News
What Major Primary Care Deals Mean for In-Home Care Operators
There are multiple big-time, primary care deals on the horizon. And the names tied to those deals are behemoths in size and influence. They are also tied heavily to the home-based care space. This week, stocks were jumpy for Cano Health Inc. and 1Life Healthcare Inc. (Nasdaq: ONEM), the parent company of One Medical. Read […]
Read MoreFTC Reportedly Looking into Home Health Wages in Review of UnitedHealth Group-LHC Group Deal
Last month, UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) and LHC Group Inc. (Nasdaq: LHCG) each received a request from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for more information in regards to the former’s pending $5.4 billion acquisition of the latter. New details have emerged on what exactly the FTC is looking for in its probe. Broadly, under the […]
Read MoreHospices Optimize Admissions Process to Boost Admissions, Length of Stay
Speedy hospice patient admissions can lead to improved referral numbers, profitability and length of stay, recent data show Yet, hospices need to carefully navigate their patient admission processes to maximize their revenue. Timely initiation of care is an important metric for hospices to measure and monitor, according to recent research from BerryDunn. Referral-to-admission times can impact both […]
Read MoreWhy Some Referred Patients Never Make It to Hospice
Hospice referrals appear to be going up. But many patients who get the referral never receive the care due to low health literacy and social determinant of health factors. Among patients who received inpatient discharge instructions indicating hospice, nearly 1 in 10 did not enroll within 30 days of leaving the hospital, according to recent research from […]
Read MoreIntegrative therapies enhance palliative care
Last week, Drs. Rebecca Burke and Victor Sierpina wrote on the differences between palliative and hospice care. I’d like to continue with theme by discussing common integrative therapies used in palliative care. The purpose of palliative care is to help improve the symptoms associated with a medical condition in addition to treatment for illness. There […]
Read MoreConsensus guidance targets patients with cancer-related pain, opioid use disorder
Researchers have outlined consensus-based management strategies to guide clinicians who care for patients with cancer-associated pain and opioid misuse or opioid use disorder. Findings of their qualitative study, published in JAMA Oncology, indicate a need for evidence, education and policy innovation to better serve these patients. Read more @ Healio
Read MorePalliative care improves quality of life for patients with ovarian cancer
Ann Marco, 73, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in late 2018, credits her oncology team for saving her life. They treated her with chemotherapy, debulking surgery, and more chemotherapy. But it is her second and current care team that helped restore Ms. Marco’s quality of life, directing her toward such resources as palliative care, […]
Read MoreDon’t Let Me Die in Pain,’ My Patient Pleaded
I still recall the look on my patient’s face and her words 2 years later. “I am done with this life,” she told me. “Don’t let me die in pain,” she added as she folded her hands to physically plead with me. I simply cannot convey in words how painful it was to witness the […]
Read MoreBereavement may increase HF mortality risk
The death of a close family member was associated with increased risk for death among people with HF, with risk highest during the first week after the loss, according to findings from a Swedish register-based study. “The findings of the study may call for increased attention from family members, friends and involved professionals for bereaved HF patients, […]
Read MoreBehavioral therapists teach people how to handle strong emotions so they can function
Intense emotions can be overwhelming when challenging situations occur. Add thoughts about past traumas, and the bad things that could happen in future, and the results can be tragic, even leading to thoughts of suicide. In 2020, Tuscarawas County’s rate of suicide completion rose to 16.6 per 100,000 people, above the state’s rate of 13.8 per 100,000 people, […]
Read More10 Best Mobile Apps for Nurses
Nursing can be a hectic, fast-paced job. That’s why nurses need the right tools at their fingertips. Studies show that nurses can use apps to improve accuracy, increase efficiency, and enhance productivity on the job. Apps can aid in time management, patient monitoring, and evidence-based decision-making. From an ever-growing library in your native app store, here are […]
Read MoreWhat’s Fueling the Hospice JV Furnace
More hospice and palliative care providers are pursuing joint ventures with hospitals and health systems. Joint ventures offer unique advantages compared to traditional referral streams, according to Aaron Stein, COO of Contessa Health, a subsidiary of Amedisys (NASDAQ: AMED). Joint ventures allow providers to develop integrated care models that build improved transitions of care, said […]
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