Literature Review
Today's Encouragement: from Arthur Ashe
02/14/24 at 03:00 AMFrom what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life. – Arthur Ashe
These 8 traits make great doctors, and residents can develop them
02/14/24 at 03:00 AMThese 8 traits make great doctors, and residents can develop themAMA, by Brendan Murphy; 2/5/24
End-of-life care for children: making it possible to die at home
02/14/24 at 03:00 AMEnd-of-life care for children: making it possible to die at homeNursing Times, by Jill Davies; 2/5/24UK - A children’s community nursing team collaborated with an adult palliative care urgent-response service to provide 24-hour end-of-life care for paediatric patients. This made dying at home a realistic option for these patients, which had not previously been the case.
Hospice of Montezuma announces program to help patients care for their pets
02/14/24 at 03:00 AMHospice of Montezuma announces program to help patients care for their petThe Journal, by Bailey Duran; 2/9/24Hospice of Montezuma announced a collaboration with Pet Peace of Mind to help local hospice patients take care of and make plans for ... their pets' care after their life ends. Hospice of Montezuma will partner with local pet care providers such as Denkai Animal Sanctuary to ensure that patients’ pets receive food, veterinarian care and exercise. The nonprofit Pet Peace of Mind, based in Salem, Oregon, partners with hospices and hospitals. ... “Hospice patients fare better when they get to keep their pets and know they are getting the love and attention they need,” Pet Peace of Mind said.
The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.
02/14/24 at 03:00 AMThe fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time. U.S. Medicine, by Chester Buckenmaier III, MD, COL (ret), MC, USA; 2/13/24New Year’s Eve 2023 was marked with sadness for my family as my mother-in-law, Susan “Sue” Timperley, passed. ... Because of Sue’s strength in life, when her death came faster than we or her physician expected, we were spared further trauma. ... Hospice proved as helpful in death as they were in life by easing the weight of Sue’s loss through arrangements for her body. This support allowed Sue to die as she lived, with quiet strength and regal dignity. Our family was gifted with the time to focus on her memory rather than sterile hospital rules and cold machines.
Digital tool reduced burden, improved mood for cancer hospice caregivers
02/14/24 at 03:00 AMDigital tool reduced burden, improved mood for cancer hospice caregiversCure, by Ashley Chan; 2/9/24Using a Symptom Cancer at Home (SCH) intervention significantly reduced caregiver burden, compared with usual hospice care (UC), according to a study from the journal Cancer.
The importance of art in a “good death”
02/14/24 at 03:00 AMThe importance of art in a “good death”Hyperallergic, by Brianna L. Hernandez; 2/11/24... Resham Mantri and Eliana Yoneda are two artists and death doulas who are collaborators and founders of Community Deathcare Digest, an evolving collection of art projects and death cafes, as well as a bi-weekly newsletter about death and care. The newsletter gathers resources and educational content, and coordinates mutual aid for death rituals and funeral needs.
What is a good death? End-of-life doulas can help the dying have one.
02/14/24 at 03:00 AMWhat is a good death? End-of-life doulas can help the dying have one.Boston Globe, by Sherrie Dulworth; 2/9/24... Home hospice agencies offer vital services for terminally ill people who wish to die at home, assisting with, among other things, pain management and helping the terminally ill avoid needless medical procedures. ... But while it is often thought that home hospice workers are the primary caregivers for the dying, this is not so. Instead, it is loved ones who often do the heavy lifting, both physically and emotionally, that comes with tending to the dying. ... This is where a death doula comes in, and the work they do speaks to the nonmedical, more spiritual side of what it means to have a good death.
Sally Norden's skydive for Children's Hospice South West: A leap of faith for a good cause
02/14/24 at 03:00 AMSally Norden's skydive for Children's Hospice South West: A leap of faith for a good causeBNN, by Mazhar Abbas; 2/13/24Sally Norden took a leap of faith and skydived from 15,000 feet to raise funds for Children's Hospice South West. Her courage and dedication to the charity inspired others to support the cause.
Silverado Hospice - Hospice stories
02/14/24 at 03:00 AMSilverado Hospice - Hospice Stories
Michael Stiggers talks on misconceptions of hospice care
02/14/24 at 03:00 AMMichael Stiggers talks on misconceptions of hospice careThe Times-News, by Wayne Clark; 2/10/24"People are always telling me that I must have a difficult job to do and that they wouldn't trade places with me," said Stiggers, who is the chaplain for Chattahoochee Hospice. "They think it must be the worst job in the world, but they are wrong. It's one of the best jobs you can have. I absolutely love my job."
February 14th special edition with heartwarming stories
02/14/24 at 02:00 AMFebruary 14, 2024 Special Edition
What primary care’s “Barnes & Noble moment” means for the future of digital health
02/13/24 at 04:00 AMWhat primary care’s “Barnes & Noble moment” means for the future of digital healthMedcity, by Kyna Fong; 2/6/24Primary care is essential to living healthier lives, and we need all forms of it, from small local practices to big health systems and retail chains. Ultimately, it's going to be all primary care hands on deck, working together to make a lasting change for the health of Americans.
