Ask Proactive – Each skilled nursing facility arranging for the provision of hospice care under a written agreement must designate a member of the facility’s interdisciplinary team who is responsible for working with hospice representatives to coordinate care to the resident provided by the LTC facility staff and hospice staff. What do those responsibilities entail?

Q:

Each skilled nursing facility arranging for the provision of hospice care under a written agreement must designate a member of the facility’s interdisciplinary team who is responsible for working with hospice representatives to coordinate care to the resident provided by the LTC facility staff and hospice staff. What do those responsibilities entail?

The designated interdisciplinary team member is responsible for the following:

• • • Collaborating with hospice representatives and coordinating LTC facility staff participation in the hospice care planning process for those residents receiving these services.
    • Communicating with hospice representatives and other healthcare providers participating in the provision of care for the terminal illness, related conditions, and other conditions, to ensure quality of care for the patient and family.
    • Ensuring that the LTC facility communicates with the hospice medical director, the patient’s attending physician, and other practitioners participating in the provision of care to the patient as needed to coordinate the hospice care with the medical care provided by other physicians.
    • Obtaining the required documentation and information from the hospice
    • Ensuring that the LTC facility staff provides orientation in the policies and procedures of the facility, including patient rights, appropriate forms, and record keeping requirements, to hospice staff furnishing care to LTC residents.

Written By:

Liz Wheeler, BSN, RN, CHPN, IPCO, QCP, CDP

Clinical Consultant

Proactive LTC Consulting