Determining the appropriate hospice care you or even a family member requires at the end-of-life may appear like a daunting task to defend myself against during a currently difficult time. In a recent 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. A number of these readers have shared their experiences with me on hospice care; some great, and others bad. I have compiled some suggestions from industry experts to simply help take the guesswork out of choosing a hospice hospice care provider.
One of the first what to remember when beginning your search for hospice care is to appreciate hospices are first and foremost a company, and while a well-intended business, they need yours. Having said that, it`s very important to ask questions and get answers before committing to anything. Differences between hospices tend to be hard to determine as they tend to provide similar services. While memberships in state hospice organizations and The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) may appear impressive, they’re open to any hospice. What does matter is that a hospice is Medicare certified, as Medicare offers 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 will accept your insurance. The Hospice Blog offers some very nice advice and tips that will assist streamline the search process for you. First, learn who owns the hospice agency you’re considering, and what the owner`s background is. Could be the hospice service nonprofit, for profit or government operated? The sort of ownership may influence the services a hospice patient receives. And talk to the administrator when contacting a hospice.
Let’s face it, the administrator has got the authority to express yes or no to anything the hospice office assistant or hospice employer has promised you. If you have found a hospice that fits your preferences, ensure it is your home office, rather than a branch. Generally, the nurse who resides at the house office has access to the person in charge. Branch offices tend not to have employees who make financial or business decisions. Finally, before choosing a hospice, learn where in actuality the on-call nurse lives. If the nurse lives far from the individual requiring hospice care, the response time will need longer.