Hospice
Seeking the Formula for Sustainable Palliative Care
The United States lacks a robust reimbursement system for palliative care. While stakeholders work toward change, providers are developing innovative ways to work with what they have to bring this care to patients in need. Historically, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has reimbursed palliative care through a fee-for-service model that only […]
Read MoreHome-Based Palliative Care Can Improve Quality of Life
Cleve Hart of Pollock Pines, California was about to be discharged from the hospital when a social worker suggested that he might benefit from home-based palliative care. At the time, he and his wife, Toni, were unfamiliar with palliative care — an array of supportive services for people with serious illnesses — but they have […]
Read MoreSimplifying Opioid Conversions
I’ve been thinking and talking with others a lot about the entire enterprise of how we teach and talk about opioid switching and I have a lot of ideas that go beyond CTs for potential ways we can improve our approach to this. This post is simply to capture those ideas, none of which I’m […]
Read MoreNew Machine-Learning Models Can Predict 6-Month Cancer Mortality
Researchers have validated and developed machine-learning (ML) models that can predict six-month mortality for patients with advanced solid tumors who are considering a new line of therapy (LoT). A new study published in JCO Clinical Cancer Informatics evaluated whether it was possible to utilize EHR data to develop a risk model that can predict whether patients with an advanced solid tumor […]
Read More6 strategies to address nursing shortages in the next 18 months
Healthcare leaders should focus on six main priority areas that could provide immediate relief to nursing workforce challenges in the next 12-18 months, the Nurses Staffing Think Tank said May 5. The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, American Nurses Association, American Organization for Nursing Leadership, Healthcare Financial Management Association and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement created the […]
Read MoreThrough Education, Collaboration Hospices Can Help Shape Value-Based Palliative Care
Palliative care packs a small but meaningful punch in the value-based payment arena. But to successfully negotiate value-based contracts, hospices will need to educate payers about the value of palliative care, according to J. Cameron Muir, M.D., chief innovation officer of the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI). Specifically, providers can help orient […]
Read MoreCourts Applying a Broader Brush to False Claims Act Suits
Developments in a False Claims Act (FCA) suit involving Curo Health Services signal that mounting a defense may become more complicated for accused hospices. Regulators and investigators have sharpened their gaze on alleged False Claims Act violations by hospice providers, as well as the closely related anti-kickback statute, sometimes resulting in multi-million settlements. These cases often hinge […]
Read MoreAs nursing shortage looms, Calvary Hospital’s new palliative care residency hopes to meet rising need in NYC
This July, Calvary Hospital will begin its new, first-of-its-kind palliative and end-of-life care residency program, in hopes of not only addressing the city’s nursing shortage but also expanding the depths of palliative care. The residency will invest in an initial cohort of at least eight nurses who will learn at Calvary Hospital and within the […]
Read MoreNPHI Guide Designed to Help Hospices Address Mental Health Needs
Demand for mental health care skyrocketed during the pandemic. This growing need has spurred the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) to recently develop its Community Counseling Guide to help member providers structure bereavement services, including best practices for billing. Adults nationwide have experienced increased levels of stress, anxiety and depression since COVID-19’s onset. About 41% of […]
Read MoreAAP publishes guidance for pediatric end-of-life care
The AAP published guidelines for pediatric end-of-life care, including recommendations for communicating with families and for planning advance care. The guidelines are in a clinical report authored by Jennifer S. Linebarger, MD, MPH, FAAP, Victoria Johnson, DO, FAAP, and Renee D. Boss, MD, MHS, FAAP, of the AAP’s Section on Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Read more @ Healio
Read MoreThe App That Helps Prepare You for Death
When someone you love passes, it’s tough to prioritize the logistics. You’re facing stress and grief all at once, so when it comes time to negotiate funeral planning, insurance records, legal and financial documents, and more, it can be overwhelming. So it’s important to get all of this sorted before you’re reeling from loss. Enter Bereev, […]
Read MoreMedicare policy changes tied to drop in hospice use for dementia
Recent changes in Medicare policies are associated with reductions in the share of patients with an Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) code receiving hospice care, according to a study published online May 6 in JAMA Health Forum. Kan Z. Gianattasio, M.P.P., from the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health in Washington, D.C., […]
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