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 an already difficult time. In a recent blog describing hospice and palliative care, I’ve received many responses from readers who want to learn how to select a hospice program that’s right for them. Many of these readers have shared their experiences with me on hospice care; some good, and others bad. I have compiled some suggestions from industry experts to simply help take the guesswork out of picking a hospice hospice near me.
One of the first items to remember when beginning your search for hospice care is to understand hospices are first and foremost a company, and while a well-intended business, they desire yours. That said, it`s crucial that you ask questions and get answers before committing to anything. Differences between hospices tend to be hard to ascertain as they tend to offer similar services. While memberships in state hospice organizations and The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) may seem impressive, they are offered to any hospice. What does matter is that a 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 samples 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 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 type of ownership may influence the services a hospice patient receives. And speak with the administrator when contacting a hospice.
Let’s face it, the administrator gets the authority to say yes or no to anything the hospice office assistant or hospice employer has promised you. When you have found a hospice that fits your needs, ensure it is your home office, rather than a branch. Generally, the nurse who resides at the home office has use of anyone in charge. Branch offices usually do not have employees who make financial or business decisions. Finally, before selecting a hospice, learn where in fact the on-call nurse lives. If the nurse lives far far from the patient requiring hospice care, the response time will take longer.