admission
Benefits of earlier admission.
Earlier referrals to hospice help patients and families access and receive the maximum benefit and full scope of hospice services.
Anyone with a life expectancy of six months or less, if their illness runs its usual course, may be eligible for hospice services especially when cure isn’t an option and the focus is on symptom management and quality of life.
Hospice is not a crisis service for just the last few days of life. It is a program designed to care for the patient and family during the last months of life. An earlier hospice admission allows both patient and family to receive the full benefit of hospice services. Additionally, when pain and other symptoms are effectively controlled, people not only feel better, but they also have the potential to live a better and more meaningful life.
According to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, “The Commission has previously expressed concern about very short hospice stays. More than one-quarter of hospice decedents enroll in hospice services only in the last week of life, a length of stay which is commonly thought to be of less benefit to patients than enrolling somewhat earlier.” (MEDPAC Report, March 2016, Chap. 11).
Patients and caregivers have often said they would like to have been referred to hospice earlier. Earlier referral allows more opportunities to provide meaningful and comprehensive care.
For the patient
Benefits of comprehensive hospice care, including comfort, pain management, emotional and spiritual support, and reduced stress and expenses.
- Compassion and dignity with an individualized comfort care plan
- Clinical excellence for pain and symptom management where you live
- Decreased stress levels to positively affect quality of life
- Comprehensive care that incorporates mind, body, and spirit
- Reduction in unnecessary re-admissions to hospital / ER visits
- Help with focusing on and developing personal goals before death
- Preparation and coordination of advance directives
- Reduced stress of traveling back and forth to the hospital for the patient and family
- More control of the situation
- Emotional and spiritual support for grief and counseling
- Have closure with everyone together
- Achieve peace with pending death
- Expert assistance and time to prepare for personal and financial matters
- Save on expenses for medication, equipment, and supplies related to the terminal condition
For the patient
Known for an unwavering commitment to transparency and compliance, Luminary Hospice creates visionary partnerships, remains locally owned, and offers value-based personalized care. Luminary seeks to inspire and influence others while delivering the highest quality of care with best-in-class practices among our constituents:
Able to observe their loved one in a more comfortable state during a challenging time
Opportunity to improve the quality of life of their loved one for the time that remains
Develop relationship with a bereavement counselor earlier during a challenging time
Learn to assist in caring for their loved one