrects technical and typographical errors in the final rule that appeared in the August 6, 2024 Federal Register titled “Medicare Program; FY 2025 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update, Hospice Conditions of Participation Updates, and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements”.I. Background: In FR Doc. 2024-16910 of August 6, 2024 (89 FR 64202), there were a number of technical and typographical errors that are identified and corrected in this correcting document. The provisions in this correction document are effective as if they had been included in the final rule that appeared in the August 6, 2024 Federal Register . Accordingly, the corrections are effective October 1, 2024.II. Summary of Errors: ...Given these errors, we are republishing the FY 2025 Hospice Wage Index file accordingly on the CMS website at: https://www.cms.gov/​medicare/​payment/​fee-for-service-providers/​hospice/​hospice-wage-index effective October 1, 2024.

Teleios Collaborative Network develops Quintuple Aim Strategy to enhance hospice care Business Insider / Markets Insider, Flat Rock, NC; Press Release; 9/27/24 Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN) has officially announced the launch of its Quintuple Aim Strategy, aimed at setting a new standard for excellence in hospice and serious illness care. This initiative addresses the pressing need for improved quality of life for patients nearing the end of life, as many hospices face challenges in providing comprehensive care. ... The Quintuple Aim Strategy emphasizes five key goals: improving patient experience, enhancing population health, reducing costs, promoting provider well-being, and advancing health equity. This holistic approach enables member organizations to focus on their core mission of delivering high-quality, compassionate care. One of the key components of TCN’s model is the provision of comprehensive back-office support services. By offering shared resources in areas such as credentialing, billing, marketing, and finance, TCN allows its members to minimize administrative burdens and prioritize patient care. In just seven years, TCN has grown to include 15 member organizations across 10 states, and it has been recognized as one of Modern Healthcare’s Best Places to Work for four consecutive years, underscoring its commitment to fostering a supportive and effective work environment. ...

Alliance sees Hospice CARE Act as opportunity to advance hospice benefit discussionNHCPO / National Alliance for Care at Home; Press Release; 9/26/24 The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance), a new national organization formed by the integration of the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) recognizes the introduction of the Hospice Care Accountability, Reform, and Enforcement (CARE) Act, by Congressman Earl Blumenauer (OR-3).  The Alliance shares Rep. Blumenauer’s desire to update the Medicare hospice benefit to address the evolving needs of our country’s aging population while ensuring the sustainability and integrity of the hospice program. As a long-standing champion of hospice care, Rep. Blumenauer has consistently demonstrated a commitment to ensuring that hospice services remain accessible, compassionate, and of the highest quality for patients and their families. The Alliance appreciates Rep. Blumenauer’s commitment to involving a diverse group of stakeholders in developing this legislation and will continue to work closely with congressional leaders on the finer points of the proposed bill to ensure that the final legislation supports the needs of patients, families, and providers alike. 

After 138 years, the Visiting Nurses Association of Greater Philadelphia will shut down all health care services next month PBS WHYY NPR; by Nicole Leonard; 9/16/24 The Visiting Nurses Association of Greater Philadelphia, a nonprofit home health care provider, is shutting its doors after a 138-year run. All services, including hospice and palliative care, will cease Oct. 28. Complete details on reasons for the closure, and the long-term effects on patients and employees, are scarce at the moment, but in a statement on its website, the organization said “unsustainable financial losses” led to the decision. Nonprofit leaders said they are working to transition patients and families to new placements and care providers.

Half of home care workers have seen, experienced workplace violence, report findsMcKnight's Home Care; by Adam Healy; 9/10/24The majority of home care workers have had a brush with workplace violence or harassment, so addressing these dangers can yield significant positive impacts for providers and their staff. That’s according to a new report on home care workplace safety by Transcend Strategy Group. More than 50% of home-based care workers have witnessed or experienced at least one incident of workplace violence or harassment, the report found. About 1 in 5 reported having seen at least seven instances of violence or harassment while on the job. Certified nursing assistants, registered nurses and physician assistants were the most likely groups to be subject to workplace dangers.

National Health Statistics Reports: Overview of Post-acute and Long-term Care Providers  and Services Users in the United States, 2020 CDC U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; by Jessica P. Lendon, Ph.D., Christine Caffrey, Ph.D., Amanuel Melekin, Ph.D., Priyanka Singh, M.P.H., Zhaohui Lu, M.S., and Manisha Sengupta, Ph.D; dated 8/27/24, released 9/7/24 Objective: This report presents national results from the National Post-acute and Long-term Care Study to describe providers and services users in seven major settings of paid, regulated post-acute and long-term care services in the United States. Methods - Data Sources: Data include about 11,400 home health agencies, 5,200 hospices, 1,200 inpatient rehabilitation facilities, 350 long-term care hospitals, and 15,300 nursing homes. Results:

Hospices facilities launch, renovate with growth in mind: Julia Hospice & Palliative refuels de novo plans Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 8/23/24 Pennsylvania-based Julia Hospice & Palliative (JHPC) has reignited plans to launch a de novo after experiencing pandemic-related setbacks. Dubbed Julia House, the facility will provide inpatient hospice and serve as an outpatient palliative care clinic. It will be the first hospice center in Erie County, Pennsylvania, the provider indicated. The new location will allow for improved support for serious and terminally ill patients that lack caregiver support or need higher levels of care, said Dr. Christopher Strzalka, medical director at Julia Hospice & Palliative Care. “For people who don’t have a caregiver in their home, we can put them in our facility and they can live there until their natural death, and they’ll have access to specially trained caregivers in end-of-life care,” Strzalka told local news.

A place for peace; After a year closed, Homestead Hospice House is working to reopen[Southern MN] People's Press; by Annie Harman; 8/23/24The news came to a shock to the community when it was announced last summer the Homestead Hospice House atop the hill behind the Owatonna Hospital would be closing. But, as with most things, there is a silver lining, and the Hospice House Board asserted the closure of the facility would lead to a new opportunity. “When we got the news it was shocking, but we always hoped it would lead us to a better situation,” said Kasey Kamholz, president of the HHH Board, on the decision by Allina Health to discontinue services at the facility in 2023. “Now we have an opportunity with Seasons Hospice that feels like a perfect marriage. They will bring their experience a little further out, and in the end it will benefit everyone.” Seasons Hospice, a nonprofit hospice care organization based out of Rochester, moved into Steele County to provide services in Owatonna and Blooming Prairie in April. With home-based services being their current program provided locally, including at a private residence or a senior living facility, Executive Director Kristina Wright-Peterson said they identified early on an interest to partner with the HHH Board, also a nonprofit, to reopen the Owatonna facility. Seasons Hospice has a 24-hour care facility in Rochester, Seasons Hospice House.