When a person is admitted into hospice care, there are some things that can be done to make the transition easier for all parties involved, according to Simione Healthcare Consultants.
"The requirements for hospice admission these days are very extensive in terms of the documentation necessary to meet quality and regulatory requirements,” Katherine Northcutt, a registered nurse and senior manager at Simione, said Among the many requirements for admission are a certification of terminal illness and an order. Consents for treatment are certainly part of the process, as well as determining what expectations and goals the patient and family have. Clinical information and other documentation that support the medical prognosis must also be included in the medical record. All of this critical information is coordinated by the referral center in most agencies."
Dealing with end-of-life care is obviously difficult. The purpose of hospice care is to make a patient comfortable while dealing with the end stages of a terminal illness. Part of that process is making sure all of the patient’s affairs are in order, including with the care itself, including insurance verification and visits with doctors and nurse practitioners.
Hospice staff should pay close attention to the quality of their care from beginning to end.
“Quality management begins when the phone rings! Hospice agencies need to examine their current response time from referral to first visit," Northcutt said. "while involving the team to improve scheduling and response time, and following up on all details that may delay hospice admission. This level of diligence requires that hospice teams track the time from referral to first visit.
Ultimately, each patient is different, and hospice staff will have to tailor their service to the patient. Using metrics, surveys and even mystery calls is key to understanding the barriers to admission and ultimately helping patients and their families through an all too difficult process without any more hang-ups.
"By evaluating each kind of customer, the referral and admission teams will better understand potential barriers to timely admission. They need to remember that they 'carry the ball' to not only connect with patients and families, but also to use technology, ensure accurate data and respond in a timely way that results in a high level of satisfaction for people, and appropriate reimbursement for their hospice agency," Northcutt said.
Edited by
Cassandra Tucker
