Literature Review
Increasing access to care: Designing a blended curriculum to educate adult hospice nurses in caring for pediatric patients
01/31/24 at 04:00 AMIncreasing access to care: Designing a blended curriculum to educate adult hospice nurses in caring for pediatric patientsNursing Forum, by Paige L. McDonald, Samia M. Abdallah, Laurie B. Lyons, and Deborah Fisher; 1/29/24Access to care for pediatric hospice patients is inhibited by a lack of providers specifically educated to care for pediatric patients. Education that seeks to address this gap in care must develop the specific knowledge and skills required to care for pediatric patients, and this education must also be delivered in a format that enables convenient access to providers.
NJ Governor signs Medicaid palliative care bill into law
01/31/24 at 04:00 AMNJ Governor signs Medicaid palliative care bill into lawC+TAC press release; 1/23/24New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed AB 5225 into law on December 21, 2023, requiring the development of a palliative care services benefit aimed to improve the quality of life for Medicaid beneficiaries with serious illness and their caregivers.
Love, Valentines … and snacks
01/31/24 at 04:00 AMLove, Valentines … and snacksjournal-news.net; 1/29/24In just a couple of short weeks, Hospice of the Panhandle’s Education Center, once again will turn into a Valentine snack center. And the end result will be that thousands of snacks, ranging from granola bars to raisins to potato chips to candy, will be distributed to Hospice providers and supporters as a thank you during Valentine’s season.
Introducing the expanded JAMA Internal Medicine Editorial Fellowship
01/31/24 at 04:00 AMIntroducing the expanded JAMA Internal Medicine Editorial FellowshipJAMA Intern Med, by Michael A. Incze, MD, MSEd; Kenneth E. Covinsky, MD, MPH; Sharon K. Inouye, MD, MPH; 1/29/24We are pleased to announce the launch of our new Editorial Fellowship program at JAMA Internal Medicine. Educating clinicians and future leaders in internal medicine is a core part of JAMA Internal Medicine’s mission, and the journal has had a robust Fellowship program for medical trainees since 2015. This year, we will grow our Fellowship program, inviting early-career faculty to apply for an immersive 1-year program that provides longitudinal mentorship and hands-on experience in learning how to work as a member of the editorial team at a leading, widely read, high-impact internal medicine journal.
Spotlight PA court victory leads to new academic research into Pa. medical marijuana program
01/31/24 at 04:00 AMSpotlight PA court victory leads to new academic research into Pa. medical marijuana program Spotlight PA, by Ed Mahon; 1/29/24After a 15-month legal battle, Spotlight PA in 2022 won access to data showing the reasons why hundreds of thousands of patients qualify for the state’s medical marijuana program. We published a big investigation based on the records last year. ... In an article, the researchers described the work as “the first study in the U.S. of the association between dispensary locations and qualifying conditions.”
New, grant-funded health care high schools aim to help address N.C. staffing shortages
01/31/24 at 04:00 AMNew, grant-funded health care high schools aim to help address N.C. staffing shortagesNC Health News, by Jennifer Fernandez; 1/30/24Efforts in Durham, Charlotte will graduate hundreds of students who are ready to fill jobs in health care professions facing shortages. ... A new $29.5 million grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies will provide more opportunities for students in Durham Public Schools to explore health care careers. Those students will be able to get jobs that pay well right out of high school.
Seniors spend the equivalent of 3 weeks a year on health care, study says
01/31/24 at 04:00 AMSeniors spend the equivalent of 3 weeks a year on health care, study saysThe Washington Post, by Linda Searing; 1/29/24Older adults spend an average of three weeks every year on doctor’s appointments and other health care outside their homes, according to research published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Of those 21 “health care contact days,” 17 involve ambulatory services, such as office visits with primary-care doctors or specialists, testing and imaging, procedures, treatments and therapy. The remaining four days included time spent in an emergency room, hospital, skilled nursing facility or hospice.
CMS must ‘ease burdens’ if it wants more long-stay residents in value-based care: report
01/31/24 at 04:00 AMCMS must ‘ease burdens’ if it wants more long-stay residents in value-based care: report McKnights Long-Term Care News, by Kimberly Marselas; 1/29/24The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must do more to move states away from an “extremely bifurcated” Medicare and Medicaid system that sometimes leaves dually eligible beneficiaries confused about their care and coverage, analysts said Monday. Roughly 1 million long-stay nursing home residents are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. In its new report, ATI Advisory found that they were more likely to be hospitalized and have a Medicare-covered SNF stay than their community-dwelling peers.
