Determining the appropriate hospice care you or a loved one requires at the end-of-life may seem such as a daunting task to take on during an already difficult time. In a recent blog describing hospice and palliative care, I’ve received many responses from readers who wish to know how to pick a hospice program that’s right for them. A number of these readers have shared their experiences with me on hospice care; some good, and others bad. I have compiled some tips from industry experts to help take the guesswork out of selecting a hospice hospice care provider.
One of many first items to remember when beginning your seek out hospice care is to appreciate hospices are first and foremost a small business, and while a well-intended business, they want yours. Nevertheless, it`s vital that you ask questions and get answers before committing to anything. Differences between hospices tend to be hard to find out as they tend to supply similar services. While memberships in state hospice organizations and The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) may seem impressive, they’re offered to any hospice. What does matter is that the hospice is Medicare certified, as Medicare supplies the baseline requirements for quality care.
To qualify for Medicare certification, hospices must offer 16 separate core and auxiliary services. Core services include bereavement counseling, nutritional services and doctor services. Continuous home care, physical therapy, medication administration and household services are typical samples of auxiliary services. Also important is whether a hospice need your insurance. The Hospice Blog offers some great advice and tips that can help streamline the search process for you. First, learn who owns the hospice agency you’re considering, and what the owner`s background is. May be the hospice service nonprofit, for profit or government operated? The type of ownership may influence the services a hospice patient receives. And communicate with the administrator when contacting a hospice.
Let’s face it, the administrator has the authority to state yes or no to anything the hospice office assistant or hospice employer has promised you. If you have found a hospice that meets your preferences, make sure it’s your home office, rather than a branch. Generally, the nurse who resides at the house office has access to the individual in charge. Branch offices will not have employees who make financial or business decisions. Finally, before picking a hospice, learn where in actuality the on-call nurse lives. If the nurse lives far from the patient requiring hospice care, the response time will require longer.