There are a lot of questions that surround hospice and palliative care; one of those is the relationship hospice agencies have with primary care physicians. At Ardent Hospice & Palliative Care, we do everything we can to foster the relationship between our team and our patient’s primary care doctor. A strong, healthy relationship between our office and theirs benefits our patients and allows us to provide a higher quality of care.
Here’s How the Relationship Works
Very often, doctors will refer patients to our hospice or palliative care programs based on their diagnosis or the current state of their health. So our relationship with a primary care physician begins with the referral process. As soon as we get a new patient, we make it clear that our goal is to be there for them through every step of the way; the referring doctor needs to feel like he or she can trust us to take care of the patient in this final stage of life.
Sometimes, because of the trust factor, physicians or patients’ families want to meet our team before getting started. Our nurses will go to the office to meet with whomever necessary and give them peace of mind before we even start the admissions process.
Our administrative staff is also available to the doctor and their staff to help them with any paperwork, records, or questions they may have during the admissions process.
Because hospice patients don’t really continue to see their primary care doctor since they’re no longer seeking curative treatments, it’s important to us to keep their physician updated with how they’re doing while they’re in our care. They may still be taking medications, but since the goal of hospice is to keep the patient as comfortable as possible, visiting a doctor’s office for appointments isn’t high on the list of priorities. There have also been unique situations where a patient has recovered, so keeping the doctor informed enables a smoother transition back to primary care if necessary.
Beyond that, most caring doctors still want to know how their patient is doing, even after they’ve entered into hospice care. So as soon as we get a patient started with care, we follow up and let their doctors know how they’re doing just to keep them in the loop, since usually they’ve cared for that patient their entire adult life.
This Is Why It Matters
By building a strong, trusting relationship with our patients’ doctors, it allows us a connection to get all the information we need from them, like medications, medical history and background, and even personal history or preferences. Of course, we need the medical history and background to verify the patient is actually an appropriate hospice candidate. We also need insurance information to get them started; so the sooner we get all that, the sooner the patient can start receiving care.
But the way we see it, if we keep an open relationship with the doctor when they refer a hospice patient to us, the hope is that they’re going to tell us everything about that patient, even down to a personal level. Because we don’t yet have the relationship with the patient, the information we receive from their doctor is crucial in creating a comfortable environment for them as soon as we start providing care. And the more information we get off the bat from the doctor and his or her office, the better we can determine what comfort care measure would be best for the patient.
If you or your loved one is in need of care, rest assured that Ardent Hospice & Palliative Care goes above and beyond to make sure your needs are met and the patient is comfortable in their final days. For more information on our services or to start receiving care, contact Ardent by calling (858) 952-1786 or visiting us online.
Share +