Literature Review

The quiet, transformative power of introverted leaders Forbes; by Benjamin Laker; 10/14/24 When workplaces celebrate loud voices, charismatic personalities, and the “move fast, break things” attitude of leadership, introverts may seem out of place. Leadership, we’re told, belongs to the extroverts—the ones who command rooms, deliver inspiring speeches, and thrive in the spotlight. But what if we’ve been overlooking a quieter form of leadership all along? Introverted leaders are often the unsung heroes of organizations, possessing a unique power that’s grounded in thoughtfulness, empathy, and a deep understanding of their team. The truth is, the quiet power of introverted leaders is not just an alternative leadership style—it’s a vital force for creating sustainable success.

Family Hospice celebrates grand opening EIN Presswire, Gainesville, GA; by BPR International; 10/14/24 Family Hospice announces the grand opening of its new location in Gainesville. The community is invited to a grand opening celebration on Tuesday, October 22 ... The unveiling of the Gainesville location marks a significant milestone for Family Hospice, which is expanding its network of compassionate care services to better serve the community in northeast Georgia. Focusing on providing quality end-of-life care and support for patients and their families, Family Hospice is dedicated to enhancing the comfort and dignity of those facing terminal illnesses. “We are committed to providing compassionate end-of-life care for those facing a life-limiting illness,” said Robin Stanton, Chief Operating Officer of Family Hospice. “This new location allows us to expand our Family and reach patients and their families in the comfort of wherever they call home in Gainesville and surrounding counties.”

Death cafes: Demystifying the inevitable over tea and cookies MD edge - Internal Medicine News; by Megan Brooks; 10/15/24 “Death cafes” — where people gather to discuss death and dying over tea and cookies — have gained momentum in recent years offering a unique way for people to come together and discuss a topic that is often shrouded in discomfort and avoidance. It’s estimated that there are now about 18,900 death cafes in 90 countries, with the United States hosting more than 9300 on a regular basis. This trend reflects a growing desire to break the taboo surrounding discussions of death and dying. But these casual get-togethers may not be for everyone, and their potential benefits and harms may depend on who attends and who facilitates the discussion. ... [Click on the title's link to continue reading these significant cautions.]

MD Home Health expands services with in-clinic, virtual care, remote patient monitoring, house calls and hospice Longview News-Journal, Phoenix, AZ; by MD Home Health; 10/15/24 Leading Home Health Agency in Arizona launches comprehensive onmnichannel healthcare approach. MD Home Health, a privately-held leading Arizona-based home health agency, today announced the expansion of its healthcare services to include in-clinic care, virtual care, remote patient monitoring, house calls, and hospice, making it one of the first privately-held home health agencies in Arizona to offer a full and comprehensive omnichannel healthcare approach. This expansion allows the firm to broaden its healthcare offering to significantly increase access to comprehensive, quality and convenient healthcare for residents across the Phoenix metro area. "Our new and comprehensive services are designed to ensure that patients have convenient and flexible options to access quality healthcare how, when and where they need it," said David P. Tusa, President and Chief Executive Officer of MD Home Health. 

What we know matters, but who we are matters more. ~ Brené Brown

The daily balancing act of value-based cancer care The American Journal of Managed Care (AJMC); by Laura Joszt, MA; 10/14/24 In value-based care, there’s a daily balancing act to achieve quality outcomes, cost reduction, and patient care improvements, explained Stuart Staggs, vice president of transformation, quality, and shared services for The US Oncology Network (Network). At the Institute for Value-Based Medicine event, cohosted by The American Journal of Managed Care (AJMC) and Minnesota Oncology, Staggs kicked it off with what he called a “practical look at value-based care.” He highlighted 4 main areas: quality, improvement, adoption, and cost. ... The area of improvement that the Network wanted to focus on was advanced care planning and better supporting and engaging patients and their families around hospice and life support. During the OCM, the Network better engaged patients and families around hospice care and encouraged practices to have difficult conversations. Not only does this improve patient experience by providing them the end-of-life care that they want, but there is also a cost factor. Patients who don’t receive hospice care spend significantly more in the last 30 to 60 days, Staggs said.

New CMS Medicaid, CHIP Guidance could help clarify pediatric palliative care payment Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 10/15/24 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released new guidelines intended to better support state-based pediatric reimbursement systems and help improve equitable health access among youth populations. The new guidance includes best practices for state Medicaid programs and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to implement and comply with early and periodic screening, diagnostic and treatment (EPSDT) coverage requirements. One of the most significant challenges confronting children living with serious illness and their families is the heterogeneity of policies and programs across the country, said Allison Silvers, chief health care transformation officer at the Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC). ...

