Average Stay at Hospices Getting Shorter
WASHINGTON -- The number of Medicare patients using hospices is increasing however their length of stay is declining, according to a recent government report. The average length of stay for hospice services has declined from 74 days in 1992 to 54 days in 1998, a drop of about one-fourth, according to the General Accounting Office, an investigative arm of Congress. In 1998, 28% of all beneficiaries using hospice care did so for one week or less. Patients with diseases other than cancer accounted for the sharpest reductions.
The report comes as Medicare is moving to quell criticism from hospice providers who say current rules discourage some patients from receiving needed services. Some hospice providers say that they are under pressure to accept patients who won't linger beyond a six-month period. For more information visit www.medicare.gov.
Beyond the Surface: Rethinking Environmental Hygiene Validation at Exchange25
June 30th 2025Environmental hygiene is about more than just shiny surfaces. At Exchange25, infection prevention experts urged the field to look deeper, rethink blame, and validate cleaning efforts across the entire care environment, not just EVS tasks.
A Controversial Reboot: New Vaccine Panel Faces Scrutiny, Support, and Sharp Divides
June 26th 2025As the newly appointed Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met for the first time under sweeping changes by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the national spotlight turned to the panel’s legitimacy, vaccine guidance, and whether science or ideology would steer public health policy in a polarized era.
Getting Down and Dirty With PPE: Presentations at HSPA by Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski
June 26th 2025In the heart of the hospital, decontamination technicians tackle one of health care’s dirtiest—and most vital—jobs. At HSPA 2025, 6 packed workshops led by experts Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski spotlighted the crucial, often-overlooked art of PPE removal. The message was clear: proper doffing saves lives, starting with your own.
