Hospice And Palliative Care Case Study

Hospice and Palliative Care of Greensboro is a nonprofit organization, meaning that they rely heavily on donations from the community. While they do accept most major insurance providers and Medicaid some providers do not cover the cost of hospice services or it is not enough to cover the cost in full. With that being said they do not turn anyone away due to inability to pay. It “costs approximately 1 million a year to operate, and money is earned through 2 fundraisers a year, an annual campaign and donations made throughout the year” (Gibson, J). The first fundraiser of each year is in March called Corks for Kids Path, it is a wine tasting event that had approximately 600 people this year. Corks for Kids has raised over $800,000 in nine years

There is a multidisciplinary team to provide the appropriate care for each patient and their family, that team consist of, nurses, MD, social workers, dieticians, therapist, chaplains nurse techs and volunteers. Each patient receives the same compassionate care regardless of their background, monetary contributions and location of services being provided. To become a patient of HPCG one must have a referral from their primary physician certifying that they have 6 months or less to live. Once services begin patients are routinely recertified based on their needs, sometimes a patient may improve and no longer need hospice services and at times services are started and stopped based on the condition of the patient and the illness that they have. Services provided include managing the pain and the symptoms of the underlying illness or disease, medications, spiritual care and volunteer services. Medical equipment and supplies are also provided to the patient when needed, most often in the home setting, as when they are in assisted living or long term care setting equipment is provided by that facility. The HPCG staff also help to provide the patient and family with guidance in making end of life decisions such as creating a living will and healthcare directives. Counseling services are provided to the patient and the

The Beacon Place was opened in 1996 as a 10-bed facility that provided a home like setting, with great success they have expanded the facility to provide 14 beds. At this time, there is a waiting list for a bed at this facility, patients are placed by their need. Those who are the sickest and require the most care, due to inability of care to be provided in the home or at an assisted or skilled facility are accepted first. Patients are sometimes only in a room for a day or two depending on their prognosis upon admittance. Beacon Place provides a home like setting with large comfortable rooms, with sitting space for family and friends during the patients last days and weeks. Nursing staff is there 24/7 to provide care and support to both the patient and the family. While the Beacon Place is typically for adults, they can transform a room to meet the needs of a child. When transforming a room, they put in a crib or child size bed as well as bright colored furniture and art work. Like all hospice services provided by HPCG the inability to pay will not keep anyone from receiving the care that they need within the Beacon