Literature Review

UnitedHealth and Amedisys reach divestiture agreement in effort to complete merger  Open Minds - Industry Bulletins; 7/29/24 UnitedHealth Group and home health and hospice provider Amedisys entered an agreement to sell certain assets to a subsidiary of VitalCaring Group (VCG) as part of an effort to obtain regulatory approval for a merger first announced in June 2023.  The deal, valued at $3.3 billion, has been held up due to concerns from the Department of Justice. UnitedHealth and Amedisys declined to provide more information on the divestiture. According to an SEC filing, the deal with VCG Luna would only go through if UnitedHealth and Amedisys complete their merger. Earlier in 2024, Amedisys agreed to divest upwards.

Signs that cognitive changes are worrisome —and what you can do about it CU Anschutz (Colorado University) Department of Medicine; by Tayler Shaw; 7/26/24 ... As a geriatrician and palliative medicine physician, Hillary Lum, MD, PhD, has spent her career working to better the lives of older adults and their families, often raising awareness about what cognitive decline can look like and when it is concerning. She is currently involved in the Colorado Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias State Plan, a state initiative to improve awareness and actions to address dementia in Colorado, specifically looking at how to build a competent workforce related to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.  We recently sat down with Lum ... to talk about what cognitive decline is, symptoms to look out for, and how people can best protect their brain health.  

Hospice of the Western Reserve Acquires Hospice of North Central Ohio Longview News-Journal, Cleveland, OH; by Hospice of the Western Reserve; 8/1/24 Hospice of the Western Reserve (HWR), a premier provider of hospice and palliative care services in Northern Ohio, has completed its acquisition of Hospice of North Central Ohio (HNCO) effective today. This strategic alliance aims to expand access to high-quality, comprehensive end-of-life care across a broader region. The news follows a February 2024 announcement that the two community-based, nonprofit agencies had entered a management services agreement, allowing HWR to begin a due diligence process in preparation for the full transition. The acquisition comes because of increased competition within the HNCO service area, economic challenges, and a need to stabilize and ultimately grow the organization. 

Mercy Health Home Care and Hospice programs rebranding under new partnership The Paducah Sun, Paducah, KY; by Sun Staff; 7/30/24 Mercy Health Home Care and Hospice programs in the Paducah area now have a new name: Mercy Health Home Care and Hospice by Compassus. Announcing the name change in a news release on Monday, Bon Secours Mercy Health said the change reflects a partnership between the Catholic health system and Compassus, which it said is a “leading national provider of innovative home-based health care services.” Locations in Paducah and Metropolis, Illinois, formerly managed by Mercy Health will be managed by the partnership — which was finalized earlier this year — and included in the name change, except the Ray and Kay Eckstein Hospice Care Center at Mercy Health. 

Help improve the PEPPER ProgramPEPPER email; 7/30/24There is a temporary pause in distributing Program for Evaluating Payment Patterns Electronic Reports (PEPPERs) as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) work to improve and update the program and reporting system. This pause will remain in effect through the fall of 2024. We recognize the importance of these reports to your practice. Therefore, during this time, CMS will be working diligently to enhance the quality and accessibility of the reports. In fulfilling this commitment, CMS seeks responses to a series of questions listed in the Request for Information (RFI). These questions will provide CMS with information that may be used to reevaluate PEPPERs and improve the effectiveness and accessibility of the program. The RFI (PDF) is available here. Responses are due on or before 08/19/2024 and must be provided via online submission at the following address: CBRPEPPERInquiries@cms.hhs.gov. 

