Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust’s Post

During National Advance Care Planning Week, we're supporting health practitioners to start conversations to help people make informed decisions about their future health care preferences.    These conversations improve quality of care by identifying what matters most to people, and enabling them to have their preferences met when they can no longer speak for themselves.    The Advance Project, led by HammondCare, has joined with End of Life Law for Clinicians, Advance Care Planning Australia, and Palliative Care Australia, to produce a quick guide for Advance Care planning.     The two-page guide features resources from The Advance Project, which provides a team-based approach to initiating Advance Care Planning in routine care provision in general practice and aged care settings, and for people living with dementia. #HealthLawQUT  #acpweek24

The 2024 Palliative Care in Queensland Priorities report has seven points of priority for PCQ and the sector. Priority 6 focuses on prioritising funding, education, training and recruitment for a more culturally diverse palliative care workforce. There is low diversity in Queensland’s palliative care workforce. There is a need to encourage health professionals and workers to engage in the palliative care sector and to support their retention. Read more about the key focus areas for this priority ➡️ https://ow.ly/uVXV50Rz4Ss

Understanding the struggles of poor communication in healthcare is crucial. This report is timely and needs to be addressed: Lately, I have heard troubling stories where bad communication not only affected patients but also turned their families' lives upside down. Serious problems arise when health AND social care don't communicate with each other. For example, if you knew that a patient can't be received in a nursing home after 4.30pm, why would you let the family sit with that person until 10.30pm at night and then tell them that this was the case? Added to the mix, you cause further anxiety and distress to an older adult who has dementia and then goes on to have a psychotic episode. As another example, in a meeting today, we talked about the details of setting up a local dementia support group with Rotary. While discussing where volunteers can sign post people to get advice and support, we found that the system's complexity is causing problems. Consequently, signposting people to the right services is difficult to achieve. Clinical services are held back because different departments don't communicate well, creating isolated efforts. The overall approach to caring for patients is slipping away, especially when combining health and social care. This is a serious issue that needs attention. This report needs to be acted upon. What do you think? https://lnkd.in/e7BRgJbB #HealthcareCommunication #PatientCare #CommunitySupport

AHRQ's growing efforts to improve healthcare for older adults, particularly those with multiple chronic conditions, is the subject of a new AHRQ Views blog post. Our current healthcare system is ill-equipped to meet the complex healthcare needs of older adults, who often receive suboptimal care that leads to avoidable adverse events, hospitalizations and other poor outcomes. A recent Special Emphasis Notice announced AHRQ's interest in funding research proposals to address the development, implementation, evaluation, and scalability of person-centered models of care to improve physical and mental health, functional status and overall well-being. #SeniorCare https://lnkd.in/eJXzEQRU

ER overcrowding remains a critical issue in the U.S., with patients facing delays of days or weeks for hospitalization due to understaffing and increased mental health demand. ACEP reports 97% of ER doctors have experienced boarding times of over 24 hours, 28% with patients waiting more than two weeks for a hospital bed. The federal program "Acute Hospital Care at Home" helps ease hospital strain but faces defunding, causing hospitals to hesitate in investing resources. The Department of Health and Human Services has promised a roundtable to address ER crowding, and CMS is set to present national Hospital at Home data to Congress, but concern remains for the future of ER care in the U.S. #EROvercrowding #HospitalBedShortage #HealthcareUnderstaffing #MentalHealthServicesDemand #AcuteHospitalCareAtHome #HealthcareAccess

NYSPA appreciates and supports the $1 billion multi-year investments in mental health enacted in the FY 2024 budget. This includes support to increase inpatient capacity by 1,000 beds, including the reopening of 850 beds in community Article 28 hospitals that were closed during the pandemic but never re-opened. Looking into 2025, NYSPA supports proposed investments in the FY 2025 executive budget to increase capacity #WriteRXForPatientSafety

Dr. Abhishek Shukla recently encountered an elderly patient who suffered from dehydration and heat stroke, a common yet serious issue during extreme weather conditions. This incident underscores the vulnerability of seniors to heat-related illnesses and the critical importance of timely medical intervention. Communication challenges, such as hearing loss, often complicate interactions with elderly patients. Dr. Abhishek emphasizes that patience is crucial in these situations. Taking the time to speak clearly, listen attentively, and ensure the patient comprehends the information can significantly improve the quality of care and the patient’s comfort. Beyond medical treatment, Dr. Abhishek advocates for a compassionate approach. Providing emotional support and understanding helps alleviate the stress and confusion that often accompany serious health issues in the elderly. By fostering a caring and patient-centered environment, healthcare providers can greatly enhance the well-being and recovery of their senior patients. #ElderlyCare #HeatStrokePrevention #HydrationMatters #SeniorHealth #PatientCommunication #CompassionateCare #HearingLossAwareness #HealthcareWithHeart #ElderlySupport #PatienceInCare

Make Patient Care a Priority! We care deeply about the quality of our work and inspire trust by delivering on promises. We focus on exceeding and going the extra mile, however small the difference may seem! https://bit.ly/3W1s0p5 #dialysis #PatientCare

Most viewed in the last 7 days from JAMA Health Forum: This JAMA Forum article discusses innovative ideas to care for an aging US population, provides examples of ways to rethink housing and nursing homes, and discusses potential policy changes. https://ja.ma/3wUQQyl

Make sure you join us next Monday, December 4th, for our webinar with Infirmary Health to hear more about the Ross procedure’s clinical outcomes. Register Now --> https://lnkd.in/ehb6iewx The Ross procedure “restores a normal life expectancy to young and middle-aged adults”, comparable to that of the general population, whereas AVR has been associated with an estimated 30% reduction in life-expectancy.7