An Age Group Comparison of Concurrent Hospice Care: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis.

This study aimed to examine the cost-effectiveness of concurrent hospice care compared with standard care among pediatric patients of different age groups. Using a national Medicaid database of 18 152 pediatric patients enrolled in hospice care between 2011 and 2013, this study calculated and analyzed incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) for concurrent care versus standard hospice care for children of 4 age categories: <1 year, 1 to 5 years, 6 to 14 years, and 15 to 20 years. The results indicated that the total Medicaid cost of hospice care was $3229 per patient per month (PPPM; SD, $8709) for those younger than 1 year, $4793 PPPM (SD, $8178) for those aged 1 to 5 years, $5411 PPPM (SD, $7456) for those aged 6 to 14 years, and $5625 PPPM (SD, $11459) for those aged 15 to 20 years.

Evaluating the cost-effectiveness of pediatric concurrent versus standard hospice care.

Using a sample of 18,152 pediatric hospice patients, this study assessed the cost-effectiveness of concurrent care over standard hospice care. Analysis of incremental cost-effectiveness ratios with bootstrapping simulations showed that concurrent care was more effective but at a higher cost.

A Comparison of Hospice Care Utilization Between Rural and Urban Children in Appalachia: A Geographic Information Systems Analysis.

Long driving times from hospice providers to patients lead to poor quality of care, which may exacerbate in rural and highly isolated areas of Appalachia. This study aimed to investigate geographic patterns of pediatric hospice care across Appalachia. Using person-level Medicaid claims of 1,788 pediatric hospice enrollees who resided in the Appalachian Region between 2011 and 2013.

Application of Instrumental Variable Analysis in Pediatric End-of-Life Research: A Case Study.

Instrumental variable analysis (IVA) has been widely used in many fields, including health care, to determine the comparative effectiveness of a treatment, intervention, or policy. However, its application in pediatric end-of-life care research has been limited. This article provides a brief overview of IVA and its assumptions.

Geographic Information Systems Utilization in Pediatric End-of-Life Research: A Scoping Review.

Currently, little is known about how geographic information systems (GIS) has been utilized to study end-of-life care in pediatric populations. The purpose of this review was to collect and examine the existing evidence on how GIS methods have been used in pediatric end-of-life research over the last 20 years. Scoping review method was used to summarize existing evidence and inform research methods and clinical practice was used.

Mobile Health Apps for Patient-Centered Care: Review of United States Rheumatoid Arthritis Apps for Engagement and Activation.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a highly dynamic and individualized disease in terms of its patterns of symptomatic flare-ups and periods of remission. Patient-centered care (PCC) aligns patients' lifestyle goals with their preferences for managing symptoms and side effects through the selection of therapies appropriate for disease management. Mobile health (mHealth) apps have the potential to engage and activate patients in PCC.

Conceptualizing the Value of Pediatric Concurrent Hospice Care.

Given that pediatric concurrent hospice care has been available for more than a decade, it is appropriate to seek an understanding of the value of this care delivery approach. Value is the cost associated with achieving beneficial health outcomes. In pursuit of this goal, the current literature on pediatric concurrent hospice care was synthesized and used to develop a model to explain its value.

Incremental cost analysis of pediatric hospice care in rural and urban Appalachia.

Purpose: Considering growing disparities in health outcomes between rural and urban areas of Appalachia, this study compared the incremental Medicaid costs of pediatric concurrent care (implemented by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) versus standard hospice care.

Methods: Data on 1,788 pediatric hospice patients, from the Appalachian region, collected between 2011 and 2013, were obtained from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Incremental per-patient-per-month (PPM) costs of enrollment in concurrent versus standard hospice care were analyzed using multilevel generalized linear models.

Pediatric Concurrent Hospice Care: Cost Implications of a Hybrid Payment Model.

Background: Implementation of concurrent hospice care led to a new hybrid payment model that combines hospice payments with payments for non-hospice medical care. Little is known about the cost implications of this new hybrid payment model.

Objective: The purpose was to identify costs and compare concurrent care and standard hospice care costs by estimating the average incremental Medicaid cost of care over time.

Comparison between Rural and Urban Appalachian Children in Hospice Care.

Objective: The goal of this study was to compare rural and urban pediatric hospice patients in Appalachia.

Methods: Using a retrospective, nonexperimental design, we sought to compare characteristics of Appalachian rural and urban children younger than 21 years enrolled in the Medicaid hospice benefit. Descriptive statistics were calculated on the demographic, hospice, and clinical characteristics of children from Appalachia.

Patient Goals for Living with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Qualitative Study.

