This April, Senator Shelley Moore Capito reintroduced the Rural Access to Hospice Act S.1190, which will allow Rural Health Clinics (RHC) and Federally-Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) to receive payments for serving hospice patients. This bill is vitally important to West Virginia as many patients with serious illness receive their primary Read more…
West Virginia hospices’ consumer satisfaction scores ranked 6th in the nation last year. This is because all WV hospices work hard to ensure that each patient and family receives excellent care. The Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPs) surveys are sent to families after a hospice patient dies. Read more…
My friends and I often share stories about taking care of our mothers. Caregiving can take a great toll on any family. Thankfully AARP recognizes this and advocates for caregivers. AARP also provides resources that are extremely helpful. There are tips to help you take care of yourself and tips Read more…
I have recently been spending lots of time on the phone and writing emails to make sure all of my mother’s care is arranged. There are so many people to contact and much of her care is fragmented and not well-coordinated. It has made me reflect a lot on Read more…
On March 8th, the WV Legislature passed SB 537 and this bill now awaits Governor Justice’s signature. The Hospice Council thanks all legislators who worked hard to get the bill passed. There was bipartisan support for this bill and the final amended bill was passed unanimously. This is a very Read more…
West Virginia hospices all engage in community outreach to ensure people know about hospice and when to refer. However, the data continue to show that people are less likely to access hospice if they live in a rural area and many people are referred to hospice very late. The Hospice Read more…
Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in West Virginia, second only to cancer. Advanced heart disease causes great suffering and many would benefit from the specialized support that hospice offers. But people with advanced heart disease are less likely to be referred for hospice care. This Read more…
What matters most to you? Being at home, being comfortable, having time to say goodbye and/or having support for your family? When I was asked recently ‘what is a good death?’ and ‘what does death with dignity really mean?’ I hesitated. I have worked with hospice nearly my whole career, Read more…
The National Hospice Organization has a new Advocacy Toolkit that can be widely shared. This includes tips on how to be an effective advocate and do’s and don’t’s when using social media to advocate. This toolkit comes at just the right time when West Virginia hospices are advocating for the Read more…
Governor Justice has asked the WV Health Care Authority to change the certificate of need formula as a way to promote more competition between hospices and to increase access for West Virginia residents. Some think it should be higher as hospices are serving more patients, but raising the percentage Read more…