Literature Review

Planning ahead for peace of mind: How an advance care conversation educator can help

I believe that it is a mandatory Law of the Universe that on Fridays, you have to do something a little fun. - Hanna Rhoades

Marshfield Clinic closing Wisconsin hospice centerBecker's Hospital CFO Report, by Madeline Ashley; 1/24/24Phillips, Wis.-based Marshfield Medical Center Park Falls Home Health and Hospice facility, part of Marshfield (Wis.) Clinic, is closing at the end of February due to limited resources. Marshfield Clinic is working with other providers who offer home health and hospice services to provide continued care to patients. 

Washington State reaches a nearly $150 million settlement with Johnson & Johnson over opioid crisisAP, by Manuel Valdes and Hallie Golden; 1/24/24The Washington state attorney general announced a $149.5 million settlement Wednesday with drugmaker Johnson & Johnson, more than four years after the state sued the company over its role in the opioid addiction crisis. “They knew what the harm was. They did it anyway,” Attorney General Bob Ferguson told reporters Wednesday. 

Caregiver charged in deathDouglas Budget, by Matt Adelman; 1/24/24A caregiver has been charged with causing the death of her mother ... earlier this month. Central Wyoming Hospice and Transitions Center was present at her passing and notified Converse County Coroner Ross Gorman, who then notified Converse County Sheriff’s Investigator Ben Peech because the alleged actions leading to her death occurred on the family ranch near Douglas.

Defining key elements of a clinical experience in hospice and palliative medicine for medical residents in the United StatesJ Med Educ Curric Dev, by Carolyn E. Kezar and Andrew J. Lawton; 1/23/24The ACGME [Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education] has ... recognized the importance of HPM [hospice and palliative medicine] training for medical residents, establishing in its 2022 Common Program Requirements for Internal Medicine a new expectation that all residents have a clinical experience in HPM. ... However, internal residencies vary significantly. ... In this perspective, we draw from the available literature and our experience as educators to propose 5 core elements for creating an optimal HPM experience for medical residents.Editor's Note: Does your hospice support nearby medical schools? Rich opportunities abound.

RCT of Palliative Care for Heart Failure and Lung DiseaseGeriPal Podcast, by Eric Widera, Alex Smith, David Bekelman, Lyndsay DeGroot; 1/25/24In a JAMA 2020 systematic review of palliative care for non-cancer serious illness, Kieran Quinn found ... gaps, including very few studies of patients with lung disease, and little impact of trials on quality of life. The article we discuss today, also published in JAMA, addresses these two gaps. David Bekelman conducted a RCT of a nurse and social worker telephone intervention (ADAPT intervention) for people with heart failure and lung disease (COPD or ILD).

The nurse who helps dying patients write poetryThe Telegraph (UK News), by Flora Bowen; 1/25/24What will happen to me after I die? Will my family cope? How will I be remembered? These are familiar questions for Rekha Vijayshankar. As a palliative care nurse who is now Marie Curie’s deputy head of quality and clinical governance, she has helped thousands of patients to explore their feelings towards such themes through writing poetry and journal entries together.

Study investigates perceived barriers to cancer care in rural South DakotaMedical Xpress, by Addison Dehaven; 1/24/24... To assess the barriers of cancer care, the research team interviewed 18 health care professionals who work closely with American Indians, frontier and rural populations. Through interviews and analysis, they were able to determine three distinct themes that constitute as barriers and challenges for those with cancer: access, time and isolation.

NY Catholics asked to oppose physician-assisted suicideCatholic Courier, by Jennifer Burke; 1/22/24New York’s Catholics are again being asked to express their opposition to physician-assisted suicide. The state’s lawmakers are once again considering legislation that would allow doctors to prescribe doses of lethal medications to terminally ill patients. 

Hillman Foundation issues RFP for Serious Illness and End of Life program

Craft a memorial pillow for your loved one at this DeKalb workshopShaw Local News Network; 1/22/24The DeKalb Public Library will partner with Northern Illinois Hospice to host a workshop for patrons to create pillows out of a loved one’s shirt. ... Attendees can create up to two pillows out of a T-shirt or button-down shirt. Sewers will be available to assist. Participants should not bring denim, jackets or thick fabrics. Bereavement information and support will be provided.Editor's Note: Explore this lovely, meaningful activity for your hospice's bereavement care, volunteer services, and community outreach.

Cancer report highlights LGBTQ+ issuesPhiladelphia Gay News, by Gary L. Day; 1/23/24Each year, the American Cancer Society (ACS) puts out an annual report with extensive up-to-date information on cancer, its incidence, treatment and other pertinent facts. Cancer Facts & Figures 2024 includes something new: a separate special section on cancer in the LGBTQ+ community.