Using patient narratives to evaluate a hospice service
02/13/24 at 03:15 AMUsing patient narratives to evaluate a hospice serviceNursing Times - Patient Experience, by Val Stangoe and Steve Mee; 2/12/24Questionnaire surveys at a hospice proved ineffective as a tool to identify areas for service improvement, but narrative inquiry with patients and their families identified important deficits that offered clear guidance for service development. This method needed a careful, respectful approach, as well as significant time and resources, but proved to be invaluable. Many of the patients enjoyed having an opportunity to tell their stories, while nursing staff could be involved in the project, thereby enhancing their skills and raising their ambitions.
HPNF Diversity in Health Care Series
02/13/24 at 03:00 AMHPNF Diversity in Health Care SeriesHospice and Palliative Nurses Association; 2/12/24The Hospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation (HPNF) has received generous philanthropic support to develop a series of educational resources for hospice and palliative care nurses, tailored to cover fundamental considerations for caring for patients of various faith backgrounds.Publisher's note: Video series includes an introduction, and end-of-life care for Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, and Muslim patients.
Medicare Advantage provider, benefit cuts may follow rate reduction
02/13/24 at 03:00 AMMedicare Advantage provider, benefit cuts may follow rate reductionModern Healthcare, by Nona Tepper; 2/6/24Medicare Advantage insurers are likely to respond to a modest rate cut next year by adjusting premiums, benefits, provider reimbursements and other factors to emphasize profitability, financial analysts said. Although the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has downplayed the effects of its proposed 0.16% reduction in the Medicare Advantage benchmark rate for 2025, the rule issued last Wednesday is the latest in a string of policies that has Medicare insurers and their investors wary about the program.
Cigna doubles down on growing Evernorth Health Services
02/13/24 at 03:00 AMCigna doubles down on growing Evernorth Health ServicesModern Healthcare, by Lauren Berryman; 2/2/24Two days after announcing it would sell its Medicare business, Cigna Group outlined plans to double down on growth opportunities for its Evernorth Health Services unit... It also expects to benefit from the continued growth of Medicare Advantage, despite its pending exit, by offering pharmacy benefits to these plans... Evernorth provides pharmacy, care delivery and benefits solutions to health plans, employers, government entities and providers. It also houses its Express Scripts pharmacy benefit manager, which is one of the top three largest pharmacy benefit managers by market share.
Aetna forecasts higher Medicare Advantage costs
02/13/24 at 03:00 AMAetna forecasts higher Medicare Advantage costsModern Healthcare, by Lauren Berryman; 2/7/24CVS Health has downgraded its 2024 earnings guidance as its Aetna health insurance subsidiary contends with higher-than-expected Medicare Advantage costs and a looming federal rate cut, the company announced Wednesday.
CMS publishes Hospice Item Set Manual changes
02/13/24 at 03:00 AMCMS publishes Hospice Item Set Manual changesMcKnights Home Care, by Adam Healy; 2/12/24Changes went into effect 1/31/24. Table includes Chapter and/or Section in V3.01 of HIS Manual; Page # in V3.01 of HIS Manual; Revision; Explanation
Large study ties OCD to greater risk of death from any cause
02/13/24 at 03:00 AMLarge study ties OCD to greater risk of death from any causeJAMA, by Emily Harris; 2/7/24Previous research on the mortality risk of people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has shown mixed results and hasn’t gone into specific causes of death. Now, results from a large cohort study published in The BMJ suggests they have an 82% higher risk of dying from all causes.
Today's Encouragement - from Muhammad Ali
02/13/24 at 03:00 AMHe who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life. – Muhammad Ali
8 C-suite roles to watch
02/13/24 at 03:00 AM8 C-suite roles to watchBecker's Hospital Review, by Alexis Kayser, 2/8/24In the past year, more than 40 health systems have taken a closer look at their leadership teams — adding, subtracting, redesigning and combining roles to position their C-suites for the future. [Click on the title's link for] eight evolving executive positions Becker's is tracking.
Amazon cuts jobs in healthcare divisions
02/13/24 at 03:00 AMAmazon cuts jobs in healthcare divisionsBecker's Health IT, by Naomi Diaz; 2/6/24Amazon is eliminating a few hundred roles at One Medical and in its online pharmacy unit Amazon Pharmacy...
Patient navigator intervention to improve palliative care outcomes for Hispanic patients with serious non-cancer illness a randomized clinical trial
02/13/24 at 03:00 AMPatient navigator intervention to improve palliative care outcomes for Hispanic patients with serious non-cancer illness a randomized clinical trial JAMA Intern. Med, by Stacy M. Fischer, MD; Sung-Joon Min, PhD; Danielle M. Kline, MS; et al; 2/212/24Importance: Disparities persist across the trajectory of serious illness, including at the end of life. Patient navigation has been shown to reduce disparities and improve outcomes for underserved populations.Objective: To determine the effectiveness of a lay patient navigator intervention, Apoyo con Cariño, in improving palliative care outcomes among Hispanic patients.
Why some health systems say 'hospital at home' not 'worth it'
02/13/24 at 03:00 AMWhy some health systems say 'hospital at home' not 'worth it'Becker's IT, by Giles Bruce; 2/9/24Some health systems have decided that providing hospital-at-home care "might not be worth it," NBC News reported. While "hospital at home" has exploded in popularity in recent years, particularly since CMS started reimbursing for it, some systems have been reluctant to partake in the trend because the CMS waiver expires at the end of 2024, ...