Sat.Mar 25, 2023 - Fri.Mar 31, 2023

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Reduce missed visits and improve client outcomes by leveraging technology 

AlayaCare

The number one challenge that all home and community care providers face is care worker shortage. Providers need solutions to allow them to deliver more care in the community with their existing resources by increasing utilization and efficiency. Scheduling is a clear area where modern software can help an agency deliver more and better care with its existing resources.

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Congress Grills HHS Secretary on Response to Hospice Fraud

Hospice News

On the matter of hospice program integrity, policymakers have many questions and few answers. U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra appeared yesterday on Capitol Hill for a hearing on President Biden’s proposed federal budget, during which several Congress members raised the issue of hospice fraud. The key issue in these discussions is a proliferation of newly licensed hospice operators in multiple states, some of which have been associated with suspicious or unethical practic

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professionals

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“This work has changed me”: Q&A with HopeHealth’s chief medical officer

HopeHealth

In his 35 years at HopeHealth, Chief Medical Officer Edward W. Martin, MD, has changed this organization. And in return, it’s changed him. In this Q&A, he shares how. The post “This work has changed me”: Q&A with HopeHealth’s chief medical officer appeared first on HopeHealth.

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Storytelling in Medicine: A Podcast with Liz Salmi, Anne Kelly, and Preeti Malani

GeriPal

Summary Transcript Summary Two weeks ago on the GeriPal podcast we talked about why and how to write for the general public. This week we’ve invited three guests to share their stories about storytelling that’s written for healthcare providers. The first guest is Liz Salmi. Liz wrote a fabulous perspectives piece in the NEJM titled “ Deciding on My Dimples ” which talks about her experience as a patient doing shared decision making during neurosurgery for resection of an astrocytoma.

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3 Reasons to Retire Pagers from Healthcare Settings

Let's discuss the trusty pager—an old favorite that’s losing its shine in hospitals and clinics. While once a staple in hospitals and clinics, pagers now present significant limitations that hinder rather than facilitate communication among healthcare professionals. Healthcare professionals are constantly on the move, and they need communication tools that can keep up with their fast-paced lives.

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5 ways AI and advanced algorithms are optimizing scheduling for home care agencies 

AlayaCare

The home care industry is currently facing several challenges due to the increasing demand for services and the rising costs of providing care. Increasing aging populations, labor shortages, technological advances, and regulatory changes have all contributed to more complex operations. At the same time, home care agencies must handle a rising number of patients with increasingly complex medical conditions that require customized treatments.

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Hospice Length of Stay: Balancing Patient Needs Against Regulatory Compliance

Hospice News

Though evidence shows that longer hospice stays reduce costs, providers are still walking a regulatory tightrope. On one hand, longer hospice stays can lead to improved patient and family satisfaction and greater cost saving opportunities. On the other hand, regulators often treat stays longer than six months or frequent recertifications to be red flags that signal malfeasance.

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More Trending

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Kim Ellis, the Diabetes NP, on Diabetes Awareness

Minority Nurse

Diabetes Alert Day was introduced in 1988 and for decades has helped raise awareness about diabetes this significant medical condition. During her early years as a nurse, Kim Ellis MSN, FNP-C, CDCES and founder of Ellis Diabetes Education & Consulting, LLC , discovered there was a big need for diabetes information in the communities she served, so she focused her specialty in helping folks with the condition and sharing education.

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Checklist Prompters Support ICU Rounds

Daily Nurse

Rounding checklists can help hospital care teams improve patient outcomes. New research points to the potential for patient-specific checklists as a valid way to effectively translate the latest evidence into clinical practice. These checklists can be helpful tools during daily rounds when multidisciplinary patient care team members convene to discuss each patient’s status and care plan.

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Facility-Bound Hospice Patients Less Likely to Get SIA Visits

Hospice News

Hospice providers in facility-based settings may be underutilizing Medicare’s service intensity add-on (SIA). Compared to routine home care, patients receiving the general inpatient level of care (GIP) were 22.8% less likely to have a SIA-applicable visit, according to an analysis by Abt Associates. SIA visits for patients in GIP on average had 67.6 fewer minutes.

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Trees Not Tombstones: Remembering Loved Ones Outside

Solace

While fewer people are choosing traditional burial in cemeteries, families often still want a place to visit — or the feeling of pride that comes with stewardship — as a reminder of their loved one. For many, nature provides the perfect setting. Public green spaces are a great place to honor memories with a plaque, bench, tree or donation that honors a loved one.

2020 105
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Real-Life Examples of HIPAA Violations and How to Avoid Them

Speaker: Jack Clough, Chief Growth Officer

Download our 30-minute webinar where we delve into real-life examples of HIPAA violations and preventative measures every organization should know! You will learn: The critical factors that lead to HIPAA violations and how to identify them. Three compelling real-life cases of organizations that faced severe HIPAA penalties. Proven strategies to safeguard YOUR organization against HIPAA violations.

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Everyday challenges of being a nurse team leader: “Do you have two minutes?”

