“Having a nurse or social worker present in the final days can help families cope and better understand the dying process,” explained Kim Hammonds, Scotland Regional Hospice executive director.
Photo courtesy of Scotland Regional Hospice
LAURINBURG – The Care Compare tool provided by Medicare offers recommendations in the form of ratings and metrics to help people select a provider in a variety of healthcare fields. In an update made to the website in February, Scotland Regional Hospice was listed as the only four-star hospice provider located in Scotland County.
The website’s star rating is based on a family caregiver survey that asks loved ones and caregivers of hospice patients to provide information about the care that the patient received. The family caregiver survey summary rates hospice providers in 8 different metrics: Communication with family, getting timely help, treating patients with respect, emotional and spiritual support, help for pain and symptoms, training family to care for the patient, hospice rating and willingness to recommend the agency. Scotland Regional Hospice’s scores were at or above the national average in each category.
The Scotland County-based non-profit agency, now in its 37th year of operation, has a positive local reputation for its ability to customize care to meet the needs of the individual so that each patient and family receives safe, high-quality and compassionate care throughout the end-of-life process. The plan of care is developed at admission and modified throughout as needed, but the Scotland Regional Hospice care team also puts an added emphasis on the final days of care before death.
“Having a nurse or social worker present in the final days can help families cope and better understand the dying process,” explained Kim Hammonds, Scotland Regional Hospice executive director. “Being able to make families aware that the end is near and what to expect can help them to prepare, say ‘goodbye’ and cope with the emotions associated with loss. Being able to witness all comfort measures being taken near the end-of-life reassures families of their loved one’s peaceful transition.”
While the hospice team scored high on the 8 family survey questions, when measuring the percentage of patients who received visits from a registered nurse or medical social worker on at least 2 of the final 3 days of their life, Scotland Regional Hospice’s 76.3% far exceeds the national average (49.2%) and is a higher score than any other hospice agency located in its service area (Scotland, Robeson, Hoke, Richmond, Marlboro, Chesterfield and Dillon counties).
“Hospice care has a beginning and an end,” continued Hammonds. “At no point in that timeline should the quality of that care for the patients and their families waiver. Once a patient passes away, our bereavement team picks up where our patient care team leaves off and that quality of care continues. Our scores for emotional and spiritual support and treating patients with respect are the highest in the county for a reason. We give everything we’ve got to the families that we serve. These numbers reflect that.”