Hospice Management Advisor Archives – February 1, 2009
February 1, 2009
View Issues
-
Noncancer diagnoses make length of service hard to predict
The typical hospice patient has changed over the years, primarily due to the increase in noncancer patients admitted to hospice. -
Hospice nurses managing chronic disease symptoms
As the U.S. population ages, it makes sense that hospice patients will be older as well. Results of the hospice data collected by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) show a 3.4% increase in patients older than age 85 between 2006 and 2007, with 36.6% of all hospice patients older than age 85. -
Fill gaps in care: Partner with nonmedical agency
Hospice managers admit that the most reliable referral network is comprised of relationships developed with other providers in the community who can recommend hospice to appropriate patients. For this reason, hospices frequently develop relationships with hospitals, physician practices, home health agencies, and nursing homes. -
Cover all your bases with nonmedical caregivers
Although partnering with a nonmedical caregiving agency does give a hospice an additional way to help families meet their caregiver needs that are not covered by the Medicare hospice benefit, it is important that proper training be provided to the nonmedical caregivers. -
Future challenges: Scrutiny, more complex patients
Managers don't normally keep a crystal ball in their supply closet, but the ability to predict, or at least guess, at the future of health care as our country faces economic and political changes could be helpful. -
Telemonitoring, electronic orders improve efficiency
A shrinking work force, expanding patient base, and sicker patients are challenges that many agencies are meeting with technology. -
HIV doc shortage may block access to care
National HIV/AIDS groups predict a shortage of HIV physicians in the coming years as the doctors who became impassioned to work in this field early in the epidemic begin to retire. -
Is HIPAA suspended during an emergency?
The Office of Civil Rights (OCR) recently posted a frequently asked question (FAQ) regarding the status of the privacy rule during a national or public health emergency on its web site. -
UK ethicist remarks on dementia patients
United Kingdom's Baroness Mary Warnock, considered an expert on medical ethics, created a stir in late 2008 with her suggestion that those in the UK with dementia have a duty to die, so as not to strain public health resources. -
Meetings with family enhance palliative care
Although family meetings are recognized as an effective way to communicate diagnoses, treatment plans, and goals of care with palliative care patients and family members, research shows that there is little information available to palliative care providers about the best way to conduct these meetings. -
Study examines substituted judgment
Making the decision to move from curative to palliative care, or to remain in the hospital or move to a hospice setting, is not easy, but it is especially difficult for physicians who treat seriously ill patients who lack the capacity to make their own health care decisions. -
Alliance to sponsor education and research
A group of home health organizations have formed the Alliance for Home Health Quality and Innovation (AHHQI) to support education and research, and to demonstrate the value of home-based care to patients, their families, and policy-makers.