Hospice Expert
April Smith is the marketing director for South Wind Hospice, which serves 17 counties...read more
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Hospice
Hospice: What to Expect
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There is a lot of confusion around what one can expect when engaging hospice services. First, a referral is made by a physician, hospital, nursing home, patient or family member. Then a doctor must sign an order stating that the patient is hospice-appropriate. In other words, based on the doctor’s best medical judgment, the life expectancy of the patient is six months or fewer. If you want to make a referral for yourself, speak to your physician about your wishes. If your doctor denies your request, see another doctor or contact a hospice provider directly. Sometimes doctors will not sign a request for hospice because they feel the patient is giving up on them or that they have failed their patient. However, if the patient is terminal and wishes to receive hospice care, then it is his or her decision to do so—not the doctor’s.
Next, the patient is admitted to hospice by a social worker and a nurse. The two will meet with the patient and their family to explain hospice, develop a plan of care and complete paperwork.
Once a patient is admitted to hospice, he or she will be visited by several members of the hospice team. The staff members include RNs or LPNs, chaplains, social workers, home health aides and trained volunteers. The nurse will provide a weekly assessment, and will make more visits if needed. With the interdisciplinary team, a patient will see a hospice staff member roughly three times a week. Although the staff members will not stay twenty-four hours a day, they will make as many visits as necessary to ensure the proper care is given. The length of their stay will vary depending on the condition of the patient.
During the visits, a patient’s physical, spiritual, emotional, and social needs are determined and addressed. A typical visit consists of checking health status, administrating medications, changing bandages, providing equipment, and/or talking with the patient. Visits may also include engaging the patient in a favorite activity or special event. Some visits may involve assisting with funeral arrangements, power of attorney and living wills. Each visit is adjusted to satisfy the need of the patient and their family.
Spreading the Word—
April Smith
Posted in Finding Hospice, Hospice & Palliative Care, Hospice Care, Hospice: April Smith
if your doctor won’t sign off on hospice care you can go the provider and they can sign offf on it? or they just will help you find a doctor who will?
Dear frankg,
If your doctor will not sign you on for hospice, then you could see another doctor. There is nothing wrong with getting a second opinion. It’s possible that you may not be hospice appropriate. However, if you are terminal, then it’s your choice whether or not to seek hospice care. A doctor may recommend aggressive curative treatment, but if you don’t want that, then you shouldn’t have to do it. The choice is yours on how you live your life.
All hospices have a medical director that can substitute for your physician if needed. You should first talk to your doctor about hospice—and if you meet with resistance then contact a hospice for help. Hospice information can be obtained online, such as via Gilbert Guide’s free subscription service, or by looking up Hospice in the phonebook.
What exactly does a Marketing Director for a hospice do?
Well, that’s a great question and one I’ve heard a lot although sometimes it is phrased differently, such as, “Why does a hospice need a marketing director?” The reason is because there are still a lot of people who don’t know what hospice is. The role of the marketing director is to spread awareness about hospice, promote the services and educate the public, as well as market the unique characteristics of their own hospice. I’ve been told that I could also be referred to as public relations, networking, outreach or liaison. Some of the main responsibilities include dealing with advertising, visiting referral sources (hospitals, nursing homes, physicians, discharge planners, social workers, administrators, etc.) along with attending health fairs and conferences. The marketing director does not sell a product but promotes a service.
Loved your article! I am a former Hospice nurse, now administrator entering into a research project for my MS in Management. I hope to research how marketing Hospice to physicians may decrease the incidence of “late referrals”. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Dear Katie,
Thanks for your response. As to your comment about decreasing “late referrals,” I’m still working on that one! From research, I’ve found the best way to decrease late referrals is continuous education. The problem is getting the physicians to listen to what you have to say, read material you leave, or attend an in-service you provide. Hospice is a sensitive and touchy subject that a lot of people, even physicians, have a hard time discussing. Providing Continuing Education Units (CEU) is an excellent way to get physicians to attend an in-service, but there is a lot involved in doing so. Maybe look into something like that? Perhaps compare the Average Length of Stay (ALOS) on hospice for a physician’s patients before and then after attending an education class (just an idea). I wish you good luck with your research!