As healthcare professionals, we dedicate ourselves to the well-being of our patients. Even when a patient is nearing the end of life – when a cure no longer seems viable – we can still help them live as fully and meaningfully as possible through the last stages of illness. This is the next step in the continuum of care.
Instead of saying there’s “nothing more” that can be done, hospice and palliative care is the “something more” that can enhance your patients’ quality of life and minimize their pain and symptoms.
In fact, research shows:
Patients whose physicians and counselors initiate end-of-life discussions receive less aggressive traditional medical care near death (i.e., lower rates of ventilation, resuscitation and ICU admission), as well as earlier hospice referrals.
As South Jersey’s oldest and largest hospice organization, Samaritan has long been a leader in hospice care and innovation. Samaritan meets or exceeds the quality standards and guidelines of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, as well as key hospice criteria identified by Consumer Reports. These include:
For additional guidance on choosing a hospice provider, please see Questions to Ask when Choosing a Hospice. If you have questions about Samaritan, please call us at (800) 229-8183 or email [email protected].
Most Americans want to be cared for at home at the end of life. But physicians face many barriers to fulfilling this preference.
Trained to cure, doctors have difficulty predicting patients’ remaining lifespan. Survival estimates are accurate only 20% of the time — and too optimistic in 63% of cases.2 People also fear “giving up” or surrendering to illness.
As a result, patients and families often postpone hospice care — never benefiting from all the services and support they are entitled to.
At this stressful time, many people pull themselves in two directions: wanting end-of-life care at home, but not wanting to acknowledge that time has come. Overly optimistic prognoses add to the confusion. Tragically, hospice providers often hear families say, “We wish we had called sooner.”
Although conversations about life expectancy and end-of-life choices are difficult, they can ultimately result in families’ gratitude. As a healthcare professional, you can provide knowledge, comfort and options that people desperately need.
To learn specific techniques for addressing these issues with families, please call us at (800) 229-8183.