Understanding the progressive nature of dementia can help in the decision to continue or discontinue dementia medications in patients on hospice care for end-stage dementia. Goals change as patient’s progress from mild to severe dementia. In mild to moderate dementia, the primary goal is to slow the progression of the disease. As dementia nears its…
If ever there is a time for compassionate medicine, it is when a patient is nearing the end of life. Unfortunately, when hospice becomes involved in patient care and recommendations are made for the discontinuation of medications, patients and caregivers alike can feel abandoned. They may feel as though the discontinuations will hasten death, worsen…
Tramadol is frequently prescribed for the treatment of pain in the palliative care setting. Various reasons for its popularity include its low cost and ease of prescribing as it is a Schedule IV medication rather than a more highly regulated Schedule II product. However, prescribers do have to consider its pharmacology and adverse effects in…
Despite the American Medical Association’s stance that “cannabis is a dangerous drug and as such is a public health concern,” the use of medical cannabis, or medical marijuana, is increasing. With the legalization of marijuana in various states and the availability of marijuana and/or cannabidiol for medical purposes in over twenty states, hospice providers are…
Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is the spectrum of neuropsychiatric abnormalities associated with end stage liver disease. Symptoms range from subtle alterations in mental status to confusion and coma. A severely diseased liver is not able to normally metabolize ammonia and a variety of other neurotoxic substances, resulting in their accumulation. Because the primary cause of HE…
For decades, patients, caregivers, and sometimes even hospice staff have erroneously believed that morphine use hastens death. However, these same people have continued to use morphine believing that the provision of a pain-free death is more important than extending the dying process. After the death of a loved one who was treated with morphine or…
A Recent Hospice Update Eliminates The 3-Decade Old Per-Diem Rate: Hospices will now be reimbursed a rate that is higher on days 1-60 of a stay ($187.54) and lower thereafter ($145.14). Hospices can now bill for reimbursement for service intensity add-on (SIA) payments which pay agencies for up to four hours of direct patient care…
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission suggested that hospice rates should receive a 0% market basket adjustment for fiscal year 2017
The Inn Between Homeless Hospice Gets a Helping Hand from CNS Hospice Salt Lake City, UT. Community Nursing Services’ hospice program has made a significant donation to The Inn Between, a new hospice created to serve the area’s homeless population. Since Community Nursing Services (CNS) is a non-profit business, they are usually the recipient of…
Boise Rescue Mission Receives a Helping Hand from Meridian’s Accent Hospice Boise, ID. Accent Hospice Care, LLC, has donated hundreds of dollars to the Boise Rescue Mission (BRM) in honor of a patient they have who was living at the mission. In many instances, hospices are the recipient of charitable contributions, but in this case,…
