Editorial clarification

The closing sentence in Hospice Management Advisor’s December 1997 cover story on compliance problems in the hospice industry seems to have generated some misunderstanding. HMA quoted the following statement made by Patricia Murphy, RN, of VNA of Northern California, Emeryville, in a workshop at NHO’s October 1997 Annual Meeting in Atlanta: "I look at the conditions of participation now and I wonder: How did we think we could get away with what we were doing before?" Murphy intended to refer to the standard of practice for the industry as a whole, not just her own hospice.

That was also the meaning we intended to convey, and we regret any misunderstanding. By the way, Murphy’s current full title is Director of Hospice for Home Hospice, a Program of VNA of Northern California.