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| News & Events |
| June 05, 2008
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| TRANSITION TOOL DESIGNED TO MEASURE HOSPICE APPROP |
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Approximately 1.5 million Americans reside in skilled nursing facilities and with the continued aging of the nation’s baby boomers, more and more Americans will access the services of the country’s 17,000 certified nursing homes. Currently, more than 20% of all US deaths occur in this care setting. Unfortunately, nursing home residents continue to be under represented as hospice beneficiaries. This misfortune occurs despite the fact that nursing homes are exactly where the talents of hospice professionals are most needed.
In an effort to improve the transition of nursing home residents into hospice care, Niagara Rehabilitation and Nursing Center (NRNC) and Niagara Hospice partnered in securing a grant from the Community Health Foundation of Western & Central New York to develop an electronic gateway to facilitate the referral process. This web-based tool is used by NRNC staff and consists of ten simple questions to determine the probability of admission. Three or more affirmative responses to these questions typically indicate a high probability that the patient is appropriate for hospice care. Once the scale is completed, the gateway contacts Niagara Hospice admission personnel via e-mail and a formal evaluation process is initiated.
Since its implementation in January of 2008, there has been a significant increase in hospice patient days at NRNC. Furthermore, the tool has proven to be an effective predictor of hospice appropriateness and has proven to be quick and easy for NRNC staff to make a hospice referral.
Plans are in place to open this tool to the broader community, thus allowing interested family members or patients to determine if hospice may be appropriate for their current healthcare needs.
Click here to go to the Electronic Gateway Tool.
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