A hospice is an option to consider when looking for long term care. However, not all hospices are created equal, so the following is a number of questions you should probably ask when deciding on a hospice program:
1. Accreditation: You really must always ask if the agency is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting body. For example, by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations? Being accredited is important because it means that the organization has voluntarily sought accreditation and is committed to providing quality care.
2. Certification: Medicare certifies hospice programs, so ask the director if this hospice program is Medicare certified. Medicare certified programs have met federal minimum requirements for patient care and management, so you can be sure they at least meet a minimum standard of care.
3. Licenser:basically this is to protect yourself from fraud, and people who are not really qualified to run a hospice. So ask, Is the program licensed by the state?
4. Consumer information: This is the stuff that should give you some peace of mind. So ask yourself, does the agency have written statements outlining services, eligibility criteria, costs, and payment procedures, employee job descriptions, malpractice, and liability insurance?
5. References: With anything you are considering doing, references, and good references are essential. So, how many years has the agency been serving the community? Can they provide references from professionals who have used this agency? Check with the Better Business Bureau, local Consumer Bureau, or the State Attorney General’s office.
6. Plan of care: Your loved one is important enough to have some specific plans laid out for them. So, does the agency create a plan of care for each new patient? Is the plan carefully and professionally developed with you and your family? Is the plan of care written out and copies given to all involved? Does the plan list specific duties, work hours/days, and the contact information of the person in charge? Ask if you can review a sample care plan.
7. Family caregiver: Does the hospice require a designated family primary caregiver as a condition of admission? How much responsibility is expected of the family caregiver? What help can the hospice offer in coordinating and supplementing the family’s efforts or filling in around job schedules, travel plans, or other responsibilities? If the patient lives alone, what alternatives can the hospice suggest?
8. Preliminary evaluation: The preliminary evaluation can tell you a lot about the quality of service you can expect with a hospice. So, ask yourself the following:
– Does a nurse, social worker or therapist conduct a preliminary evaluation of the types of services needed in the patient’s home?
– Is it conducted in the home, not on the telephone?
– Does it highlight what the patient can do for him or herself?
– Does it include consultation with family physicians and/or other professionals already providing the patient with health and social services?
– Are other members of the family consulted?
9. Costs: Everyone wants the best for their family, but costs can be prohibitive, knowing costs and the things associated with it is important, so ask the following:
– How does the agency handle payment and billing?
– What resources does the agency provide to help you find financial assistance if it is needed?
– Are standard payment plan options available?
When it comes to money you have to be careful, so be sure to get all financial arrangements-costs, payment procedures, and billing-in writing, if it isn’t in writing it isn’t binding. Then, read the agreement carefully, and make sure you clearly understand everything it says before signing. Be sure to keep a copy for your own records.
10. Telephone response: You want to be able to have your questions and concerns answered right away and in a manner that is comfortable for you. So ask the following when evaluating different hospices. Also, one good thing to do is actually try it out. How a hospice responds to that first call for help may be a good indicator of the kind of care to expect, so ask the following, and then see for yourself:
– Does the agency have a 24-hour telephone number you can call when you have questions?
– How does the hospice respond to the very first call?
– Do the telephone staff convey an attitude of caring, patience, and competence from the first contact, even if they need to return the patient’s call?
– Do they speak in plain, understandable language, or do they use a lot of jargon about the requirements that patients must meet?
– What is the procedure for receiving and resolving complaints?
11. Services: There are a lot of different services you may want available to your loved one. So be sure to ask questions regarding services:
– How quickly can the hospice initiate services?
– What are its geographic service boundaries?
– Does the hospice offer specialized services such as rehabilitation therapists, pharmacists, dietitians, or family counselors when these could improve the patient’s comfort?
– Does the hospice provide medical equipment or other items that might enhance the patient’s quality of life?
12 Inpatient care: When it comes to inpatient care there are a lot of questions you should ask:
– What are the program’s policies regarding inpatient care?
– Where is such care provided?
– What are the requirements for an inpatient admission?
– How long can patients stay?
– What happens if the patient no longer needs inpatient care but cannot return home?
– Can you tour the inpatient unit or residential facility?
– What hospitals contract with the hospice for inpatient care?
– What kind of follow-up does the hospice provide for those patients?
– Do nursing homes contract with the hospice?
– Does the hospice provide as much nursing, social work, and aide care for each patient in the nursing home as it does in the home setting?