Managing the hospice payment cap by balancing Length of Stay Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 10/15/24 Careful management of the hospice aggregate cap is key to providers’ sustainability as regulatory scrutiny continues to heat up. The cap is designed to prevent overuse of hospice, put controls on Medicare spending and foster greater access to care among patients. For Fiscal Year 2024, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services set the cap at $33,394. In 2025, this will rise to $34,465. “While the cap is a beneficiary driven cap, meaning the reimbursement allowed per Medicare beneficiary, it is not assessed at the beneficiary level, but rather in the aggregate at the agency provider number level for all beneficiaries served by the agency in the cap,” Rochelle Salinas, vice president of operations for CommonSpirit Health at Home, said. “This allows for greater flexibility in providing care to those in need.” ... [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

Hospice fraud casts lengthening shadow over future of industryHospice News; by Holly Vossel; 10/11/24Fraudulent operators in the hospice space have misspent millions of Medicare dollars in recent years. This problem has become so severe that it is one of the defining issues facing the hospice industry, with providers and other industry stakeholders expressing concern about significant impacts to future payment, access, sustainability and utilization. This is the first of a two-part Hospice News series that examines the financial and operational pressures weighing on the minds of hospice providers amid instances of fraud, waste and abuse occurring in the industry.Notable mentions: Patrick Harrison, Senator Elizabeth Warren, MedPAC, Lauren Hunt.

Fun Run participants honor loved ones while raising funds for hospice care The Baynet, Waldorf, MD; by Hospice of the Chesapeaker; 10/14/24 Wearing commemorative T-shirts, flouncy tutus and colorful socks, the runners and walkers in Hospice of the Chesapeake’s Blue Crab Fun Run came to have fun while supporting an essential Charles County not-for-profit organization. They were cheered on by Reuben B. Collins, II, Esq., President of the Charles County Board of Commissioners, who served as Grand Marshal for the inaugural event. Collins said he was grateful for the support and guidance he received while his father was cared for by Hospice of the Chesapeake in 2022. “I am thinking of my father today and I know he is smiling down on us this morning,” Collins said. He encouraged participants to dedicate each of their steps to the memory of a loved one. ... The event raised nearly $30,000, with all proceeds benefitting patients and families in Charles County, ensuring they have access to expert and compassionate supportive, hospice and grief care.

A Life: James Heffernan ‘made a life out of appreciating and loving literature’ Valley News, Hanover, NH; by Elle Muller; 10/12/24 As a Dartmouth professor, writer, and father, James Heffernan inspired those around him with his love of literature and passion for life. Heffernan’s children, Virginia and Andrew, affectionately called their father’s lust for life, “Heffervessence.” “His life was shaped by what he loved,” Heffernan’s son, Andrew, said. “He found literature early on and he was deeply passionate about it.” Demonstrating the vivacity and enthusiasm that had long characterized him, Heffernan, who died in July at age 85 of metastatic prostate cancer, wrote 100,000 words of his memoir in the first few months of hospice care.

More health care teamwork means less burnout: physician survey American Medical Association (AMA); by Georgia Garvey; 10/8/24 Physician burnout is largely influenced by workplace structure and experiences. That is where team-based and safe-care delivery can help, according to a study published in The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety. In the study, “Teamwork Climate, Safety Climate, and Physician Burnout: A National, Cross-Sectional Study,” 1,218 U.S. doctors nationwide were surveyed about burnout and workplace experiences, including teamwork and safety climate. ... The researchers concluded that there is a strong relationship between the amount of teamwork and safety in physicians’ work environments and burnout. It is a relationship that showed improvements on those metrics even when compared with slightly different work climates. Among the physicians surveyed, 27.4% reported high depersonalization, 39.9% reported high emotional exhaustion and 45.6% met the criteria for burnout. But even small increases in teamwork and safety climate were related to improvements in physicians’ feelings of depersonalization, burnout or emotional exhaustion.

A compassionate guide to caring for someone with dementia: 5 essential tips NBC-4 Washington, DC; 10/14/24 According to the World Health Organization, more than 55 million people worldwide are living with dementia, with over 10 million new cases each year. Dementia encompasses a range of brain conditions that lead to a decline in cognitive function, affecting a person's ability to manage everyday tasks. While the disease can present unique challenges for both medical professionals and caregivers, there is hope in the growing understanding of how to best support those affected. ...