Care fragmentation, care continuity, and care coordination—How they differ and why it matters
01/31/24 at 04:00 AMViewpoint: Care fragmentation, care continuity, and care coordination—How they differ and why it mattersJAMA Intern Med., by Lisa M. Kern, MD, MPH; Julie P. W. Bynum, MD, MPH; Harold Alan Pincus, MD; 1/29/24Health care in the US is characterized by fragmentation, with many patients seeing multiple physicians. Indeed, 35% of Medicare beneficiaries saw 5 or more physicians in 2019.1 Having multiple physicians may be appropriate, but it may also lead to medical errors, unnecessary visits, avoidable hospitalizations, and suboptimal care if all of the physicians do not have complete information about the patient and each other’s care plans.
In the hospital? Don't overlook the chaplain
01/31/24 at 04:00 AMIn the hospital? Don't overlook the chaplainNext Avenue, by Alice Tremaine; 1/30/24Chaplains are the hospital's best-kept secret. Best-kept secret from patients, that is. Most of the hospital staff has figured out just how helpful chaplains can be, and will call the chaplain for everything that's difficult, scary or just plain weird: an unruly patient, a patient who received terrible news, a nurse who believes a hospital room is haunted, a mistress who showed up while the patient's wife is in the room.Editor's Note: Click here for "Common Qualifications and Competencies for Professional Chaplains," by the Board of Chaplaincy Certification, Inc.
Anorexia Nervosa: Evaluating disparities in places of death in the United States over 22 years using the CDC WONDER database
01/31/24 at 04:00 AMAnorexia Nervosa: Evaluating disparities in places of death in the United States over 22 years using the CDC WONDER databaseCureus / NCBI, by Nirmal Patel, Rahul Tyagi, Deepanwita Biswas, Ayesha Birjees, Chetana Rajesh 6, Sadia Khan; posted via NCBI 1/30/24Conclusions:[This] study found that death in home and hospice was more common than in medical or hospital nursing facilities in all four analyzed groups. These findings highlight the critical need for significant advancements in end-of-life care, particularly in home and hospice settings.
Recommendations for supporting healthcare workers' psychological well-being: Lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic
01/31/24 at 04:00 AMRecommendations for supporting healthcare workers' psychological well-being: Lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemicHealthc Manage Forum, by Melissa B Korman, Lisa Di Prospero, Tracey DasGupta, Mark Sinyor, Samantha J Anthony, Monika Kastner, Janet Ellis, Rosalie Steinberg, Robert Maunder; 1/30/24 Healthcare workers are at risk of adverse mental health outcomes due to occupational stress. Many organizations introduced initiatives to proactively support staff's psychological well-being in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, ... [such as] the STEADY wellness program, ... in a large trauma centre in Toronto, Canada. Program implementors engaged teams in peer support sessions, psychoeducation workshops, critical incident stress debriefing, and community-building initiatives. ... [This] article describes recommendations for future hospital wellness programs.
8-year-old girl with terminal illness becomes honorary K-9 officer
01/31/24 at 04:00 AM8-year-old girl with terminal illness becomes honorary K-9 officer BNN, by Wojciech Zylm; 1/28/24Eight-year-old Elayah Chance, a Plainfield resident living with a terminal genetic condition, had her dream come true as she was sworn in as an honorary K-9 officer. This heartwarming event was a joint effort by the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana and the Plainfield Police Department. Partnered with Officer Rob Prichard and his K-9 companion, Jocko, Elayah spent an unforgettable Saturday responding to calls and serving her community in a way she had always dreamt of.
First-ever survey of LGBTQIA+ older adults cheered by senior living provider groups
01/31/24 at 03:55 AMFirst-ever survey of LGBTQIA+ older adults cheered by senior living provider groupsMcKnights Senior Living, by Lois A. Bowers; 1/29/24A planned first-ever statewide survey of LGBTQIA+ older adults in California is drawing cheers from senior living industry advocates. Responses to the online survey, conducted by the California Department of Aging and a statewide coalition of LGBTQIA+ community-based organizations and research partners, will form a baseline data set to inform plans for tailored services, the CDA said in an announcement, which described the survey as “groundbreaking.”
Healthcare data breaches hit new highs in 2023
01/31/24 at 03:55 AMHealthcare data breaches hit new highs in 2023Modern Healthcare, by Tim Broderick; 1/25/24A record 133 million individuals were impacted by healthcare data breaches. Imagine after purchasing a car the salesperson slaps the hood and says there's a 40% chance in the coming year that an unauthorized person will gain access to it or just outright steal the car.Full access to article requires a subscription
Aging Media Network, a WTWH Healthcare Company, announces the Frontline Honors Class of 2023
01/31/24 at 03:00 AMAging Media Network, a WTWH Healthcare Company, announces the Frontline Honors Class of 2023Home Health Care News, by Jessica Longly; 1/30/24Aging Media Network, a WTWH Healthcare company, is proud to announce the Frontline Honors Class of 2023. With nominations in the categories of Behavioral Health, Home Health & Home Care, Hospice & Palliative Care, Senior Housing & Senior Living, and Skilled Nursing (SNF), the program showcases exemplary character and performance of frontline workers across the care continuum.
