Literature Review
Today's Encouragement: The new source of power ...
01/31/24 at 04:00 AMThe new source of power is not money in the hands of a few, but information in the hands of many. - John Naisbitt
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.
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.
Ethical issues in pain and palliation
01/31/24 at 04:00 AMEthical issues in pain and palliationCurr Opin Anaesthesiol, by Marco Cascella, Alessandro Laudani, Giuliana Scarpati, Ornella Piazza; 1/30/24Summary: Palliative care in the ICU should involve a multidisciplinary team, to mitigate patients suffering and futility. Providing spiritual support in the ICU is an important aspect of holistic patient care too. Increasingly sophisticated tools for diagnosing and treating pain, as those involving artificial intelligence, might favour disparities in access, cause informed consent problems, and surely, they need prudence and reproducibility. Pain clinicians worldwide continue to face the ethical dilemma of prescribing opioids for patients with chronic noncancer pain. Balancing the need for effective pain relief with the risk of opioid misuse, addiction, and overdose is a very controversial task.
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.
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.
Has Medicare Advantage lost its luster?
01/31/24 at 04:00 AMHas Medicare Advantage lost its luster?Becker's Payer Issues, by Rylee Wilson; 1/29/24Though Medicare Advantage enrollment keeps climbing, the program may not have the profitability it once did for insurers. In a January analysis shared with Becker's, Moody's analysts wrote that the program "seems to be losing some of its luster," facing a significant increase in medical costs and lower reimbursement rates from CMS. Earnings in Medicare Advantage shrunk by 2.1% among the insurers Moody's rated from 2019 to 2022, despite premiums and members growing by 40% in the same time period.
It is going to be a bad year (or more) for the Medicare business
01/31/24 at 04:00 AMIt is going to be a bad year (or more) for the Medicare businessWall Street Journal, by David Wainer; 1/25/24America’s seniors are going to keep up their elevated use of the medical system throughout the year. That is the message from Humana’s earnings release on Thursday, which is sending stocks of insurance giants sliding.
Medical aid in dying waiting period would shorten from 15 days to 48 hours under Colorado bill
01/31/24 at 04:00 AMMedical aid in dying waiting period would shorten from 15 days to 48 hours under Colorado billThe Denver Post, by Meg Wingerter; 1/28/24A bill (SB 24-068) in the Colorado legislature would shorten the mandatory waiting period for medical aid in dying from more than two weeks to two days, opening the option to more critically ill people, but raising concerns for some about rushed decisions. It would also allow people who aren’t Colorado residents to end their lives under the state’s law, and let advanced practice registered nurses prescribe the drug cocktail.Publisher's note: The Denver Post is the source article. If you run into a paywall, the Greeley Tribune is running the same story without a paywall. A similar story is running in the Colorado Sun without a paywall.
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.”
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.
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.
Adventist Health re-establishes in-home and hospice care in Paradise and Butte County
01/31/24 at 04:00 AMAdventist Health re-establishes in-home and hospice care in Paradise and Butte CountyKRCR TV, by Hannah Gutierrez; 1/23/24PARADISE, Calif. — Adventist Health has announced that in-home and hospice care services have been re-established for residents in Paradise and Butte County. Adventist Health a faith-based non-profit health system, has served the Paradise community for more than half a century.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.”
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.
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.
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.
How AccentCare is using communication, career development to address caregiver burnout
01/30/24 at 04:00 AMHow AccentCare is using communication, career development to address caregiver burnoutHome Health Care News, by Patrick Filbin; 1/28/24As the home-based care industry continues to evolve, enhancing the well-being of employees and addressing caregiver burnout remains a top priority for providers. It’s not uncommon for caregivers to experience moments of feeling unsupported or undervalued. That can often lead to a sense of disconnection within the company from the bottom to the top. To help that disconnect, providers like AccentCare have focused on retention initiatives that are based around communication within the organization.
Hospice Nurse Shares The unexplained experience with a patient that changed her view on death and dying
01/30/24 at 04:00 AMHospice Nurse Shares The unexplained experience with a patient that changed her view on death and dyingYour Tango, by Nia Tipton; 1/29/24Death is the most mysterious part of the cycle of life for many individuals. What happens when we die? Is it peaceful? Is it scary? The unknown of what becomes of our souls once our physical presence leaves this Earth can be a daunting thought, but a hospice nurse named Julie offered some insight that she was a firsthand witness to after an elderly patient she'd been looking after passed away.
How does health spending in the U.S. compare to other countries?
01/30/24 at 04:00 AMHow does health spending in the U.S. compare to other countries?Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker, by Emma Wager, Matthew McGough, Shameek Rakshit, Krutika Amin, Cynthia Cox; 1/23/24In this chart collection, we examine how U.S. health spending compares to health spending in other OECD countries that are similarly large and wealthy, based on median GDP and median GDP per capita. Relative to the size of its economy, the U.S. spends a greater amount on health care than other high-income nations