Literature Review

Most heart failure patients miss out on guideline-recommended palliative care Cardiovascular Business; by Dave Fornell; 11/6/24 Over the past decade, the American Heart Association (AHA) and European Society of Cardiology have recommended integrating palliative care into heart failure management. Despite these recommendations, the use of palliative care for heart failure remains low in the United States. Racial and geographic variations in access and use of palliative care are also pronounced, highlighting health disparities. These were the findings of a recent study in the Journal of the American Heart Association. Researchers at Saint Louis University led the study and said only one in eight patients with heart failure in the United States receive palliative care consultations within five years of diagnosis. Their study highlights the alarmingly low uptake of palliative care among adults with heart failure in the U.S., especially compared to patients with cancers that have the same mortality rates. The study also pointed out significant racial and geographic disparities. Black patients were 15% less likely to receive palliative care compared to their white counterparts. They said this disparity is particularly concerning given the higher cardiovascular risk and mortality rates in the Black population.

Bill introduced to increase access to advanced wheelchairs HomeCare, Nashville, TN; 10/24/24 U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) introduced the Choices for Increased Mobility Act (S 5154) to increase access to wheelchairs made with advanced materials by allowing Medicare beneficiaries to upgrade to lighter, more functional wheelchairs without bearing the entire upfront cost. These manual wheelchairs help prevent shoulder injuries, enhance maneuverability and reduce overall pain and fatigue for users. ... When the Medicare billing code for ultra-lightweight manual wheelchairs was established in 1993, materials like titanium and carbon fiber were not considered, as they were not yet in use for wheelchairs. As a result, ... providers have struggled to supply wheelchairs with these advanced materials at the fee schedule amounts set by Medicare.

Introducing Vivie: A new name with the same heart for service 1045 TheDan.com - Business Wire, Alexandria, MN; 10/24/24 Knute Nelson and Walker Methodist announce their new name and brand—Vivie. Vivie provides home health care, hospice, senior living, rehab, and more. ... With more than 150 years of combined service to older adults in their communities, Vivie unites two trusted legacies under one name and vision. As Vivie, the organization remains dedicated to the values that have made Knute Nelson and Walker Methodist pillars in their communities for generations. After merging in January 2024, the newly formed organization quickly began an extensive process to find a single, unifying name. "While our name is new, our heart for service remains the same," shared Mark Anderson, President and CEO. “We will continue to build on the solid foundation built by Knute Nelson and Walker Methodist, expanding our services to meet the evolving needs of those we serve.” The name “Vivie” is derived from the Latin root “viv” to paint a compelling picture of what it means to live. The new brand represents a vision for the future, rooted in our mission of enriching, empowering, and elevating people throughout life’s journey.

Safety first: How to ward off health care facility violence SmartBrief; by Julia M. Johnson; 10/23/24Panelists on an American Hospital Association webinar highlight ways in which hospitals and practices can protect their patients and themselves. ... The American Hospital Association recently hosted a webinar about what hospitals and practices need to know to protect themselves, staff members and patients. “Understanding Origins of Violence in Health Care Facilities” featured Jason Grellner of Evolv Technology and Drew Neckar of Cosecure. Both panelists spoke candidly about technology, terminology and steps that can be taken to dial down the danger at health care facilities.  

Stratis Health builds framework for expanding rural community-based palliative care Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 10/16/24 The health care performance improvement company Stratis Health has developed a framework for expanding access to palliative care in rural communities. The company’s strategy convenes resources and organizations that already exist in a given community to help meet patient’s palliative care, psychosocial, spiritual and social determinants of health needs. It leverages those resources to offer a wraparound suite of services for seniors and seriously ill patients. Hospice News spoke with Karla Weng, senior program manager for Stratis Health, about how health care providers and other stakeholders serving rural communities can come together to better serve their patients and clients. ... The field has shifted in more recent years, so that community-based really means anywhere but the hospital. It might be in a clinic. It might be home care. We’re not that prescriptive. So we have sometimes shifted to using the language “community centric.” The way that we work with communities who are interested in going down this path is helping them first to do a gap analysis and assessment of the resources that are already there in their community.  ... [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

Rosalynn Carter Institute redefines caregiving field with the launch of research informed profiles of experiences of caregiving© BusinessWire - Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers, Americus, GA; by Ava Jafarmadar; 10/15/24 The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers (RCI) today announced the launch of the Profiles of Experiences of Caregiving© (Caregiver Profiles©), an innovative framework that leads within the caregiver field by reimagining and elevating family caregivers, so they are better seen, understood, and supported. Developed in partnership with Duke University through an extensive review of over 10,000 research papers and comprehensive caregiver focus groups, these profiles shift the focus from the care recipient’s diagnosis to the caregiver’s unique experience. This new approach aims to provide more tailored, holistic support to the over 105 million people in the United States who are actively engaged in family caregiving. 

Kaiser Health Care: Navigating Aging: Older men’s connections often wither when they’re on their own Tahlequah Daily Press; by Judith Graham; 10/12/24 At age 66, South Carolina physician Paul Rousseau decided to retire after tending for decades to the suffering of people who were seriously ill or dying. It was a difficult and emotionally fraught transition. … Seeking a change of venue, Rousseau moved to the mountains. … Soon, a sense of emptiness enveloped him. … His work as a doctor had been all-consuming. Former colleagues didn’t get in touch, nor did he reach out. His wife had passed away after a painful illness, … His isolation mounted as his three dogs, his most reliable companions, died. Rousseau was completely alone — without friends, family, or a professional identity — and overcome by a sense of loss. “I was a somewhat distinguished physician with a 60-page resume,” Rousseau, now 73, wrote in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society in May. “Now, I’m ‘no one,’ a retired, forgotten old man who dithers away the days.” In some ways, older men living alone are disadvantaged compared with older women in similar circumstances. Research shows that men tend to have fewer friends than women and be less inclined to make new friends. Often, they’re reluctant to ask for help.

