Approximately two decades ago, federally mandated public reporting began for U.S. nursing homes through a system now known as Nursing Home Compare. The goals were to provide information to enable consumers to choose higher quality nursing homes and to incent providers to improve the quality of care delivered. We conduct a systematic review of the literature on responses to Nursing Home Compare and its effectiveness in meeting these goals. We find evidence of modest but meaningful response by both consumers and providers. However, we also find evidence that some improvement in scores does not reflect true quality improvement, that disparities by race and income have increased, that risk-adjustment of the measures is likely inadequate, and that several key domains of quality are not represented. Our results support moderate success of Nursing Home Compare in achieving intended goals but also reveal the need for continued refinement.

Research Objective COVID‐19 poses unique challenges to family caregivers. This study explores how family caregivers for older adults with cognitive impairments experience and make decisions about caregiving during a global pandemic. Study Design Using purposive sampling, family caregivers participated in open‐ended qualitive interviews (2019–2020), until thematic saturation was reached. Questions broadly examined caregivers' experiences and decisions, focusing on decisions made around type of care setting. Questions about responses to the Pandemic were added as events unfolded. States were selected to represent variation in Home and Community Based Service (HCBS) expenditures as a percentage of total Medicaid long‐term services and support expenditures. They include; Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, and Oregon. All participants were actively involved in the care of someone with dementia or another cognitive impairment over the age of 60. Population Studied 63 family caregivers were interviewed across eight states. About 89% of participants were female, 78% white, 10% black, 5% Asian, 3% biracial, 2% Native American. 36% of respondents reported that those they care for receive Medicaid. Principal Findings This analysis focused on several COVID‐related caregiver decisions: changes in care, challenges with care utilization and access, and policies or changes in care that were helpful during the pandemic were of focus. Four key themes emerged. First, family caregivers experienced communication challenges with long term care facilities often due to COVID‐19 restriction policies. They reported an inability to asses care quality, participate in medical appointments, or communicate with their loved ones. Second, some families chose to cease the care supports they were receiving. Participants cited concern about the virus itself, and about indirect pandemic effects such as their loved ones experiencing confusion, loneliness, and poor care. Third, many respondents expressed the desire to avoid future nursing care, and expressed hesitancy towards seeking HCBS until the pandemic is curbed. Finally, many caregivers reported that telemedicine and other remote health care interventions improved their workload and service access. Conclusions We examined how the pandemic has impacted decision‐making among caregivers of older adults with cognitive impairments. Family caregivers experienced significant concern about COVID‐19 itself, and about the indirect consequences of caregiving caused by the pandemic. Caregivers have also shown flexibility and adaptability in ceasing selected services, contingently continuing services, and utilizing telemedicine and other remote healthcare interventions to protect their loved ones. Many family caregivers utilized remote health care interventions such telemedicine, no‐contact prescription and grocery delivery. Such measures improved service access and reduced caregiver workload. Implications for Policy or Practice Given the persistent challenges posed by COVID‐19...

Diagnosis, prevention, management and treatment of acute and chronic medical conditions have improved with technological advancements in terms of scalability, efficacy, access, and personalized approach. Digital therapeutic applications (DTx) (Blue Star®, Diabeo® System, Livongo Diabetes Program, Tidepool etc.,) use web-based applications/cloud platforms to provide evidence-based, personalized, rapid point of care management of chronic, behavior-modifiable conditions, including diabetes mellitus (DM). DTx has improved patient compliance, therapeutic success and economic outcomes in DM management by enabling active patient engagement, lifestyle change, comprehensive medical care, and periodic monitoring of glycemic status. Addressing concerns along DTx data vulnerability, comparative efficacy with conventional treatments, ability to accommodate diverse population needs, and resolving ambiguous regulatory policies and reimbursement guidelines are critical for increasing access to DTx, and overcoming availability, accessibility, and affordability issues in the existing resource limited healthcare environment. In this commentary theA c c e p t e d M a n u s c r i p t Information Classification: General authors explore the potential, prospects, and challenges of DTx in the management of Diabetes Mellitus.

This qualitative semi-structured interview study explores how 64 family caregivers for older adults with Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias across eight states experienced and executed caregiving decisions before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. First, caregivers experienced challenges communicating with loved ones and healthcare workers in all care settings. Second, caregivers displayed resilient coping strategies in adapting to pandemic restrictions, finding novel strategies to balance risks while preserving communication, oversight, and safety. Third, many caregivers modified care arrangements, with some avoiding and others embracing institutional care. Finally, caregivers reflected on the benefits and challenges of pandemic-related innovations. Certain policy changes reduced caregiver burden and could improve care access if made permanent. Telemedicine’s increasing use highlights the need for reliable internet access and accommodations for individuals with cognitive deficits. Public policies must pay greater attention to challenges faced by family caregivers, whose labor is both essential and undervalued.

COVID-19 poses unique challenges to family caregivers. This study explores how family caregivers for older adults with cognitive impairments experience and make decisions about caregiving during a global pandemic. Using purposive sampling, 63 family caregivers across eight states participated in open-ended qualitative interviews (2019-2020), until thematic saturation was reached. Questions broadly examined caregivers’ experiences and decisions, focusing on decisions made around type of care setting. Questions about responses to the Pandemic were added as events unfolded. States were selected to represent variation in Home and Community Based Service (HCBS) expenditures as a percentage of total Medicaid long-term services and supports expenditures. Family caregivers experienced significant concern about COVID-19 itself, and about the indirect consequences of caregiving caused by the pandemic. Caregivers also displayed flexibility and adaptability in ceasing selected services, contingently continuing services, and utilizing telemedicine and other remote healthcare interventions to protect their loved ones. Many family caregivers utilized remote health care tools such telemedicine, no-contact prescription and grocery delivery. Such measures improved service access and reduced caregiver workload. Given the persistent challenges posed by COVID-19, long-term service organizations have an opportunity to enhance their policies to meet the needs of caregivers and those they care for. There is a need to expand telemedicine and other remote healthcare tools, while adapting these technologies to the needs of families. Also, procedures are needed for safe pathways to utilize HCBS and nursing care during a pandemic including communication supports, sufficient PPE, increased staffing, and utilization of evidence-based protocols.