Wednesday, November 27 | Cause Connected, Post-Acute Care
Why Hospice Care Matters to Me: Amy's Story
By Amy Downing, RN, Lead Solution Strategist
As a hospice nurse for 19 years, I’ve had the honor of caring for hundreds of patients as they’ve neared the end of their life. To be part of something so personal and sacred for patients and their families has given me a feeling of deep purpose.
One memorable experience during my career was having the opportunity to care for my hospice mentor through the end of her life.
Early in my career, I was a young hospice leader and Barbara (my mentor) took me under her wing, committed to encouraging and teaching me to grow as a hospice leader. At the time, Barbara was the hospice administrator, and she brought me in as her assistant administrator. I watched Barbara promote and advocate for hospice for many years while battling breast cancer.
When she knew there was no cure and her time on earth was approaching the end, she entrusted me with her care. I was with Barbara and her family when she took her last breath. Barbara was a hospice nurse for over 30 years. Caring for the woman who encouraged me in my hospice career was a great honor.
What I’d like people to understand about hospice is this: During the final stages of a terminal illness, hospice care focuses on making the person as comfortable as possible. Doing so allows the person to make the most of the time they have left. Hospice care is really about ensuring quality of life as one nears the end.
The hospice plan of care addresses the patient’s wishes and their needs. By managing distressing symptoms and educating the patient and family about what is happening to the body as one approaches the end can make the journey less scary.
Most importantly, hospice teams place the focus on the patient and their family – and what matters most to them – rather than on the illness.
Amy Wilson, RN, is a senior solution strategist at Netsmart. In her role, she helps shape the technology solutions for hospice and home care clients by bringing in a nurse’s perspective on what the technology must do to meet the needs of patients.
Meet the Author
Amy
Downing, RN
· Lead Solution Strategist
Communities
From the CareThreads Blog
Why Reducing Variability Matters in Wound Care
Tuesday, September 08 | Post-Acute Care,Care Coordination,Thought Leadership
When it comes to wound care, the challenge for many post-acute organizations isn't a lack of clinical experience. It's making sure everyone has the same understanding of the wound and that the information needed to make decisions is complete, consistent and accessible.
Read the blog
Two Rules, One Signal: What CMS is Signaling to Post-Acute Providers
Tuesday, August 18 | Post-Acute Care,Thought Leadership
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized the FY 2027 hospice final rule on July 30 and released the CY 2027 home health proposed rule on July 1. Read separately, they look like ordinary annual updates. Read together, they say something more useful about the next three years.
Read the blog
The Current State of Information Blocking: What Healthcare Providers Need to Know Now
Monday, August 17 | Care Coordination,EHR Solutions and Operations,Interoperability,Post-Acute Care,Human Services,Legislative/Policy,Thought Leadership
Since the enactment of the 21st Century Cures Act, the concept of information blocking has steadily moved from theory to operational reality. Over the past year, federal agencies have signaled a shift from education and guidance toward active enforcement. For healthcare providers, understanding where things stand today is important.
Read the blog