Palliative Care Playbook for Hospices

NHPCO proudly announces the release of its newest resource for members, the Palliative Care Playbook for Hospices. The Playbook has been created to help hospices who are offering or working to create community-based palliative care programs.

The Palliative Care Playbook for Hospices provides step-by-step instructions developed by hospice experts, to guide hospices in the development, implementation, and sustainability of a community-based palliative care program.

“The ability to provide care to more people, earlier, is becoming more important, and NHPCO is working to help our members prepare and succeed in this new healthcare landscape. The new Palliative Care Playbook for Hospices is an example of one such resource,” said NHPCO President and CEO Edo Banach.

The Palliative Care Playbook for Hospices content includes:

• Needs assessment process
• Business case development
• Legal and regulatory considerations
• Quality and data
• Staffing
• Budgets
• Documentation
• Reimbursement

“Our patients and families need hospices to think outside of the box. We're seeing expanding demos and models coming out of the CMS Innovation Center with the goal of transforming person-centered care delivery in the U.S.” said Edo Banach, NHPCO President & CEO. “Only a week ago, CMS announced the Primary Care First and Direct Contracting Models, which includes an advance care model for the seriously ill population.”

Additional attention has focused on the forthcoming Value Based Insurance Design (VIBD) demonstration and discussions of hospice and Medicare Advantage. The Medicare Care Choices Model (MCCM) is well underway and many providers are already contracting with ACOs and other providers in their communities.

“We are fortunate to have established programs in the field share some of their practical tools and resources for the Playbook,” said NHPCO Vice President of Palliative and Advanced Care, Lori Bishop, MHA, BSN, RN. “In addition, members of our Palliative Care Council provide insight and generously gave of their expertise in the creation of the first several chapters of the Playbook.”