Hello!
Welcome to the December 2009 issue of THE PATHFINDER.
Healthcare is certainly in the news! You cannot miss the discussion, the sharing of ideas and positions, the debate, the polarization, the frustration. With a compromise to be negotiated in January between the House and Senate bills, we are entering a new era.
Speaking of healthcare debate...last month's reaction to proposed changes in the mammogram guidelines certainly raised some debate and ultimately some back pedaling on the recommendations. Thank goodness!
You may have also read the stories in the media last month stating that morphine, an opiate-based painkiller, stimulates the growth and spread of cancer cells. Morphine has been the "gold standard" for chronic cancer pain for the last two centuries. I am grateful to the physicians at the GeriPal: Geriatric & Palliative Care site for their blog on 11/23/09 (http://ow.ly/165YXa) in which they state, "So if you have a patient on morphine asking you whether "morphine will make my cancer worse", the answer is no. There is no clinical evidence that morphine, or any other opioids, cause real harm through stimulating cancer growth. There is though significant high quality evidence for their benefit in relieving pain and suffering." You may want to read this entire blog entry in order to answer any questions your families may have on this topic.
I've included an article this month on the use of physical therapists to reduce hospital readmissions. Lowering hospital readmissions is the goal of home health agencies and hospital systems. Without monitoring why your patients are going back into the hospital, you will not be able to devise a plan to impact your current rate of readmission.
Our second article outlines a study from the Boston-based Dan Farber Cancer Institute which found that black cancer patients' end-of-life treatment preferences were followed less frequently than white patients.
OASIS C is starting January 1st. Is your agency ready? While some changes will be posted in the OASIS C Manual, the instrument data set is complete. If we can assist you, please just let us know.
As we approach the religious holidays at this year's end, I hope that you all will experience the peace and joy of the season. May you have the opportunity to tell those you hold in your heart how much you love them, the opportunity to share your bounty with someone less fortunate and the continuing opportunity make a difference in the lives of your patients.
If we can provide you with any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Best wishes, Beth Carpenter
“Let us realize that the privilege to work is a gift, that the power to work is a blessing, that the love of work is success.” David O. McKay |