Evidence-Based Nursing - BMJ blogs

Blog by Jo McVey (Lecturer of Mental Health Nursing) at Glasgow Caledonian University. Being a N urse Team Leader in Older Adult Community Mental Health Services is three-fold: there is the management of staff, the management of a caseload of patients, and the management of a service. The advice given is “be prepared and be organised,” however, the reality is that we must be prepared to be unprepared.

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A Day in the Life: Vascular Access Nurse

Daily Nurse

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to work as a vascular access nurse and what this job offers? Here are the basics that you need to know. Rebecca Myers , MSN, RN, VA-BC, NPD-BC, is a Vascular Access Nurse (aka PICC nurse). Her hospital experience includes critical care, education, and vascular access. Rebecca Myers, MSN, RN, VA-BC, NPD-BC How did you get interested in being a vascular access nurse?

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CMS Proposes 2.8% Payment Update for Hospices in 2024

Hospice News

The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) late Friday released the 2024 proposed payment rule for hospice providers. In it, CMS proposed to update hospice payments by 2.8%, which includes a market-basket percentage increase of 3% and a 0.2 percentage point productivity adjustment. The increase would translate to an estimated $720 million swell in hospice payments next year compared to Fiscal Year 2023, according to CMS.

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The Roles of Medical Professionals in Hospice Care

Shining Light Hospice

The Roles of Medical Professionals in Hospice Care Hospice care is a type of health care that focuses on providing comfort and support to patients and families during the end-of-life process. While it is often provided in a hospice facility or home, many medical professionals are often involved in the care of these individuals. What Is Hospice Care?

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The Ultimate Guide to Improving Caregiver Engagement & Retention

Want to learn how to retain your caregivers & improve caregiver retention X3? The home care industry is experiencing turnover rates of over 80%. How are you ensuring your agency is retaining caregivers? This FREE eBook from Smartcare Software is packed with industry secrets needed to keep your caregivers happy, engaged, and retained, unlocking the full potential of your agency.

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The Nursing Shortage: Foreign-Educated Workers Aren’t a Long-Term Solution

AJN Off the Charts

CGFNS VisaScreen Applications by Country of Education, 2022. Reprinted from CGFNS International. CGFNS Nurse Migration Report 2022: Trends in Healthcare Migration to the United States. “Rather than relying on importing foreign-educated nurses, high-income countries should aim to ensure an adequate domestic supply of new nurses as well as retention of those already in the workforce.” Increased nurse migration as a stopgap in the United States.

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Nurses and the Promise of Entrepreneurship

Daily Nurse

Ask any passerby on the street to describe nurses. You’ll likely hear a description of a woman in scrubs with a stethoscope around her neck, caring for patients in a hospital. While that picture may be accurate for a certain percentage of nurses, there are plenty whose professional life looks much different, including those who have embraced the world of nurse entrepreneurship.

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New ‘Right to Try’ Bill Would Allow Terminally Ill Patients to Use Psychedelics

Hospice News

Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) has introduced a bill that would allow some end-of-life patients to use psilocybin and other investigational treatments. The Right to Try Clarification Act would revise a current law that was designed to give access to experimental treatments to dying patients who have exhausted other options. The proposed bill would add Schedule I substances that have completed phase 1 clinical studies to the list of available options.

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Traditions Health of Houston Awarded Hospice Accreditation from The Joint Commission

Traditions Health

Traditions Health of Houston Awarded Hospice Accreditation from The Joint Commission Nashville, TN – Traditions Health of Houston has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Hospice Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. This is the fifteenth hospice branch of Traditions Health that has been awarded Joint Commission Accreditation.

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Best Practices for Sharing Protected Health Information (PHI)

Explore essential topics in this ebook, including what constitutes PHI and how to identify it using 18 indicators. Gain insights into the importance of safeguarding PHI to protect patient privacy and learn about the severe consequences of HIPAA violations. Discover practical strategies for securely exchanging PHI within your healthcare organization, including assessing risks and implementing effective safeguards.

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My Beloved Sons

Elaine Mansfield

The two of you sent a photo from David’s home in North Carolina last week. You’re 52 and 49 now, but the photo reminds me of a 1974 photo of curly headed four-year-old David holding six-month-old smiling Anthony with tender love. Almost fifty years later, the love remains, although there have been bumps in the road. Your dad had few requests before his death, but one was that you stand together and treat each other with kindness.

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AANA Updates Analgesia and Anesthesia Guidelines for Obstetric Patients

Daily Nurse

To help ensure that all obstetric patients receive high-quality, safe analgesia and anesthesia care during labor and delivery, the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) has published its updated Analgesia and Anesthesia for the Obstetric Patient practice guidelines. This comprehensive revision provides evidence-based practice recommendations and closes equity gaps in obstetric pain management and anesthesia care.

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Hospices Double Down on CEO Succession Planning

Hospice News

CEO turnover has been rising during the past two years, among organizations that run the gamut as far as size, tax status and ownership structure. The reasons behind the trend are also plentiful. For starters, many hospice leaders are aging with the rest of the population and reaching retirement age. Others have migrated to other providers or have been removed by a company’s board.