Private equity in senior living an increasing focus of federal, state government McKnights Senior Living; by Kimberly Bonvissuto, Lois A. Bowers and Kathleen Steele Gaivin; 10/7/24 At press time [10/7], a bill that would require private equity firms and hedge fund organizations in California to give prior notice of acquisitions or changes in control to the state’s attorney general was sitting on the governor’s desk, to become effective Jan. 1 if he signed it into law. It is just one example of legislation recently put forth at the state or national level focused on the private equity and real estate investment trust funding sometimes used in senior living and in other industries. ... The legislation calls for greater transparency for private equity firms and for-profit companies that own healthcare entities, including nursing homes, hospitals, and mental or behavioral health facilities. ...

Florida health-care workers exhausted as Hurricane Milton approaches The Washington Post; by David Ovalle and Sabrina Malhi; 10/8/24The storm shutters are up at Stephen Johnson’s house near the water in North Fort Myers, Fla. ... But  Jones won’t be home when Hurricane Milton is expected to thunder ashore this week along the Gulf Coast. Instead, the paramedic — like thousands of health-care workers across Florida — intends to ride out the storm at work, then jump into action when the winds die down, the waters recede and people seek medical assistance. ... “It gets stressful. You don’t know if you’re going to come back to a home,” Johnson, 28, of Brewster Ambulance Service, said during a brief break Tuesday after two straight days of organizing evacuations of patients from hospitals and assisted-living facilities across Lee County in southwest Florida while surviving on granola bars and energy drinks. ... By Tuesday afternoon, Florida health officials had deployed nearly 600 ambulances, buses and other transport vehicles to ferry patients out of harm’s way. More than 200 health-care facilities — including 115 assisted-living facilities, 10 hospitals and five hospice providers — have reported evacuations, according to the state’s health department.

Temporary regulatory relief for South Carolina health care providers responding to Hurricane Helene Baker Donelson; Alissa D. Fleming; 10/4/24 South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster declared a State of Emergency on September 25, 2024, to prepare for Hurricane Helene. On September 29, 2024, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) issued a Federal Major Disaster Declaration (FEMA-4829-DR) for South Carolina. On September 30, 2024, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declared a public health emergency in South Carolina, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued several blanket waivers to provide greater compliance flexibility and continuity of care while responding to Helene in the geographic area covered by the President's declaration. These waivers [detailed in the article] provide health care facilities with flexibility in service delivery, staffing, and patient care, aimed at alleviating the strain caused by Helene. Further, HHS, the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS), and other regulatory bodies have announced relief efforts, all aimed at reducing administrative burdens so providers can continue to care for and treat those in need. ...7. Hospices Assessment Timeframe Extension: CMS is extending the timeframe for updating comprehensive hospice patient assessments from 15 to 21 days, though initial and ad-hoc assessments must still be completed based on patient needs. ...Editor's note: Click on the title's link to continue reading. Other CMS waivers are defined for 1. General ... for Health Care Facilities; 2. Critical Access Hospictals; 3. Hospital and Long Term Care Facilities; 4. Skilled Nursing Facilities; 5. Home Health Agencies; 6. DME, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies; 7. Hospice (above); 8. Practioner Licensure and Enrollment ... HIPAA; Disaster Relief

VIA Health Partners - NC & SC: Donate to Hurricane Helene Relief Fund VIA Health Partners, formerly Hospice & Palliative Care of Charlotte, NC; contact Tara Connelly, VP & Chief Growth Officer; 10/7/24 At VIA Health Partners our people are our strength.  Recently, so many of our people – hospice & palliative care patients, their families, staff members, and volunteers – have experienced unimaginable hardship at the hands of Hurricane Helene. Our clinical staff continue to serve their patients despite ongoing challenges to themselves and their respective families. In response to this growing need, VIA Health Partners has launched a Hurricane Helene Relief Fund. Donations will be used to support patients, families, and staff members directly impacted by the storm. To help us in our response, please consider donating today. Editor's Note: See this page for a map of the 9 counties in North Carolina and 21 counties in South Carolina counties in VIA's service area that are impacted by Hurricane Helene. On a personal note, Hospice & Palliative Care of Charlotte provided palliative and hospice care to my Dad through his death, with significant bereavement care for my Mom. Thank you VIA Health Partners for your hospice services past, present and future.

Comfort home in Scottsville reopens after four-year hiatus NBC News 10, Rochester, NY; by Eriketa Cost; 9/27/24 A local hospice home in Scottsville re-opened, after four years of rebuilding from the inside out. You may recall how much of an effect COVID-19 had on these services. The home, Patrick Place, was unable to hold fundraisers. Dozens of volunteers stepped down out of fear for the virus, and it took time to bring them back. The emails and phone calls didn’t stop during the downtime, though, said Cissy Leblanc, secretary on the board for Patrick Place. Organizers were eager to open again, but it took hard work. Along the way, the team built a new deck and furnished the basement, adding a conference room and special area for training volunteers. These, are all projects that couldn’t have happened with someone living there, said chairman Patrick Hanley. The home opened in early September with 55 volunteers. The goal is to reach 75. ...