Lately, I have been spending a lot of time talking with people about hospice. Unfortunately, there is a major misconception that all hospice programs are the same. While it is true that Medicare and Medicaid have guidelines and standards regarding core services that each hospice should provide, how individual hospice organizations chose to deliver these services can be vastly different. Talking with employees from other hospices and patients who have used other programs prior to coming into ours, I feel reassured that Southeast Hospice remains the leader of the highest quality program in the region. Some of you have remarked that it seems that there are a lot of new hospices popping up recently. You are correct. When I started at Southeast in 1996 there were two other hospice agencies in the region, in addition to ours. At present that has grown into 11 hospices that are in the seven-county region we serve. Most of these programs are for-profit, with only a handful, like Southeast Hospice, being not-for-profit.
As a veteran social worker, I do not feel it’s appropriate to point out flaws in other organizations. After all, each one has well-meaning staff who are wanting to help others. I do feel it is necessary, however, to share all the wonderful and unique things Southeast Hospice has to offer.
First and foremost, Southeast Hospice provides the highest quality of care that the region has grown to expect from a SoutheastHEALTH organization. Proof of this was verified in November 2017 when Southeast Hospice received the
State of Missouri’s only Hospice Honors Elite Recognition
from Deyta Analytics for patient and family satisfaction. Not to mention the countless, “Thank you, if we would have only had you sooner,” comments from patients and families. How has Southeast Hospice continued to provide the highest quality of care for so many years? I feel it is our dedication to the details that really matter that sets us apart. That dedication begins with our physician,
Dr. Donald Edwards.
Southeast Hospice is the only hospice in the region to have a
dedicated medical director.
That means our Dr. Edwards only sees Southeast Hospice patients. They are his primary and only concern. He visits each patient monthly in their home or nursing home. He talks with patients and their loved ones to find out their concerns and goals, so that the hospice team can do everything possible to help patients reach those goals.
Southeast Hospice’s dedication to excellence continues with hiring an
all RN nursing staff
. In fact, over half of the nursing staff have additional certification in hospice and palliative care, making these highly trained nurses uniquely specialized in pain and symptom management. They hold the hands of nervous family members as they teach them how to care for their loved ones. They trouble shoot problems that patients are experiencing, and they are available to patients and their families at all hours day and night.
An addition to our highly compassionate and knowledgeable social workers, chaplain and nurse aides, Southeast Hospice is set apart again by employing a
dedicated Bereavement Counselor
,
Crystal Montgomery
. Most individuals are aware that bereavement is a requirement that all hospice must offer, but since there is no reimbursement for is service, most bereavement programs meet the minimal requirements set forth in regulations. Southeast Hospice however, offers an extensive bereavement program to support grieving loved ones for 13 months following the death. In addition, Southeast Hospice is one of the very few programs to host a
community grief support group
and the region's only
grief support camp for children
. All of these services are provided at no cost to participants.
And this is just the beginning of what sets Southeast Hospice program apart from the others. If you are interested in hearing more of the wonderful benefits to our program, be sure to attend the upcoming Volunteer In-Service on February 22nd, 3:00 – 4:00pm at the Hospice office entitled,
Why Choose Southeast Hospice?
