Hospice Management Advisor Archives – October 1, 2004
October 1, 2004
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Controlling use of medications can cut costs and improve care
Hospices too often find that no single health care professional is coordinating a dying patients pharmaceutical needs, including both adequate pain treatment and drugs to alleviate other conditions and symptoms. -
Education needed to improve use of pain drugs
Drug therapy for pain management and end-of-life care traditionally has not been a formal priority in medical education, so hospices often run into obstacles when trying to obtain the most effective and efficient pain medications, experts suggest. -
End-of-life coalitions forming nationwide
Hospice directors and staff sometimes find that its difficult to change a prevailing attitude about death and dying when that attitude involves an entire community. This is where the Rallying Points program, designed to build community coalitions to support end-of-life care, can be a solution. -
Special Report: Making the Satisfaction Grade
The September issue of Hospice Management Advisor included articles focusing on hospice client satisfaction. In this issue, hospice officials offer tips on how to improve client satisfaction -
Are you missing serious illness in older patients?
An elderly woman presents with a chief complaint of constipation, with few symptoms of acute abdomen. Would you suspect appendicitis in this patient? You may find a misleadingly benign physical assessment in older patients, despite the presence of a potentially lethal illness. -
Guest Column: CMS proposes new patient choice requirements
In proposed rules published on May 18, 2004, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposes to incorporate certain provisions of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 into Conditions of Participation applicable to hospitals and to extend these requirements to skilled nursing facilities. -
Living wills called useless; power of attorney preferred
Living wills dont work; furthermore, its a waste of time to promote them to patients, according to researchers at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. -
News from the End of Life: Nurse supervisor accused of stealing pain meds
Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox has announced charges against a Howell, MI, nursing home nurse supervisor, accusing him of stealing prescription painkillers from hospice patients.