Determining the correct hospice care you or even a cherished one requires at the end-of-life might seem such as a daunting task to battle during a currently difficult time. In a current blog describing hospice and palliative care, I’ve received many responses from readers who wish to learn how to pick a hospice program that’s right for them. Several readers have shared their experiences with me on hospice care; some great, and others bad. I’ve compiled some suggestions from industry experts to help take the guesswork out of selecting a hospice hospice care.
One of the first what to remember when beginning your seek out hospice care is to appreciate hospices are first and foremost a company, and while a well-intended business, they want yours. Nevertheless, it`s important to ask questions and get answers before committing to anything. Differences between hospices are often hard to ascertain while they tend to provide similar services. While memberships in state hospice organizations and The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) may seem impressive, they’re open to any hospice. What does matter is that a 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 all examples of auxiliary services. Also important is whether a hospice need your insurance. The Hospice Blog offers some good advice and tips that can help streamline the search process for you. First, find out who owns the hospice agency you’re considering, and what the owner`s background is. Is the hospice service nonprofit, for profit or government operated? The kind of ownership may influence the services a hospice patient receives. And speak to the administrator when contacting a hospice.
Let’s face it, the administrator has got 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 needs, ensure it is the home office, rather than a branch. Generally, the nurse who resides at the house office has access to anyone in charge. Branch offices will not have employees who make financial or business decisions. Finally, before choosing a hospice, discover where the on-call nurse lives. If the nurse lives far away from the individual requiring hospice care, the response time will take longer.