Medicare and Medicaid programs; Quarterly listing of program issuances-October through December 2023
01/31/24 at 03:00 AMMedicare and Medicaid programs; Quarterly listing of program issuances-October through December 2023 Federal Register, "A Notice by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services"; 1/30/24 This quarterly notice lists CMS manual instructions, substantive and interpretive regulations, and other Federal Register notices that were published in the 3-month period, relating to the Medicare and Medicaid programs and other programs administered by CMS.
New UMass Chan patient communication training simulation program receives funding via Catalyst Award
01/30/24 at 04:04 AMNew UMass Chan patient communication training simulation program receives funding via Catalyst AwardUMass Chan News, by Pat Sargent; 1/29/24The program, “Apology and Disclosure: Developing Competency for Patient Safety and Equity,” is led by Stacy E. Potts, MD, MEd, professor of family medicine & community health and senior associate dean for graduate medical education and clinical affairs; and Sunita Puri, MD, MS, associate professor of medicine and program director of the hospice and palliative medicine fellowship. ... The Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation Catalyst Award is for $50,000 over one year.
Understanding palliative care; why a mindset change is needed to address gaps
01/30/24 at 04:03 AMUnderstanding palliative care; why a mindset change is needed to address gapsThe New York Times, by Linda M. Kagire; 1/29/24What do you do when you are told that your loved one has a serious illness or condition that cannot be cured or leaves them with serious complications until death? For many families in Rwanda and the patients themselves, it is a huge dilemma.
‘Crying wolf’ or dying breed? Incentives often ignore plight of rural skilled nursing operators
01/30/24 at 04:00 AM‘Crying wolf’ or dying breed? Incentives often ignore plight of rural skilled nursing operatorsMcKnights Long-Term Care News, by Kimberly Marselas; 1/29/24As hundreds of nursing homes have shuttered in the last few years, the very strategies meant to prop up the sector have often left the most isolated, resource-strapped facilities with nothing gained. Several new federal payment models and insurance programs are designed to allow skilled nursing providers to take on financial risk, tap into new revenue streams or access additional staffing and clinical resources.
Health care workers kept leaving the industry after pandemic: study
01/30/24 at 04:00 AMHealth care workers kept leaving the industry after pandemic: study Axios, by Tina Reed, 1/29/24There's been a "substantial and persistent" increase in health care workers leaving the industry since the pandemic, as staff who stayed on during the worst of COVID-19 leave for new opportunities in a robust jobs market, according to a new study in JAMA Health Forum. ... Details: The Johns Hopkins-led study, based on Census data from the beginning of 2018 through the end of 2021, found a disproportionate number of women and Black workers exiting the health industry.
Will scandal at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute cause big damage?
01/30/24 at 04:00 AMWill scandal at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute cause big damage? Modern Healthcare, by Caroline Hudson; 1/29/24Allegations of data manipulation in Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's research has sparked intense scrutiny of a long-revered pillar in cancer treatment and put its once-sparkling reputation into question. ... Retaining Dana-Farber's long-term standing and preserving its bottom line will depend on how fast the institute moves to control the fallout from a scandal that has made national headlines, marketing and risk management experts said.
Smile in the sky drawn for Worcester hospice patient
01/30/24 at 04:00 AMSmile in the sky drawn for Worcester hospice patientBBC News, by Vanessa Pearce; 1/27/24An aerobatic pilot has put on a special show for a patient with a lifelong passion for aircraft who is being cared for at a hospice. Pilot Rich Goodwin created the sky high smile above the St. Richard's Hospice in Worcester. Former transportation engineer Ray Stanton, 66, enjoyed the show with his wife, Angela, and two children. "To see the smile in the sky and then look at Ray's smile was just fantastic," said Mrs. Stanton.
Will scandal at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute cause big damage?
01/30/24 at 04:00 AMWill scandal at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute cause big damage? Modern Healthcare, by Caroline Hudson; 1/29/24Allegations of data manipulation in Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's research has sparked intense scrutiny of a long-revered pillar in cancer treatment and put its once-sparkling reputation into question. ... Retaining Dana-Farber's long-term standing and preserving its bottom line will depend on how fast the institute moves to control the fallout from a scandal that has made national headlines, marketing and risk management experts said.