Determining the appropriate hospice care you or perhaps a family member requires at the end-of-life may appear like a daunting task to battle during an already difficult time. In a recent blog describing hospice and palliative care, I’ve received many responses from readers who want to understand how to select a hospice program that’s right for them. Several readers have shared their experiences with me on hospice care; some good, and others bad. I have compiled some suggestions from industry experts to help take the guesswork out of selecting a hospice hospice care.
Among the first what to remember when beginning your search for hospice care is to realize hospices are first and foremost a company, and while a well-intended business, they need yours. Having said that, it`s vital that you ask questions and get answers before committing to anything. Differences between hospices tend to be hard to find out because they tend to offer similar services. While memberships in state hospice organizations and The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) may appear impressive, they are offered 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 samples of auxiliary services. Also important is whether a hospice need your insurance. The Hospice Blog offers some good advice and tips that will assist streamline the search process for you. First, find out who owns the hospice agency you are considering, and what the owner`s background is. Could be the hospice service nonprofit, for profit or government operated? The type 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 say yes or no to anything the hospice office assistant or hospice employer has promised you. When you yourself have found a hospice that fits your needs, make sure it’s the house office, rather than branch. Generally, the nurse who resides at the home office has use of anyone in charge. Branch offices tend not to 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 away from the in-patient requiring hospice care, the response time can take longer.