Program educates professionals of the benefits of using hospice earlier
Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare - Continuing Care & Allied Services/Senior Health
When it comes to medicine, much of society’s emphasis is placed on diagnostic procedures, curing diseases, and living longer. Since we will all inevitably die, however, it is rather ironic that there are limited resources available to care for the dying. People do not seem to be prepared for, or educated about, the process of death.
The result is that people who may benefit from hospice care much earlier in their disease process only seek hospice at the very end, when death is imminent. Because the cost of medical resources soars during the last few weeks or days of care, serving dying patients is extremely expensive. Yet it is at this point that care matters most, for symptom relief, pain control and quality of life.
Wheaton Franciscan Hospice is dedicated to providing hospice and palliative care to individuals who need the care, and reimbursement is certainly an issue. An even bigger issue, however, is the frustration of knowing that so many individuals could have a better quality of life for a longer period of time if they sought or were referred to hospice care earlier.
In an effort to educate individuals and care providers about the practical perspective and benefits of hospice and palliative care, Wheaton Franciscan Hospice sponsored a free educational event in November, 2007 featuring nationally-known hospice expert James F. Cleary, MD. Dr. Cleary provided an overview of the history of hospice, and analyzed the emerging trends in hospice and palliative care. He related the information to how it could best benefit patients. His presentation was followed by a physician-led panel discussion with spiritual, nursing, social work and caregiver experts from Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare. More than 450 health care professionals from 130 different health care entities attended.
Evaluations completed by attendees revealed an overwhelming rating of excellence. According to one evaluation, “This brief, two-hour seminar has profoundly changed my views, provided growth, and opened my eyes in regard to end of life issues, palliative care and hospice.”
This individual may now be better informed about how to help dying patients by better utilizing palliative care and hospice services. If that is the case, then in the eyes of Wheaton Franciscan Hospice, sponsoring the event was a success.