(Snippets from the frontline)
Hospice is a business
Two decades ago was a scary time to fly as airplanes were crashing because some manufacturers and suppliers were using faulty nuts and bolts to augment profits.
The same is true for hospice care today.
Government made laws with the intent to insure those at end-of-life are treated with compassion. Yet rules and regulations for hospice care were made with faults and loopholes allowing some agencies to exploit services sometimes increasing distress for patients and families.
Horror stories abound on the internet.
Problems arise in the definition of Palliative Care versus Hospice Care, and the confusion carries into the services provided. This results in an inability to properly oversee these agencies allowing profiteers to take advantage of those suffering.
If your loved one is terminally ill and in pain, your first reaction when offered hospice is “of course.” Be wary and vet agencies to assure they have adequate experience and staffing as there might be a self-serving business scheme taking place.
Don’t let your loved one crash because of faulty nuts and bolts.
Gene Uzawa Dorio, M.D.
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