Bridge the gap: Addressing rural end-of-life care disparities and access to hospice services
Bridge the gap: Addressing rural end-of-life care disparities and access to hospice services
Journal of Pain and Symptom Management; by Rural hospices face many obstacles in delivering palliative and end-of-life care in the United States. We aimed to identify these barriers and their potential solutions. ... We propose several potential solutions to overcome these hurdles and improve access. ... Advanced practice providers should be considered to serve as physician heads in rural hospices, which would expand resources in areas with physician shortages. A single per diem payment model should be implemented for rural hospices, regardless of the level of care provided, to help offset the higher cost of care. he Critical Access Hospital program and offering cost-based reimbursement for swing-bed stays could improve access to post-acute care, including hospice services. Telehealth can improve the timeliness of care and reduce travel costs for patients and providers. [Continue reading for more solutions.]