Sponsored by Assemblyman Herb Conaway Jr. (D-Burlington), a new bill before the New Jersey state legislature would establish a Practitioner Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (or POLST) Form Registry in the state of New Jersey. The bill would give residents the option to voluntarily register their end-of-life health care wishes through the Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) […]
A group of hospices and home health agencies in small Arizona communities are working with local businesses, such as restaurants and other community resources, to ensure that isolated patients receive meals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Collaborative efforts are bringing communities together as the coronavirus pandemic touches every corner of the globe. Building unifying relationships with […]
Carla Davis is the CEO of South Carolina-based Heart of Hospice. She came into that role with diverse compliance, operational and sales experience including as chief operating officer of VistaCare, and vice president of sales and marketing at Heartland Home Health Care and Hospice, a division of HCR ManorCare. Davis has kept Heart of Hospice […]
Despite the uncertainties brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, advance care planning remains critical. With death tolls and confirmed cases rising, advance care planning is increasingly vital, particularly for high-risk patient populations receiving hospice and palliative care. Severe illness and possible death are among the risks posed by the novel coronavirus, according to the U.S. […]
As the COVID-19 spread continues with climbing death rates and confirmed cases, providers across the health care continuum are navigating the impact on patients and staff. With older adults and those with serious medical conditions at greatest risk, palliative care stands to play a significant role during the coronavirus outbreak. According to the U.S. Centers […]
Effective governance becomes even more critical to hospice providers during emergency situations. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread, one of the many ripple effects is its impact on the role of hospice leadership. Even before the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) a pandemic on March 11, 2020, it was spreading […]
Even without the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, pediatric hospice patients and their families face a variety of end-of-life care needs that are unique from those of adult patients. Yet, youth-specific hospice patients are among those most underserved in the nation. Connecticut-based Regional Hospice is building the North Star inpatient wing to expand upon its children’s hospice […]
Concord Regional Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) and Central New Hampshire VNA & Hospice have signed a letter of intent signaling a merger. The non-binding letter starts the ball rolling towards the merger as the two organizations collaborate expand hospice and home- and community-based care in the region. Concord VNA is a palliative care, home health […]
Growing patient and family concerns about safety are among the many challenges the end-of-life care community is facing during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. As hospice providers meet patient care needs during the outbreak, an added challenge is alleviating patient concerns about staff coming into the home. As the novel virus continues to spread, so do […]
With older adults suffering from chronic or life-limiting medical conditions among those most vulnerable during the COVID-19 outbreak, nursing homes across the country are restricting access to their facilities. As a result, hospice providers have experienced difficulty accessing their patients in nursing home settings. Nursing home populations are at the highest risk of being affected […]