Literature Review

Patients with cancer underuse hospice care, often because of disparitiesOncology Nursing Society Voice, by Elisa Becze BA, ELS, Editor; 2/13/24Most patients who die from cancer do not use hospice at the time of their death, ONS member and oncology nurse researcher Dena D. Shore, PhD, RN, OCN®, CNE, reported in an article published in ... the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing (CJON). ... Shore conducted an extensive literature search for studies of hospice use in U.S. patients with cancer published from 2017–2023. ... According to her literature review, cancer-related, ethnic and racial, and geographic disparities are frequently involved in delayed or nonuse of hospice care.

Part 2, Latest updates from CMS Office of Minority Health: Advancing health equity in rural, tribal, and geographically isolated communities FY2023 year in review

Alzheimer's: Watch for signs it's time to start hospice careThe Advocate, by Dana Territo; 2/5/24When is someone with dementia ready for hospice care? ... Some of the characteristics the affected individual may be exhibiting include the lack of ability to ambulate without assistance, incontinence of bowel and bladder, inability to dress and bathe properly, and speech limited to approximately a half dozen or fewer intelligible and different words. There are also intercurrent illnesses associated with advanced dementia in which hospice services would be a benefit. 

Rural hospitals caught in aging-facility dilemma Lexington Herald Leader, by Markian Hawryluk; 2/6/24... Rural hospital closures dropped during the pandemic, from a record-high 18 in 2020 to eight in 2021 and 2022 combined, according to the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill, as emergency relief funds kept them open. But that life support has ended.

Dying mother wins $10m from WA after cancer became terminal in prisonNewsFinale; 2/2/24Washington State has paid just shy of $10 million to settle a lawsuit with a mother-of-two whose cervical cancer became terminal while she was in prison after doctors there failed to diagnose and treat the disease. Paula Gardner, 42, was serving time for drug and burglary offences and did not receive adequate medical care for over two years despite tests showing possible signs of cancer in that time before a scan revealed a growth inside her uterus, according to the lawsuit.

How hospices are diversifying their services in 2024Hospice News, by Holly Vossel; 1/31/24Palliative care, pediatric end-of-life care and end-of-life doula (EOLD) services are top of mind for hospices that are diversifying their services in 2024.Fewer than half of 143 respondents to Hospice News’ 2024 Outlook Survey, conducted with Homecare Homebase, reported that their hospice organizations would pursue new care types this year. But the aim of their service diversification efforts may indicate future trends. Service diversification trends in hospice could ramp up as value-based care models incentivize this path, according to Tony Kudner, chief strategy officer of the home-based care consulting company Transcend Strategy Group. 

Timely dementia diagnosis, specialized long-term care limited for members of minority groups: studyMcKnights Senior Living, by Kimberly Bonvissuto; 2/1/24Researchers from University of California-Davis Health and Oregon Health & Science University said that members of minority groups fall victim to systemic oppression that leads to a higher risk of hospitalization and more aggressive life-sustaining treatment in end-of-life care. Their research, published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, analyzed 71 studies between 2000 and 2022 that examined healthcare access and quality for people living with dementia and their caregivers.

Why hospice utilization rates have fallenHospice News, by Jim Parker; 1/25/24National hospice utilization rates have fallen since 2020, though the total number of patients served remains consistent. ... Mathematically, the percentage declined in part because of continually changing demographics.Publisher's note: This article quotes a decline in Medicare hospice utilization rates through 2021, which is true. However, we are seeing a rebound / increase in 2022 and 2023 information.

Examining disparities in the management of NSCLC

Healthcare orgs taking steps to remove racial bias from algorithm and AI tools, new report showsMcKnight's Senior Living, by Aaron Dorman; 1/22/24... A team of doctors at the American Academy of Pediatrics is going through hundreds of algorithms and other materials to find, and remove, anything that could exacerbate racial disparities, a “herculean task,” as the JAMA report describes it. The potential for AI-enabled bias could be a major problem for diagnosing life-threatening conditions in seniors. 

Pressing questions about rural telehealth access and investments put innovation in dangerMcKnights Long-Term Care News, by Kimberly Marselas; 1/22/24Proven healthcare technologies can help improve patient care and boost staff confidence, but in many rural areas, one major impediment remains: lack of high-speed internet.

Cancer statistics, 2024American Cancer Society, by Rebecca L. Siegel MPH, Angela N. Giaquinto MSPH, and Ahmedin Jemal DVM, PhD; 1/17/2024In this article, we provide the estimated numbers of new cancer cases and deaths in 2024 in the United States nationally and for each state, as well as a comprehensive overview of cancer occurrence based on up-to-date population-based data for cancer incidence and mortality through 2020 and 2021, respectively.