Literature Review

On a culture of physician leadership development Forbes; by Leon E. Moores, MD, DSc, FACS; 9/9/24 ... How do we create a culture of continuing physician leadership development? Over a decade ago, I was tasked with answering this very question. As a senior army surgeon, I approached the two-star general in the Army Medical Corps. I asked if I could put together a comprehensive program for physician leadership development for the 4200+ doctors in the US Army. ... We concluded that four distinct LOEs (lines of effort) needed development and implementation to create a culture of physician leadership. These LOEs, it turns out, are just as applicable in civilian healthcare as they were in the armed forces.

Hospice of the Foothills announces umbrella name, Foothills Compassionate Care YubaNet.com; by Hospice of the Foothills; 9/10/24 As we celebrate 45 years as this community’s only nonprofit hospice, Hospice of the Foothills is excited to announce that we are formalizing our structure a bit to fit all of our programs under one all-encompassing organizational name. Going forward, Hospice of the Foothills, Sierra Community Palliative Care, Foothills Gift & Thrift Stores, and our Bereavement Programs will operate under the unified umbrella of Foothills Compassionate Care. Each program/service will maintain its name and identity but will be united under one umbrella.  We feel his strategic alignment will highlight all that we do more clearly and reinforce our commitment to providing compassionate, community-centered care without changing the ownership, staff, or core mission that our community has trusted for years. ... This is not about changing what works; it’s about creating a formal structure that reflects the comprehensive care we’ve always provided.

CMS to expand ‘enhanced oversight’ to combat hospice fraud in 4 states Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 9/10/24 The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is expanding its enhanced oversight for new hospices in fraud-ridden states, including California, Nevada, Arizona and Texas. The agency in July 2023 first announced a “provisional period of enhanced oversight” for new hospices in those states. A key component of the enhanced oversight includes a medical review of claims before a Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) will pay them. “To combat fraud, waste, and abuse under the hospice benefit, CMS will expand prepayment medical review this September in Arizona, California, Nevada and Texas,” the agency indicated in a statement. “To help reduce burden on compliant providers, initial review volumes will be low and adjusted based on results. If you’re noncompliant, we may implement extended review or take additional administrative actions.” 

Mental health jobs to grow 3X more than the rate of all US jobs Becker's Hospital Review; by Erica Carbajal; 9/9/24 By 2033, employment growth in mental health professions is expected to triple that of average job growth in the U.S., according to a CNN analysis of data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While the median projected employment growth for all occupations across the next decade is 4%, the rate for mental health-related jobs is 12%. This includes psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, counselors, psychiatric aids and social workers, according to CNN's report published Sept. 7. Editor's note: Too often, mental health health jobs in hospice and palliative care are relegated to low status on priorities for staffing, instead of the regulatory high priority for "whole-person" care defined throughout the CMS Hospice Conditions of Participation. As significant changes continue to unfold for hospice and palliative services, we will continue to report trends and shifts that emerge in the healthcare landscape for mental health jobs.  

One healthcare job poised for the greatest shortage Becker's Hospital Review; by Molly Gamble; 9/6/24 Nursing assistants face the greatest projected deficit over any other analyzed healthcare occupation, with a projected shortage of more than 73,000 assistants nationwide by 2028. The forecast comes from Mercer, which projects a nationwide shortage of more than 100,000 healthcare workers by 2028. The need for nursing assistants is expected to be greatest, with only 13 states expected to meet or exceed future demand. "The projected supply of nursing assistants — an occupation that constitutes 8% of the total US healthcare workforce and 40% of healthcare support occupations in 2023 — is discouraging," Mercer consultants wrote in their Aug. 29 report, "Future of the U.S. Healthcare Industry: Labor Market Projections by 2028."

To fly, we have to have resistance. ~ Maya Lin

The changing role of chief privacy officers Becker's Health IT; by Giles Bruce; 9/6/24 Chief privacy officers are expanding their roles to take on artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, according to the International Association of Privacy Professionals. Whereas chief privacy officers traditionally focused on being compliant with privacy laws, 69% now have responsibility for AI or data governance, 37% cover cybersecurity regulatory compliance, and 20% have platform liability duties, according to the IAPP survey of 671 professionals released Sept. 6. Some health systems have standalone chief privacy officers, but the hospital industry is more likely to have chief information security officers with privacy duties or a combined role. 

