Recent research has found that a team-based palliative care model involving registered nurses (RNS) and nursing technicians (NTS) providing home care is an effective and affordable way to support patients with advanced cancer. Palliative care is important for managing symptoms and improving the quality of life of patients near the end of life. A Brazilian program called “Better at Home” allows interdisciplinary teams to provide palliative care in patients' homes, with nurses playing a key role, especially in areas with limited healthcare resources. Published in the American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, this study examined the clinical and functional…
Author: admin
Home care providers are fighting many enduring challenges, from caregivers and staff sales to Medicaid fees that vary widely from state to state. Still, CEOs of some top home care companies are not only navigating these hurdles, but also evolving strategies to drive organic growth. Leaders at Houseworks, Griswold Home Care and TheKey have set KPIs each week for each department, expanding the personal pay segment and implementing a diverse strategy that involves new client demographics. At Houseworks, organic growth is our number one priority. One way a company can drive organic growth is through its “payer hub” platform. “We…
Attempts by NHS trusts in the North West of England to pay nurses less for working extra shifts have been condemned by nursing leaders as “unacceptable and unsustainable”. The Royal College of Nursing’s (RCN) North West branch has called out trusts in the region for reducing rates of pay for nurses filling shifts via the staff bank and NHS Professionals. “It’s an erosion of pay, an insult to professionalism, and a betrayal of trust” Simon Browes It claimed that nurses were being denied the opportunity to earn overtime pay for working beyond their contracted hours. Instead, nurses looking to work…
A leading academic and global influencer has been appointed as the new permanent chief nursing officer for Scotland, Nursing Times can reveal. The next CNO for Scotland will be Aisha Holloway, professor of nursing studies at the University of Edinburgh and co-director of the Edinburgh Global Nursing Initiative. She is currently chair of nursing studies at Edinburgh University, programme director for the Nursing Now Challenge global initiative and adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing in the US. Professor Holloway is also a fellow of the Royal College of Nursing and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Nursing…
Nurses should not be expected to wash their uniforms at home because it increases the risk of spreading antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections, according to a new study that found that many household washing machines do not adequately disinfect clothing even when a full 60°C cycle is used. Based on their findings, researchers have recommended that the NHS should consider using on-site industrial machines or commercial laundry services to better disinfect healthcare uniforms, to ensure patient safety. “Our research shows that domestic washing machines often fail to disinfect textiles” Katie Laird Current NHS guidelines recommend that nurses’ uniforms can safely be laundered…
The suggestion that the Trump administration may not be committed to enforcing healthcare fraud has been clearly countered by two recent developments. First, on July 2, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the creation of a new Joint False Claims Act Working Group to coordinate fraud and abuse behaviors between several agencies. The working group will be staffed by members of the HHS Advisors' Office, CMS' Program Integrity Centre, the Attorney's Office of the HHS Inspector's Office (OIG) and the DOJ Civics Department representing coordinated efforts to strengthen and…
The latest analysis from the Global Payroll Alliance (GPA) suggests that the recent increases to Employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) could result in the UK struggling to incentivise employment, as illustrated by the tax wedge. What is the tax wedge? The tax wedge represents the gap between what employers pay for labour and what employees take home, comprising income tax, employee social security contributions, and employer contributions. A high tax wedge can discourage hiring and reduce take-home pay, while a lower wedge encourages job creation and economic growth—though often at the cost of reduced government revenue. The UK Tax Wedge…
On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed the law, commonly known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA). These changes were included as offsets to various federal tax cuts and other expenditures at the OBBBA. This alert provides an overview of OBBBA's subtitle Bealth, including healthcare-related provisions in the new tax law. Chapter 1 – Medicaid Until September 30, 2034, we will suspend Medicare Savings Program (MSP) eligibility, Medicaid and tip eligibility and registration, and implementation of nursing home staffing rules. The Department of Health and Human Services requires that you submit your Social Security Number to a system…
This article is part of the HHCN+ membership So far, 2025 has been a turbulent for home care providers. Changes in regulations and policy have led industry stakeholders to participate in high stakes speculation games to predict the meaning of the latest headlines. While focusing on the future is important, looking to recent history can provide providers with important information on how to expand their business to succeed, as well as peers' performance. Previous Home Care Pulse Active Insights released its latest benchmark report last week, based on a survey of 120,000 home care clients and employees, based on surveys…
Applications to nursing degree courses in England have “fallen to a new low”, as latest data reveals a continued decline in interest among domestic applicants. Figures from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) show 41,890 applications to study nursing across the UK had been received by the 30 June deadline – a small increase from 41,520 in 2024. “These figures are devastating news for the 10 Year Health Plan and alarm bells should be ringing in government” Nicola Ranger Out of the four UK nations, England was the only country that saw a drop in applications, while others saw…