Communication: July 29, 2020
URGENT COMMUNICATION REQUEST
THPG Primary Care Physicians have requested more frequent communication from our Home Health & Hospice providers for the overall benefit of their patients and to discuss specific issues. While a phone call is preferred, you may initially fax a written communication and then follow up with a phone call to the physician’s office. Examples for reasons to call would include: medication issues, vital signs outside of the approved parameters, or wounds not healing. Questions? Email us!
Hospice Goes Above & Beyond for Patients

Volunteer Nurse Association Hospice is pulling out all the stops to help bring joy to the their patients.

Porch Concert Series
Before COVID-19, Karen Sholander, VNA's Music Therapist, could be near her patients whom she would comfort through playing instruments and listening to music. Since the pandemic, she had to get creative. For Sholander, music therapy is not just about bringing joy, it can also help ease physical and emotional pain which helps to process big life changes.

The Porch Concert Series has become one of VNA’s most requested services, according to Olivia Rogers, RN, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer. “Music,” she says, “brings out a part of all of us that in darker times may seem to have been lost.”

Porch concerts are not just for VNA Hospice patients but for the entire community. Any SWHR provider can request the service! To request information or schedule a musical therapy service for your patients, visit the VNA website here. The Porch Concert Series has also been featured on KERA's "Art & Seek".

Meals on Wheels
VNA Hospice is also serving the community by organizing volunteers to participate in their Meals on Wheels service for in-person deliveries as a continued effort to care for patients. Read more about VNA's COVID-19 Meals on Wheels response here.
Social Determinants of Health

SWHR has a continued commitment to help our provider network with resources for better patient care as part of our overall focus on Population Health. We are proud to announce the Social Determinants of Health Program, a part of our Care Management team, which will help our partners in assisting our patients who have specific needs.

Please contact us when one of our patients is facing an issue related to any of the following: 
  • Housing Instability
  • Food Insecurity
  • Transportation
  • Utilities
  • Family & Community Support (this includes caregiver resources/coordination and social isolation)
  • Mental Health
  • Healthcare financial strain (this includes copays and medication affordability)
  • Advanced care planning 

Unfortunately, this program is not available to patients already on service with Hospice. If any of our partners determine a need for any of our patients, please reach out to our Care Management department at  SWHRCareManagement@SouthwesternHealth.org . By working together, we can reach more patients in need. 
Cardiac Arrests Continue to Increase

MedStar has reported the number of cardiac arrests is up 100% since this time last July. It’s being reported that patients are waiting up to 3 hours to call 911 instead of just 1 hour, from last year. Please continue to educate our patients on the importance of monitoring their health and not delaying care when they have a concern.

To view SWHR’s Patient Resources on Cardiac Health and other topics, please visit https://resources.southwesternhealth.org/
Oxygen Shortage

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, there exists a shortage of oxygen supplies causing a delay in providing this equipment to our most vulnerable patients. While the shortage seems to be more prevalent in the Tarrant County area, Dallas is also seeing a shortage.

If your facility is having an issue procuring supplies for patients, please alert our Post-Acute Team immediately . Our team will do our best to contact the Durable Medical Equipment companies to facilitate a faster response
Alert: CMS & COVID-19 Patient Scam


CMS sent out an alert earlier this week warning patients of robocalls, text messages, emails, or offers on social media offering free face mask, COVID-19 testing kits, “cures,” or PPE. It is important to educate our patients about these scams. If anyone reaches out to them asking for their Medicare Number or personal information, it is most certainly a scam.

To learn more tips on preventing Medicare scams and fraud, please visit https://www.medicare.gov/forms-help-resources/help-fight-medicare-fraud
If you or a patient suspects fraud, call 1-800-MEDICARE to report it.
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To ensure you continue to receive these communications to your inbox, rather than spam or junk folders, please add swhrnews@southwesternhealth.org to your email contacts. For additional information contact:

Michelle Mirkovic, Manager of Home Health Utilization Management and Effectiveness
Interim Post-acute Engagement Specialist
214-566-2451 | Michelle.mirkovic@southwesternhealth.org

Mike Beaty, Network Engagement Specialist
Southwestern Health Resources | www.southwesternhealth.com