Hospice Management Advisor Archives – September 1, 2005
September 1, 2005
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Hospices and hospitals increasingly focus on palliative care programs
Palliative care programs are growing in number and prominence at hospitals and hospices across the nation, as increasing numbers of health care providers want to focus on medicine used as much for comfort and quality of life as for diagnoses and cures when dealing with patients who have chronic illnesses for which there are no easy resolutions. -
Hospice program improves RN recruitment, retention
Hospices have had to deal with the periodic nursing shortages for decades, but California arguably has one of the most challenging problems, so a Sunnydale, CA, hospice has developed a nursing retention and recruitment program that tackles the problem with innovative solution. -
Tool decides who would benefit from CNA visits
Hospice families often need assistance with personal care for their dying loved one, but it's sometimes difficult for hospice staff to determine which patients truly need the help and which would be just as well off without it. -
Benchmark study identifies frequency, causes of falls
Although home health agencies have focused upon falls in the home for many years, their importance was brought into the spotlight when the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations included that category in the 2005 National Safety Patient Goals. -
Don't forget IT factors in disaster planning
Your disaster plan is complete. You know who is responsible for every aspect of contacting patients, contacting employees, arranging transportation, documenting evacuation plans, providing medications and supplies during the emergency, and keeping track of patient records. You are ready for weather-related emergencies, power outages, and transportation difficulties. -
Pain management project includes pathway for care
A quality improvement team that focused on ways clinicians could better manage patients' pain developed a one-page clinical pathway that clearly shows what needs to be done. -
Home health/day-care demo project announced
Up to 15,000 Medicare beneficiaries will be able to receive adult day-care services while receiving home health services as part of a demonstration project announced by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).