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Lack of Staff, Guidelines Build Hurdles for Hospice Bereavement Care Programs

Hospice News

Hospices often lack the financial and staffing resources needed to fully support bereaved families. As with nursing, the industry-wide labor shortage has impacted bereavement care, which is an underfunded service, according to Dr. Dawn Gross, palliative care physician at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Health.

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Hospices Step Up Pediatric Bereavement Care Amid Rising Demand

Hospice News

Some hospices have found peer support to be a crucial component of their pediatric bereavement programs amid rising demand for these services. Research indicates that the number of bereaved children nationwide is growing. The organization additionally researches child bereavement services and needs.

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Hospices Stepping Up Performance on Visits-in-Last-Days-of-Life Measure

Hospice News

The number of registered nurse and social worker visits during a patient’s final week is one of the seven quality measures that CMS uses to evaluate providers. Social worker visits in the last days of life also rose to 9% in 2021, up from 7% in 2020. visits in the last seven days of life between May and November 2023.

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Phoenix Children’s Pediatric Palliative Care Training Works to Bridge Access, Staffing Gaps

Hospice News

Phoenix Children’s palliative program began in 2009 and includes nine physicians, social workers, mental health therapists, child life specialists and bereavement support professionals. Four medical students have graduated from the fellowship program as of July 2023, with a fifth fellow anticipated this year.

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Caring for the Caregivers: Keys for Helping Family Members in Palliative Care Roles

Hospice News

Schaefer relays that palliative care social workers can “assess safety and health-related social needs like food insecurity, housing instability, financial stressors and behavioral health needs.” In addition to defining what palliative care is, providers should consider the caregivers—both their role and well-being.

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Government Funding Bill Extends Telehealth Flexibilities, Averts Cap Cut

NHPCO

Alexandria, VA) Congress has released the text of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, an omnibus funding package that will fund the government through Fiscal Year 2023. There is no requirement for hospices to use MFTs or MHCs and a social worker is still required if needed under a patient’s plan of care.

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NHPCO Statement: Debunking Hospice Myths Propagated by Recent News Story

NHPCO

For Immediate Release June 21, 2023 (Alexandria, VA) – The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) published the following statement in response to a recent NBC News story on HCA Healthcare hospitals, suggesting that HCA hospitals may be inappropriately pushing patients toward hospice care.

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