Hospice Care

Medicare reimbursement rates are the same for non-profits as for-profits. Medicare sets standards and requires the same program components for all Medicare certified hospices. Hospice Care of Kansas exceeds the Medicare standards. All hospices have significant volunteer programs to benefit patients and families. All hospices offer bereavement programs for 12-18 months following the death of their loved one. All hospices have the same mission of providing care to individuals with life-limiting illnesses compassionate staff Both for-profit and non-profit hospices have compassionate staff with a calling Both for-profit and non-profit hospices serve unfunded and underfunded patients.

Patients are considered to be in the terminal stages of liver disease if they meet the following criteria.  Their effects are cumulative and prognosis worsens with the addition of each factor.   1. Prothrombin time > 5 sec over control ,   or INR > 1.5 & and serum albumin

Patients are considered to be in the terminal stages of dementia if the following criteria are met. Pt is at or beyond stage 7 of the FAST Scale Inability to ambulate independently. This is critical. Studies indicate ambulating patients do not tend to die within six months, even if all other criteria are present Inability to dress without assistance Inability to bathe without assistance Urinary and fecal incontinence, intermittent or constant Inability to speak or communicate meaningfully Stereotypical phrases only or ability to speak limited to 6 or less intelligible words The presence of complications warranting medical treatment tends to decrease survival in advanced dementia (whether or not treatment was sought)

The very special people who work with us are the heart of our services. They are more than employees - they are valued members of a specialized team, dedicated to caring for people and their families as they face difficult decisions. At Hospice Care of Kansas, we care for our employees just as much as we care for our patients. Our organization is employee-focused, supportive and responsive, so all employees can confidently achieve their very best.   If you are looking for a company whose business is compassion and caring, and if you are committed to being part of a team that can really make a difference, we would like to hear from you. Please submit a cover letter indicating your interest and your resume in one of two ways: Fill out an application at the Hospice Care of Kansas location nearest you or mail your resume to:                                       Hospice Care of Kansas                                       Attention: HR Department                                       750 N. Socora; Ste 400                                        Wichita, KS  67212 Online: hospiceinformation@hospicecareofkansas.

The decision to start hospice care is not an easy one to make.  Beginning hospice care in a timely manner is an important key to its success, even though the decision is not an easy one.  Many hospice patients are ambulatory and only require occasional assistance at the time they are admitted into the hospice program. According to national statistics, "the average length of stay for patients in a hospice program is about 50 days, yet the hospice benefit as approved by Medicare is not limited in terms of time" 1 Patients and families express more satisfaction with hospice care when services start earlier.

  " During 2007, of the families who responded to a satisfaction survey, 99.3 % would recommend Hospice Care of Kansas. " Immediate on-call response by nurses 24 hours a day, 7 days a week versus  an answering service " A unique, aggressive wound care program with a certified wound care nurse on staff for patient care and professional training " Five associate medical directors board certified in Hospice and Palliative Medicine " Commitment that staff at all levels receive advanced training in hospice care " Pharmacist on staff  to consult with patient care staff and primary care physicians for maximum pain control and symptom management " Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners ( ARNP's )

What do you know about hospice services...The answers might surprise you! Answer each statement True or False: Hospice services are prohibitively costly. False. Costs are covered 100% by Medicaid/Medicare and most private insurance companies. Hospice is a place for people who no longer wish to have curative and interventional medical services. False. Hospice is not a location, but a philosophy of care based on maintaining comfort and dignity at the end of life.