20 leadership skills that are still relevant in the AI age Forbes; by Forbes Expert Panel / Business Development Council; 9/6/24 Artificial intelligence has the power to automate and streamline countless business processes and improve efficiency across just about every sector. However, AI tools (and the humans using them) need guidance and training to perform to their full potential, which makes strong leadership more important than ever. Members of Forbes Business Development Council discuss the leadership skills that are still relevant in the age of AI. From strong critical thinking skills to communication and empathy, these traits are crucial to leading any organization through the transitions that come with new technology. [ These leadership skills include the following:] 1. Emotional Intelligence ... 2. Empathy ... 3. Transparency ... 4. The Ability to Identify Areas for Improvement ... 5. A Commitment to Continuous Learning ... 6. Adaptability ... 7. High-Level Communication Skills ... 8. Humility ... 9. Mental Agility ... 10. Knowledge of When to Apply AI ... 11. Prioritization Skills ... 12. Authenticity ... 13. Compassion and Understanding ... 14. An Understanding of How AI Can Complement Human Skills ... 15. Timely, Action-Oriented Decision-Making ... 16. Relationship Building ... 17. Resiliency ... Editor's note: Especially when recruiting and hiring AI leadership and setting up AI strategies for hospice and palliative care, use these qualities (1) within yourself in how you approach AI and (2) leadership skills you seek out from AI high-tech candidates. 

Seven pillars to put healthcare consumers at the heart of the digital transformation Forbes; by Hélène Musikas, Géraldine Maouchi, Lorenzo Mandelli, Daniel Brown; 9/6/24 The digital age has seen many industries undergo a profound transformation, evolving into agile "Hybrid Organizations" that blend traditional and digital business models. ... The healthcare sector, however, faces a unique set of challenges on its journey toward this transformation. ... One of the most significant shifts in healthcare is the rising concept of "Self-Care". Seven Ways To Harmonize The Digital Landscape In Healthcare ...

Prepping for the hospice HOPE tool: Starting the journeyCHAP email; by Jennifer Kennedy; 9/6/24The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently finalized the implementation date of the hospice HOPE assessment tool in the FY 2025 Hospice Payment Update final rule. This quality requirement signals a new beginning for hospice providers related to quality measurement and future payment reform. Implementation is scheduled for October 1, 2025, so the clock is ticking, and the interval is short for provider and software vendor preparation for compliance.Publisher's note: Excellent article with helpful resource links.

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:

Nursing students learning to respect culture, tradition at the end of life St. Cloud Live, St. Joseph, MN; by Stephanie Dickrell; 9/6/24  It is called the golden hour — the hour before someone’s death. It’s a time of grief, but it’s also a sacred space. Two nursing instructors at the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University are trying to make that time better for patients and their loved ones by better preparing their students who will be with them in their final moments. While the rituals surrounding death may vary by time, geography and culture, the program wants to make sure all cultures are respected. ... Julie Keller Dornbusch and Mary Pesch, both trained as Advanced Practice Registered Nurses ... received a prestigious grant from the Morgan Family Foundation of nearly $100,000 to create and test nursing simulations using culturally specific care for the Catholic community, Somali Muslims and Ojibwe people.Editor's note: This article indicates that "training material on culturally specific end-of-life care" is non-existent. This statement is misleading. Examine:

Compassion for terminally ill boy blooms into 17th year of Trick or Treat in the Heat Alaska's News Source, Anchorage, AL; by Olivia Nordyke; 9/9/24 Parents of a terminally ill child said they never thought their son’s last Halloween celebration would transform into an annual event that spans multiple cities. In 2005, doctors told Joyce Durcanin-Robbins and Sean Robbins that their son Ian’s leukemia meant he wouldn’t likely live to see Oct. 31. The couple created an earlier Halloween celebration in their neighborhood to give their son one last trick or treating experience. This weekend marked the 17th time Trick or Treat in the Heat brought neighborhood kids from all over Anchorage out to celebrate and get candy in full costume. “We kind of realized after the fact is this is a lot more fun than late October.” said Sean, Joyce adding; “We missed a couple of years because of COVID, and for the first few years, it was just sort of a year-to-year kitchen table operation.” ... Kelsey Torres, an event organizer, said they’ve raised about $700,000 in the lifetime of Trick or Treat in the Heat. ... Torres said 100% of the money raised goes to Make-A-Wish Alaska and Washington, Hospice of Anchorage, and Ronald McDonald House Charities. Editor's note: The location--Anchorage, Alaska--is core to this story. What location-specific or culturally-sensitive events do you already provide? What creative ideas might you implement?