-
a.though all states and the District of Columbia have laws providing for the use of advanced directives, those same legal statutes might hinder the effective use of advanced directives, according to researchers at the University of California, San Francisco.
-
The Joint Commission has approved the deletion of element of performance (EP) 10 at MM.05.01.01 for the home care, behavioral health care, critical access hospital, hospital, and long term care accreditation program. The deleted element of performance requires that "all medication orders are reviewed for the following: Variation from the hospital's indication for use."
-
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a proposed rule that would require most Medicare-participating providers and suppliers to give Medicare beneficiaries written notice of their right to contact a Medicare quality improvement organization (QIO) with concerns about the quality of care they receive under the Medicare program, according to the American Hospital Association (AHA).
-
In three months following participation in a program that provides care management and outpatient services to the frail elderly in their homes after discharge, patients in Dartmouth Hitchcock Regional Medical Center's Bridge Program experienced a 41% decrease in emergency department visits and a 27% decrease in inpatient admissions compared to the three months before the program began.
-
Where they live can determine whether Medicare patients with advanced cancer die in a hospital or while receiving hospice care, according to the findings of a Dartmouth Atlas Project report.
-
A new policy statement issued by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) offers guidance to physicians to initiate discussions about the full range of palliative care and treatment options soon after a patient is diagnosed with advanced cancer.
-
Newly created bioactive peptides promote wound healing through the growth of new blood vessels and epithelial tissue, such as skin.
-
A report by a task force appointed by the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) to assess the current and future need and availability of hospice and palliative medicine (HPM) physicians shows that an acute shortage exists and current programs do not have the capacity to fill projected needs.
-
A study of nursing home records shows more residents with dementia are seeking hospice care and use the benefit for a longer period of time.1 The study, published in American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias, used records of more than 3.8 million deceased nursing home residents.
-
Revisions to The Joint Commission's National Patient Safety Goal (NPSG) on reconciling medication information will provide some relief for hospice and home health providers when the changes become effective on July 1, 2011.