Column: Hospice cooperates with the patient to fulfill his desires

My objective as a patient and hospice advocate is to work with healthcare professionals from all disciplines, continuing to increase education and improve knowledge of the best ways to honour and respect the wishes and concerns of patients when they reach the end of their lives. It’s not a secret that for over 30 years, hospitals across the U.S. have been trying to persuade healthcare providers (and family members) to consider hospice as a choice for their exceptional care in the final days of life. However, many misperceptions and myths regarding hospice stop families and patients from enjoying the full benefits of hospice.

Hospice care is offered to patients with advanced terminal illness who no longer require medical treatment. The primary physician or specialist is usually the first to initiate the referral process. However case manager, hospital or nursing home personnel, as well as family members can be able to refer patients if they have the doctor’s consent to the hospice prescription.

Hospice understands the necessity for support and compassion in the final moments during a person’s lifetime. Hospice personnel employ an inter-disciplinary team approach to provide hospice care that meets the emotional, physical social, and spiritual demands of everyone affected. Hospice provides families and patients with a variety of services regardless of race or ethnicity color, religion gender or age disabilities sexual orientation, the country of origin.

Since nobody can know the nature for a dying illness it is not possible to set a limit to the days that the patient is eligible for hospice medical care. Medicare Hospice Benefit Medicare Hospice Benefit comprises two 90-day benefit periods as well as unrestricted 60-day benefits. Each benefit period must be accompanied by medical approval of the life-limiting condition at the start of the time. Medicare Hospice Benefit Medicare Hospice Benefit will cover the cost of hospice care and assistance for each benefit period, irrespective of the duration of the patient’s time within Hospice care.

For certain medical professionals, families as well as patients, this language of the hospice benefit Certificate of terminal illness could be viewed as a barrier to the provision of hospice care since it states that the prognosis for a patient must be “six months, or less in the event that the disease follows its usual path.” In reality, Medicare acknowledges that life expectancy is not a exact scientific fact however there is no penalty for patients who live more than six months. A lot of patients live longer than six months, especially when hospice care is started due to the individual treatment they receive.

In addition, financial issues are a major concern for a lot of families and patients with the possibility of a terminal illness. The hospice care program is offered by Medicare, Medicaid, and the majority of private insurance plans, and patients can receive hospice services regardless of their capacity to pay for it. Hospice provides significant savings to patients and their families by offering high-quality medical equipment (for instance oxygen, hospital beds wheelchair, walker shower chair, overbed table) Medical supplies (for instance, wound care items diapers, wipes, pull-ups) as well as the medicines listed in the plan of Care.

The hospice benefit are visits to the home that are performed by members from the interprofessional team. In particular, routine visits conducted by nurse case managers with specialized training in symptom and pain management and Hospice Aides who provide individual attention and a registered Medical Social Worker who offers emotional assistance, chaplain services to provide spiritual assistance and trained volunteers to provide assistance. Hospice is just one phone call away, 24 every day, 7 every day of the week, for emergency needs and also.

I treasure in my soul the sentiments that the late Dr. Cicley Saunders (1967): “You matter because you are who you. You matter until the final minute of your life and we’ll do everything we can assist you in dying in peace, but also live to the end”.

– Vickie C. Wacaster is a patient and hospice advocate for Aveanna Hospice (formerly Comfort Care Hospice).

The story Column: Hospice collaborates to meet the needs of patients was originally published at The Andalusia Star-News.