Hospice Management Advisor articles from May 2002

Hospice Management Advisor archives from May 2002

NHPCO: hospices are not meeting the needs of dying children; more training, revised reimbursement needed if care is to improve.(National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization)
May 1, 2002... Of the 53,000 children who will die this year, most will die in hospitals. More than half will die suddenly and unexpectedly. But the remainder who suffer from chronic disease that will take their lives before they reach adulthood will likely...

A model for pediatric care struggles on in DC region; funding and policy changes are needed.
May 1, 2002... The concept of providing customized care for dying children and their families is a working reality in the northern Virginia-Washington, DC, area, where The Hospices of the National Capital Region are using what they call the CARICEL program,...

Home health essential in pediatric care; many hospices may not be able to afford it.
May 1, 2002... It is a point that has been made before but is worth repeating: The adult hospice model is inappropriate for dying children and their families. It does not account for the need to reach sick children and their parents long before doctors have...

Caring for sick children is a privilege, not a job; expert outlines the challenges. (Guest Column).
May 1, 2002... The challenges of providing pediatric palliative care are great, but the rewards are much greater. When a family invites you into their lives at time of grief and uncertainty, it is a privilege to provide care to a sick child and comfort the...

Minority groups focusing on end-of-life care; NAACP joins the cause. (Guest Column).
May 1, 2002... Minorities are significantly less likely to receive appropriate analgesia for a number of painful conditions, although patient-physician strategies to overcome barriers to appropriate analgesia exist, says Stacie Pinderhughes, MD, assistant...

New bereavement resource available. (News From the End of Life).("Guidelines for Bereavement Care in Hospice" from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization)
May 1, 2002... Hospice and palliative care providers now have a new resource to consult in managing, developing, and enhancing their grief and bereavement programs. Representing the diverse experiences and expertise of hospice bereavement counselors from...

MNTX shows promise for opioid effects. (News From the End of Life).(methylnaltrexone)
May 1, 2002... Parenteral and oral administration of methylnaltrexone (MNTX) has clinical utility in managing opioid bowel dysfunction (OPD) with minimal adverse effects, according to two recently published studies. According to the findings, MNTX may be...

RWJF launches new program. (News From the End of Life).(Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Last Acts program)
May 1, 2002... Community-based coalitions working to improve care for dying patients across the United States are eligible for support from an innovative three-year national program called Rallying Points. This initiative of The Robert Wood Johnson...

JCAHO offers new home care publications. (News From the End of Life).(Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations' Joint Commission Resources Group publishes Examples of Compliance: Pain Assessment and Management)
May 1, 2002... The Joint Commission Resources Group, a subsidiary of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, has released Examples of Compliance: Pain Assessment and Management. This book offers practical solutions and examples for...