Amid trauma and burnout, it ‘takes courage’ to reflect on mental, emotional well-being Healio; by Jennifer Byrne; 7/31/24 ... [William E. Rosa, PhD, MBE, MS] began to realize that in the stressful, devastating situations he and his colleagues faced daily, there was much to be learned from the principles of trauma-informed care. ... “This is the idea that cultivating an awareness can prevent us from re-traumatizing ourselves and others,” he said. “I think it starts with reflecting on — and telling the truth about — our mental and emotional well-being. That takes courage.” In acknowledging the emotional scars, brokenness and vulnerability that comes from tragedy and loss, individuals can begin to heal a lifetime of stored and unresolved trauma, Rosa said. “As a workforce, you and I see unacceptable rates of suicide, burnout, moral distress and attrition,” he said. “It’s time that we come to safe and supported terms with our trauma — not just as individuals, but as a collective, not only for the patients and families we serve, but for us to survive.”Editor's Note: In this article, Dr. Rosa identified "the emotional impact of taking yet another patient off the ventilator at the end of life." Recent articles we've posted in this newsletter about trauma-informed care been in our "Top Reads." While those articles focused on trauma-informed care of the persons you serve, this focuses on the persons who serve, your all-important direct patient care clinicians.

Resources for people coping with Alzheimer’s disease Everyday Health; by Pamela Kaufman; updated 7/29/24 No one should have to deal with Alzheimer’s alone. The government agencies, nonprofit groups, and other resources listed here can help people with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers cope with the disease through education, advocacy, support services, clinical trial opportunities, and blogs that share the wisdom of lived experience. [This essential list of resources includes:]

When you first get a hill in sight, look at the top of it only once. Then imagine yourself at the bottom of the other side. ~ Florence Griffeth Joyner, also known as Flo-Jo, Olympic runner 1984 and 1988, in Time's 2020 list of the most influential women of the past century. 

Physician pioneer in medical ethics dies: Howard Brody, MD, PhD Becker's Hospital Review; by Mariah Taylor; 7/29/24 Howard Brody, MD, PhD, a pioneer in the field of medical ethics, died July 22 at 75, KnoxTNToday.com reported July 29. Dr. Brody earned doctorates in both medicine and philosophy and specialized in topics such as medical ethics, end-of-life care and the placebo effect. He practiced family medicine and served as director of the Institute for the Medical Humanities at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, as well as director of the Center for Ethics and Humanities in the Life Sciences at East Lansing-based Michigan State University. Dr. Brody is survived by his wife and two children. 

Grandad rehearsed his funeral 10 years ago – Now his final wishes come true after his passing Good News Network; 7/28/24 A British senior who pre-planned his funeral and rehearsed it on TV in 2013, had his final wishes come true after peacefully passing away in June. Malcolm Brocklehurst, who is a renowned aircraft expert, commissioned an orange airplane-shaped coffin ten years ago from Crazy Coffins, an offshoot of a Nottingham-based traditional coffin and urn maker in England that helps people customize their funeral. The grandfather-of-nine was filmed sitting in the coffin on Channel 5’s Bizarre Burials, which also featured a rehearsal of the ceremony that the former aerospace engineer coordinated to the last detail. The plane was aptly called Tango One and numbered with MB 1934—his initials and year of his birth. He also announced that he wanted the funeral procession to leave from the stadium pitch where his favorite football team, Blackpool FC, plays. ... But speaking about the rehearsal in 2013, he said it was all “light-hearted fun.”

End-of-life care planning ‘needs to become routine’ Nursing Times; by Gemma Mitchell; 7/30/24 Nurses need to support a "culture change" in end-of-life care whereby people's are better recorded and respected, a new report has urged. [Free trial / subscription required for full access.]

Empowering patient access, protection, and choice: The 21st Century Cures Act eight years on Healthcare Business Today; by David Navarro; 7/26/24 The 21st Century Cures Act, signed into law in December 2016, marked a significant shift in the healthcare landscape by focusing on patient empowerment through enhanced access to medical records, stringent privacy protections, and increased choices in healthcare options. Eight years later, this landmark legislation continues to revolutionize the interaction between patients, providers, and the healthcare system. Recently, The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued an updated ruling to the Act to establish penalties for healthcare providers who engage in information blocking. This rule, aims to deter practices that prevent or discourage the access, exchange, or use of electronic health information (EHI).