Literature Review

The real cost of cancer: 49% of patients carry $5K+ in medical debt Becker's Hospital Review; by Ashleigh Hollowell; 5/28/24 ... Now, 47% of cancer patients accumulate debt as a result of their medical needs, The Wall Street Journal reported May 28. ... Some Americans are facing $38,000 or even more in medical debt, the Journal found. Additionally, more cancer patients are filing for bankruptcy, which one study linked to an 80% increased risk of dying. ... A 2024 survey of 1,284 cancer patients and survivors led by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network also found that: ...

Hospice of the Red River Valley awarded $2 million grantNewsDakota; by Steve Urness; 5/25/24The North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, Medical Services Division, has awarded a substantial grant of up to $2 million to Hospice of the Red River Valley. This grant is designated for the expansion of home and community-based services to Medicaid members residing in under served regions of North Dakota.

Palliative care and harm reduction: Improving outcomes for patients with cancer, substance use disorderPharmacy Times; by Alexandra Gerlach; 5/24/24Pain management and substance use disorder (SUD) present unique challenges for patients with cancer. At the 2024 Society of Pain and Palliative Care (SPPCP) Virtual Conference, presenters Sachin Kale, MD, MBOE, and Kyle Quirk, PharmD, discussed challenges related to limited training of health care professionals (HCPs) in the management of patients with cancer-related pain and SUD. They highlight a need for a more comprehensive medical model that incorporates harm reduction strategies in palliative care and fosters a patient-centric approach to treatment.

Disparities in palliative care use for patients with blood cancer who died in the hospital The American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Care; by Tien-Chan Hsieh, Yee Hui Yeo, Guangchen Zou, Chan Zhou, Arlene Ash; 5/27/24 online ahead of printBackground: Palliative care can enhance quality of life during a terminal hospitalization. Despite advances in diagnostic and treatment tools, blood cancers lag behind solid malignancies in palliative use. It is not clear what factors affect palliative care use in blood cancer. Conclusions: This study highlights disparities in palliative care use among blood-cancer patients who died in the hospital. It seems likely that many of the 46% who did not receive palliative care could have benefitted from it. Interventions are likely needed to achieve equitable access to ideal levels of palliative care services in late-stage blood cancer.

Coercive careSTAT; by Eric Boodman; 5/21/24For decades, physicians have steered sickle cell patients toward sterilization. I want to bring to your attention a deeply disturbing but vital series of stories STAT is publishing beginning today. It reveals that an injustice often relegated to the distant past persists to this day: For decades, physicians have steered sickle cell patients toward sterilization, their stories echoing the ugly history of eugenics in America. This series had its origins when reporter Eric Boodman read a research paper about the increased risk of pregnancy complications associated with sickle cell disease, which is most prevalent among people of African descent. As he began interviewing physicians and patients, they kept telling him about people who’d been discouraged from having kids — and in some cases, felt pressured to have sterilizations they weren't sure they wanted.Publisher's Note: This series of articles may require subscription.

Stoneridge Hospice expands services with launch of palliative care branch in Scottsdale, Arizona KNWA Fox24; by EIN Presswire; 5/26/24Stoneridge Hospice ... is proud to announce the establishment of its newest branch offering palliative care services in Scottsdale, Arizona. ... This new agency will offer a range of palliative care services, including pain and symptom management, emotional and spiritual support, coordination of care, and assistance with advanced care planning.

Caring for an aging US population—the good news and the bad newsJAMA Health Forum; by Stuart M. Butler; 5/23/24The US is a rapidly aging society. The proportion of the population older than the retirement age is increasing, and more people will reach very old age. The proportion of people older than 65 years of age is projected to increase from 18% today to 23% by 2054, with the number of individuals older than 100 years of age quadrupling. This trend poses enormous challenges for the health care system and the social structure of the US. For instance, aging is associated with loss of social connections, which is linked to accelerating mental and physical deterioration, including dementia. Caring for very old people with dementia and other chronic conditions is costly, compounded by a desperate shortage of care workers. In 2023, the yearly average cost was more than $116 000 for a private room at a nursing home and the cost was more than $75 000 for a home health aide. Affordable housing options continue to be in short supply. Community and health service organizations are bracing for a major increase in older people experiencing homeless, especially among those with dementia and mental illness. An increasing number of older people may have to move into Medicaid-financed nursing homes as their private resources are depleted, which would also place increasing strain on state and federal budgets. However, there is some good news regarding innovations in health care, technology, and housing...

Kaiser physicians vote to unionizeBecker's Hospital Review; by Kelly Gooch; 5/24/24Resident and fellow physicians employed by Kaiser Permanente hospitals in Northern California voted to join the Committee of Interns and Residents, a local chapter of the Service Employees International Union. Nearly all participating voters (99%) cast ballots in favor of unionization, according to a May 23 CIR/SEIU news release. The National Labor Relations Board has not yet certified the results. Pending certification, the total percentage of residents represented by CIR/SEIU in California will reach 82%, according to the union.

From theory to practice: Collaboration shows how law and healthcare work together in real life Iowa College of Law; 5/22/24 A recent workshop collaboration between the [Iowa] College of Law and College of Nursing gave students preparing for both professions an opportunity to learn more about legal and healthcare issues surrounding end-of-life decision-making. The two-hour event, “Navigating the Intersection of Law and Healthcare: An Interactive Workshop for Future Practitioners,” brought together students from the Estate Planning and Law & Policy in Action clinics and graduate students in the College of Nursing. Topics included Medical Powers of Attorney (Medical POA), Living Wills, and other decision-making considerations for critical health issues. Elise Fenton, JD Candidate (2025), said the workshop illustrated the difference between how advance directives like Living Wills work in theory versus how they may be utilized in practice. 

Data paramount in hospice-payer, referral partner negotiationsHospice News; by Jim Parker; 5/23/24As hospice and palliative care providers move further into value-based care, data is becoming paramount to building payer and referral partner relationships. In this climate, hospices that can demonstrate their value — and their ability to financially and operationally weather changes in an evolving reimbursement landscape — will have a leg up on competitors. Key data points include performance on the Hospice Item Set, the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) surveys and other quality measures.

If we start being honest about our pain, our anger, and our shortcomings instead of pretending they don’t exist, then maybe we’ll leave the world a better place than we found it. – Russell Wilson

Hospital to Union: Pay up or you’re stuck with us in your health planWall Street Journal; by Anna Wilde Mathews; 5/21/24The 32BJ Health Fund sought to exclude NewYork-Presbyterian hospitals from its health network to control spending. But the hospital system wouldn’t walk away without a hefty sum.

New CEOs Tapped at Adory, Montgomery, Prince George HospicesHospice News; by Holly Vossel; 5/23/24[Several leadership changes discussed in this article, including:]