Emergency departments have the motto "triage, resuscitate, stabilize and transfer" and may not be the best option for some patients at the end of life. Emergency departments that partner with hospice and palliative care providers can help facilitate hospice referrals, expanding access to hospice and preventing unnecessary hospital admissions.

A study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that those with opioid use disorder were 16% less likely to receive palliative care at the end of life. "Our findings highlight the importance of health care providers receiving training in both palliative care and addictions medicine to better support patients with opioid use disorder as they near the end of life," the researchers said.

Only 12% of those with dementia enroll in hospice care, and palliative care physician Dr. Maria Silveira explains that patients with dementia often don't meet the criteria for hospice admission. The Medicare hospice benefit does not provide the support needed for patients with dementia, Silveira writes, and enrolling in hospice may be an "impossible choice."

A study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found that hospice providers with more patients in assisted living settings are 7% more likely to receive lower quality scores than hospices with patients in other settings. "More attention and resources should be distributed to AL residents," the researchers said.

A patient's final days may be confusing for family members, even when following an advance directive, writes clinical psychologist Paul Schoenfeld, and a prior discussion with their physician may help. When an advance directive is followed, a loved one's death may be less difficult for families.

A study in the Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network found that cancer survivors experiencing loneliness had a higher risk of mortality, compared with those who had companionship. "Given the significant health consequences of loneliness and isolation, we must prioritize building social connection the same way we have prioritized other critical public health issues such as tobacco, obesity and substance use disorder," said researcher Jingxuan Zhao.

An analysis of long-term studies published in BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine found that a healthy lifestyle may offset the genetic risk of premature death by roughly 62%, and an unfavorable lifestyle was linked to an approximately 78% elevated risk of death. Researchers said the combination of a healthy diet, regular physical activity, adequate sleep, and no current smoking habits was linked to a prolonged human life span.

The FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health is working with patient groups, health care providers and medical device makers and has contracted with an architectural firm to develop a prototype home health care model based on augmented and virtual reality. The setting for the Home as a Health Care Hub prototype will be a rural, low-income community, and diabetes will be the example condition.

The Drug Enforcement Administration is poised to change the classification of marijuana to that of a less dangerous drug. The move would not outright legalize the recreational use of marijuana, and it and would not have a major impact on current prosecutions, but it is likely to have important consequences for medical research.

A study published in JAMA Network found that the number of heart failure deaths in the US jumped from 2012 to 2021, particularly among adults younger than 45, reversing the declines recorded from 1999 to 2012. Although data showed that heart failure-related mortality started rising before the pandemic, researchers suggest that pandemic-related factors such as limited health care access and COVID-19-related heart problems may have played a role in the sharp increase between 2020 and 2021.

Don't miss the opportunity to join us in Louisville, Ky., on August 8-10, 2024. This course is designed to prepare you for your HPM Board certification examination and improve your diagnostic reasoning and judgment skills. Take advantage of the advanced rates and register today!

Whether you're a healthcare professional or part of the medical team, Essential Practices in Hospice and Palliative Medicine is the ultimate self-study resource that incorporates hospice and palliative medicine into your practice. This series of nine books provides the essential and best practices for caring for patients with serious illnesses. Choose to buy the books individually or as a complete set.