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Designing a Program

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Post INFORMATION ON SERVICE LINE
Author: slmare
Date: Mar 28, 2012 4:54 am
We have a palliative medicine service (physician consult service) as well as a hospice program. They are both two separate service lines within our hospital (both are hospital owned). Our physician is the medical director of BOTH departments. He is employed by the hospital's physicians organization (also hospital owned), and is contracted to provided services in both departments. Does anyone else on this forum have a similar setup? We have run into problems during our State survey regarding the "same" physician employed in both departments with the concern of the patients who enroll in our hospice program who were seen by the physician under the palliative medicine service (as it is the same physician)and he referred the patient to hospice. We had discrepancies cited regarding this and have to have an action plan to prevent "possible unethical" processes. Administration is looking at combining the two departments (which is not what we want for obvious reasons)so not to come under scrutiny. Within the culture of our organization, our referring physicians will not refer early if the service line wraps into hospice service line. Any suggestions that might be applicable?
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Re:INFORMATION ON SERVICE LINE (by SharolHerr on 03/29/2012)
The partnership of palliative care and hospice can be a wonderful resource for patients and the system. We have a similar situation since 1997 and have not experienced compliance problems. Our staff are paid out of two cost centers so that services provided can be billed, alloted to the correct bucket. The case management department staff are the ones responsible for offering patient choice so that there is no improper steerage of services to the system hospice. There is thinking as well, that by choosing the hospital the individual is choosing the services provided by the system. Having the two departments combined isn't inherently bad or good but being combined certainly affords the opportunity for streamlined communication and improved continuity for patient care. The important thing is that the clinicians are clear about their role and when a patient is appropriate for palliative care or hospice. They then need to be able to communicate the different roles to the medical staff and others. Sharol Herr, RN, BSN, MSEd; Palliative Clinical Manager; Mt. Carmel Health Palliative Care Leadership Center; Columbus, Ohio.
Re:INFORMATION ON SERVICE LINE (by slmare on 03/29/2012)
Thanks Sharol. Our team attended the PCLC at your site (2004) and yes, we are set up somewhat similar. Would it be possible to contact you off line? Thanks.

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