Show notes-

INTRO

Mourning Dove Medical Presents Dr. G at the Heart of Healthcare

Guest

-Retired Hospice Nurse Gerard Soucy

-Previous guest of podcast Ep 19 discussed caregiving of wife who had Alzheimer’s disease. She was also a nurse educator https://youtu.be/s5Q-P9Vze5s?si=TxUj-Z3RckqrP5hj

-Approaching Deathversary 01/14/2016 compounded with challenges many people have over the holidays. We discussed the impact of grief during Holiday Season bonus Ep 35.

Mission-Educate & Empower in three parts, helping listeners ‘SEE’ what’s needed to navigate the healthcare system.

1. Story (theme) Person from a hospice Facebook group said “my team was awful” Advised to report issues on CHAPS Survey. Hopefully this episode is preventative. NYT Quote about importance of choosing a quality hospice agency https://archive.nytimes.com/newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/06/17/how-to-choose-a-hospice/#more-16969 🚩red flags AL/MC says “we use this hospice” this gives up your power as a consumer; chaos and lack of continuity of care, (follow gut felling) staff in distress during visit; visits delayed; not enough staff, case managers doing admissions, after hours coverage issues; changing ownership

2. Educate -Teaching point

“5️⃣Five Simple Steps to Find and Choose the Best Hospice” (🤓Demo on YouTube https://youtu.be/K9XNnARH5-A?si=AiuDEWW8OExybxkm)

-Step 1 💻 Use Hospice Care Compare Medicare website, enter zip code (create short list considering not for profit)

-Step 2 ⭐️⭐️⭐️Pick minimum 3 Star ratings and evaluate other Characteristics (size, location of care, medical conditions, length of time in business)

- Step 3 📲Check out hospice agency’s website (staff listed?) and other social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter X), yelp, indeed

- Step 4 ☎️Call hospice and/or set up visit to verify information gathered in the previous steps (Sign consents only if aligned with your goals and preferences) ask about staff availability, IDT members, RNCM case loads

- Step 5 ✅📋Choose One, have a plan B (transfer)

3. Empower -Valuable resources: Medicare website Find Healthcare Providers: Compare Care Near You | Medicare https://www.medicare.gov/care-compare/?guidedSearch=Hospice&providerType=Hospice can print search results. Handout available for download on our website. 🆕 The Real Deal About Hospice: Short Stories Highlighting the Advantages of Hospice Care for Patients and Families https://www.amazon.com/Real-Deal-About-Hospice-Highlighting/dp/B0CMP3JSJW?nodl=1&dplnkId=bbcec693-6f5f-4f23-bfb8-3fe29a89ac57

Website info https://mourningdovemedical.com

Video podcast https://youtu.be/k7xIezN47sM?si=oV-8tne0t0qKVo9w #hapc #EducateAndEmpower #PeaceOfMind #TheRealDealAboutHospice