Rheumatoid arthritis is highly individualized in terms of its flare ups and periods of remission. Each patient's unique experience requires a high level of personalization in terms of treatment making it necessary to understand what their goals for living are. This study explores patient perceptions on how the burden of RA shapes patients' goals for living and their preferences for symptom and side-effect management within the United States.

Pediatric End-of-Life Care in Rural America: A Systematic Review.

Background: Families increasingly desire to bring their children home from the acute care setting at end of life. This transition includes home to rural or remote areas. Little is known about the end-of-life care for children who reside in rural areas.

Effectiveness of Pediatric Concurrent Hospice Care to Improve Continuity of Care.

Background: The 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) mandated landmark hospice care legislation for children at end of life. Little is known about the impact of pediatric concurrent hospice care.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of pediatric concurrent vs standard hospice care on end-of-life care continuity among Medicaid beneficiaries.

A National Study to Compare Effective Management of Constipation in Children Receiving Concurrent Versus Standard Hospice Care.

Constipation is a distressing and uncomfortable symptom children experience at end of life. There is a gap in knowledge about how different approaches to hospice care delivery might improve pediatric symptom management of constipation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of pediatric concurrent hospice versus standard hospice care to manage constipation.

A National Profile of Children Receiving Pediatric Concurrent Hospice Care, 2011 to 2013.

When the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) was passed, it fundamentally changed end-of-life care for children. Concurrent Care for Children (ACA, section 2302) enables Medicaid/Children's Health Insurance Program children with a prognosis of 6 months to live to use hospice care while continuing treatment for their terminal illness. Although ACA, section 2302, was enacted a decade ago, little is known about these children.

Medical complexity and concurrent hospice care: A national study of Medicaid children from 2011 to 2013.

Purpose: Pediatric hospice is a comprehensive model of care for medically complex children at end of life. The Affordable Care Act changed regulatory requirements for pediatric Medicaid enrollees to allow for enrollment into hospice services while still receiving life-prolonging therapy. There are gaps in understanding factors associated with pediatric concurrent hospice care use.

Predictive Ability of an Illness Severity Measure: Implications for Nursing Research.

Background And Purpose: Illness severity among children with life-limiting illnesses is measured with the pediatric complex chronic conditions (CCC) measure. Developed in 2000/2001, it was revised in 2014 to include infant-specific categories.

Methods: Discrimination, calibration, accuracy, and validation tests were used to examine the predictive performance of the measures.

Variation In State Medicaid Implementation Of The ACA: The Case Of Concurrent Care For Children.

More than 55,000 children die each year in the United States, and hospice is used for very few of them at the end of their lives. Nearly one-third of pediatric deaths are a result of chronic, complex conditions, and the majority of these children are enrolled in Medicaid because of disability status or the severity of their disease. Changes in Medicaid/Children's Health Insurance Program regulations under Section 2302 of the Affordable Care Act require all state Medicaid plans to finance curative and hospice services for children.

Pediatric Concurrent Hospice Care: A Scoping Review and Directions for Future Nursing Research.

In 2010, forgoing curative therapies were removed as a hospice eligibility criterion for children through section 2302 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act called Concurrent Care for Children. Given that concurrent care is a federally mandated option for children and their families, no review of the science has been conducted. The purpose of this study was to systematically collect the evidence on concurrent hospice care, critically appraise the evidence, and identify areas for future nursing research.

Pediatric Complex Chronic Conditions: Evaluating Two Versions of the Classification System.

The original pediatric complex chronic conditions (CCC) classification system developed in 2000/2001 is the gold standard in classifying children with life-limiting illnesses. It was significantly modified in 2014; yet the two systems have not been evaluated. The objective of this study was to evaluate the agreement and validity of the original versus the modified CCC classification systems.

Comparative Effectiveness of Usual Source of Care Approaches to Improve End-of-Life Outcomes for Children With Intellectual Disability.

Context: Children with intellectual disability (ID) are at risk for adverse end-of-life outcomes including high emergency room utilization and hospital readmissions, along with low hospice enrollment.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to compare the effectiveness of usual source of care approaches to improve end-of-life outcomes for children with ID.

Methods: We used longitudinal California Medicaid claims data.

Using Agency Nurses to Fill RN Vacancies Within Specialized Hospice and Palliative Care.

The use of agency nurses offers flexibility in filling registered nurse (RN) openings during times of shortage, yet little is known about their use in specialized palliative care. In an effort to fill this knowledge gap, this study determined whether significant relationships existed between full-time and part-time RN vacancies and the use of agency RNs within specialized hospices that deliver perinatal end-of-life care to women and their families in the event of miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, or other neonatal complications resulting in death. This study used data from the 2007 National Home and Hospice Care Survey and multivariate regression methods to estimate the association between RN vacancies and agency RNs use.