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April Issue Highlights: Nurses’ Views on Substance Users, Decarbonizing Health Care, More

AJN Off the Charts

“I was always the strong one, the one with the answers, the one people came to for advice… ” – from the April Reflections essay, “ Take Off the Mask: Getting Real About Depression, Trauma, and Loss “ The April issue of AJN is now live. Here’s what’s new. Some articles may be free only to subscribers.

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The Essential Guide to HIPAA-Compliant Messaging for Home Care Teams

Explore the risks posed by non-compliant consumer apps like Instagram and WhatsApp in healthcare settings. Learn about potential HIPAA penalties and use a self-evaluation flowchart to determine your organization's need for HIPAA-compliant messaging. Discover straightforward steps to implement secure communication solutions efficiently, ensuring compliance and protecting patient data effectively.

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EAPC Webinar: The Case for Public Health Palliative Care

EAPC (European Association of Palliative Care)

Our Reference Group on Public Health and Palliative Care are presenting this webinar on 31 May 2023. The webinar will start at 2pm (CEST). ‘The Case for Public Health Palliative Care’ will feature presentations from Julian Abel (UK), Julia Verne (UK) and Phil Larkin (Switzerland). Register to attend on this link. Please note all EAPC webinars are scheduled in Central European Summer Time.

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Why You Need to Keep Your Finger on the Pulse of Inquiry Calls

Home Care Pulse

Article Contents: – Introduction – The Need to Nurture – Introducing the Assessment – How Can You Succeed in Scheduling the Consultation? – How Do You Know if Your Inquiry Management Process Is Working? – Dos and Don’ts of Inquiry Management – The Consultative Sales Process – Monitoring Inquiry Calls – Equip Your Staff Article Contents: The Need to Nurture Introducing the Assessment How Can You Succeed in Scheduling the Consultation?

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Ohio’s Hospice Expands Partnership with Senior Living Provider United Church Homes

Hospice News

Ohio’s Hospice is deepening its relationship with United Church Homes (UCH) to expand hospice and palliative care options for the senior living and support services organization’s residents. This move expands a collaboration between the two nonprofits launched called Ohio’s Hospice at United Church Homes, which provides care in more than three communities across the UCH footprint.

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The Importance of Colorectal Screening for Seniors

Comfort Home Care

As we age, monitoring our health and ensuring we care for ourselves is more important than ever. One essential part of maintaining good health as a senior is being aware of the risks posed by colorectal cancer and getting screened for it regularly. Early detection increases your chances of successful treatment and could save your life. Continue reading as the senior care specialists at Comfort Home Care in Rockville, MD, discuss what colorectal cancer is, who should be tested for it, and why scr

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The Cost of Inefficient Communication in Home Care & Beyond

This eBook explores the critical issues of using consumer-grade messaging apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and SMS in healthcare, especially home care. It highlights the negative impacts on patient care quality, data security, and HIPAA compliance and provides practical solutions to enhance communication efficiency! You will learn how to: Consolidate Messaging Platforms: Streamline communication by reducing the use of multiple apps, improving efficiency in patient care.

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Integrative Medicine Relies on Trust, Collaboration to Succeed

Nurse.com

Over the past several years, the country’s healthcare system has been plagued by staff shortages — most notably a shortage of nurses and primary care providers. This has disrupted the continuity of care for patients and has resulted in fragmented care in which the patient’s immediate physical needs are addressed, but not every care option is explored.

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NHPCO Launches New Program: The Quality and Innovation Network

NHPCO

For Immediate Release March 29, 2023 (Alexandria, VA) The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization has created a new Quality and Innovation Network as a community for providers who share a commitment to establishing a culture of quality within their hospice and palliative care organizations. Members of the Quality and Innovation Network (QIN) will join monthly virtual working sessions with industry-recognized performance improvement coaches, the NHPCO Quality team, and colleagues from a

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Hospice Programs Slated for Closure Remain Open

Hospice News

Hospice programs in central New York remain open, despite local legislators previously indicating staffing-related closures. In 2022, legislators in Oswego County in New York state voted to shutter its hospice services within the year. However, The Caring Coalition of Central New York, d.b.a. Hospice of Central New York & Hospice of the Finger Lakes, will remain open, according to an announcement from its philanthropic arm, Friends of Oswego County Hospice, Inc.

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The Caregiver Curmudgeon’s Handy Hints for any Age

Today's Caregiver

Its that time of year again to hear from my crankier alter-ego. I know he's been missed. Here we go again.

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The Secret to Supercharging Your Organizations Communications

Effective collaboration among all care team members is critical to delivering better patient outcomes. A key element to achieving effective collaboration is through the implementation of a clinical communication and collaboration platform. In a fast-paced, high-stress and critical environment, people tend to do whatever gets the job done. Therefore will scramble and use the systems, people, or processes around them to get an outcome more quickly - which can often be at the expense of quality.