Determining the correct hospice care you or a loved one requires at the end-of-life may seem like a daunting task to take on during a currently difficult time. In a recent blog describing hospice and palliative care, I’ve received many responses from readers who would like to learn how to choose a hospice program that is right for them. Many of these readers have shared their experiences with me on hospice care; some great, and others bad. I’ve compiled some tips from industry experts to help take the guesswork out of selecting a hospice hospice care provider.
One of the first items to remember when beginning your seek out hospice care is to realize hospices are first and foremost a small business, and while a well-intended business, they need yours. That said, it`s important to ask questions and get answers before committing to anything. Differences between hospices are often hard to determine as they tend to offer similar services. While memberships in state hospice organizations and The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) may sound impressive, these are open to any hospice. What does matter is that the hospice is Medicare certified, as Medicare provides 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 examples of auxiliary services. Also important is whether a hospice encourage 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 are 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 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 requirements, make sure it’s the house office, rather than branch. Generally, the nurse who resides at the house office has use of the individual in charge. Branch offices will not have employees who make financial or business decisions. Finally, before selecting a hospice, learn where in actuality the on-call nurse lives. If the nurse lives far far from the patient requiring hospice care, the response time will need longer.