Hospice & Palliative Medicine
From the Journals
Advance care planning codes not being used
Few physicians are taking advantage of Medicare payment codes that reimburse them for discussing end-of-life planning with patients.
Latest News
Palliative care has improved for critically ill children, but challenges remain
SAN DIEGO – The availability of palliative care for critically ill children varies across institutions
Daily News Podcast
AAP guidance: How to ask about military service
Neudexta is mainly being prescribed for dementia and Parkinson’s.
Law & Medicine
Hospice liability
New hospice care cases highlight the dangers of malpractice and Medicare fraud.
Daily News Podcast
Telemedicine not widely used
Brain injury in sickle cell merits more attention.
Conference Coverage
Dialysis decision in elderly needs to factor in comorbidities
Palliative care specialist advises avoiding age cutoffs, considering harms of dialysis.
Feature
Palliative care update highlights role of nonspecialists
The latest guideline revision aims to establish a foundation for “gold-standard” palliative care.
Applied Evidence
Dehydration in terminal illness: Which path forward?
While our natural tendency is to restore full hydration to patients, how do we proceed when death is imminent and being fully hydrated may prolong...
Conference Coverage
More than half of urine drug screens showed improper medication use
LAS VEGAS – One sample in every five showed a combination of opioids and benzodiazepines, at least one of which was an unprescribed medication.
From the Journals
Better ICU staff communication with family may improve end-of-life choices
Latest News
Medicare hospital deaths decline, hospice usage increases
During 2000-2015, Medicare recipients became less likely to die in hospitals.