Position Statement on Ethical Marketing Practices Released by National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization

(Alexandria, Va) – A position statement and commentary, Hospice and Palliative Care: Ethical Marketing Practices, has been released by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. Approved by the NHPCO board of directors, this document reinforces the need for hospice and palliative care providers to utilize ethical marketing practices, which in turn, will ensure trust and support among those being served.

Ethical behavior exemplifies the foundational hospice values of service, respect, excellence, collaboration and stewardship. These values can both inspire and challenge end-of-life professionals as they promote services available in the community.

“Hospice and palliative care providers are caring for individuals and families who may be particularly vulnerable as they cope with serious and life-limiting illness. The highest ethical practices and standards are necessary from every single provider in the industry – with no exceptions,” said J. Donald Schumacher, NHPCO president and CEO.

“This position statement will help providers to establish accountability for sound ethical practices as they engage in marketing efforts and business development,” he added.

NHPCO’s position statement focuses on six key components:
1. Access to Care
2. Competition
3. Customer Service Excellence and Boundaries
4. Hospice and Palliative Care Organizations as Referral Sources
5. New Trends in Marketing and Communication
6. Traditional Media Marketing

NHPCO strongly believes that sound ethical practices are an essential component of quality.
The statement stresses that responsive admissions systems and personnel that meet patients’ and referral sources’ needs are hallmarks of service excellence. NHPCO further states that marketing practices should be evaluated and monitored frequently to avoid unethical decisions and behaviors.

NHPCO hopes the document serves as a catalyst for dialogue within and among organizations that provide hospice and palliative care—a dialogue that will support and reinforce ethical standards of practice.

Developed by the NHPCO Ethics Committee, Hospice and Palliative Care: Ethical Marketing Practices (PDF) is available on the NHPCO website.

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Contact:
Jon Radulovic
Vice President, Communications
703-837-3139
jradulovic@nhpco.org

NHPCO's other position statements are available on the NHPCO website.

October 2010 Palliative Care Grand Rounds

The 2010 October Palliative Care Grand Rounds (PCGR), a "monthly blog carnival" highlighting blog post focusing on hospice, palliative care and grief matters, is being hosted this month by Palliatve- SW by SWHPN Blog. Check it out today!

The views expressed in the Palliative Care Grand Rounds are the sole responsibility of the authors of each blog highlighted and does not necessarily reflect the views of NHPCO, this blog or its editors.

Don Schumacher Interviewed on Marketplace

President/CEO Don Schumacher was interviewed on public radio’s Marketplace about current issues in end-of-life care. Produced by American Public Media, Marketplace is broadcast internationally and is available online. Part one, of “End of life care: More or less of it?” was broadcast 07/20/10.

Part two of the story, “Better Training for Better End-of-Life Care,” looks at palliative care and visits San Diego Hospice and Institute for Palliative Medicine. Marketplace links to materials from NHPCO’s Caring Connections as helpful resources.

The story also features a photo slide show.

Misinformation, Health Care Reform, and the Media

A Message from J. Donald Schumacher
August 14, 2009

Misinformation, Health Care Reform, and the Media

As many people know, NHPCO has been working actively to clarify misinformation among national and regional media regarding health care reform legislation. An important part of our outreach has been to correctly explain the advance care planning provision and stress the value of this benefit for all Americans.

NHPCO leadership have spoken with reporters and producers with all the major network news outlets, ABC, NBC, CBS, and CNN, as well as the Associated Press, Wall Street Journal, NY Times, Washington Post, and many others.

Some highlights include NHPCO's Kathy Brandt interview on National Public Radio's "Morning Edition" and Jon Keyserling’s interview on CNBC. NHPCO also provided information for the new feature that debuted on ABC Evening News with Charlie Gibson, "Fact Check," where the inaugural issue on this new segment was the misinformation about the advance care planning provision.

It's difficult to hear false and misleading statements in the media but rest assured that we are responding as effectively as possible. NHPCO offers some information that may be helpful. This includes:

• Talking Points on advance care planning and health care reform.
• NHPCO’s press release from August 7.
• NHPCO’s analysis about the advance care planning provision in the House’s bill.

NHPCO’s Caring Connections has some useful information about advance care planning that helps explain what it is, including a new piece that uses metaphor to explain the concepts:

• What is Advance Care Planning
• Healthcare Agents: Choosing One and Being One
• Preparing Your Advance Directives
• NEW - Are You Traveling without a Map? A layperson's guide to advance care planning (PDF)

There have been any number of excellent news reports, articles and op-eds that clarify the misinformation but those are often overshadowed by the conflict. Here are some links of interest that people may be interested in looking over:

• "Honest Talk About the End," Newsweek, by Eleanor Clift, 07/31/09.
• "Elderly Americans should read the health care bill: It won't kill them," Cleveland Plain Dealer, by Connie Schultz, 08/02/09.
• "Getting health care healthy: Accepting death outside the hospital," * Chicago Tribune, by Anne Moore, 08/05/09.
• "Health Care Reform: The Assault on Truth," AARP Bulletin Today, 08/14/09.
• “Here’s the truth, Granny,” Obit Magazine, by Judy Bachrach, 08/11/09.
• "Health Care: Will Section 1233 Hasten Patient Deaths?" American Center for Law & Justice (from Christianity Today), 08/11/09.
• "Three Myths about the Ethics of Health Care Reform," Association of Bioethics Program Directors.
• "Advance-directives section fueling concern and, hospice officials say, misunderstanding," Winston-Salem Journal, 08/13/09.
• “While others rant, hospice keeps helping,” Orlando Sentinel, 08/14/09.
• “Doctors Providing End-Of-Life Counseling See Benefit In Current Controversy,” Kaiser Health News, 08/14/09.


At NHPCO, we will continue to do our best to provide accurate information that we hope will help Americans understand the value of advance care planning.

The importance of patient wishes have always been integral to the hospice philosophy of care and we understand why the provision in the House bill would only serve to benefit Americans. We also understand how complicated and challenging issues surrounding death and dying are for many people. And when faced with what seems like sweeping change in health care reform discussions, it is understandable that many people are passionate—and frightened. Yet, I have faith that in the days ahead, the truth about caring for people at the end of life and the importance of advance care planning will begin to spread where there has been misinformation and false accusation.

To cite our outreach materials, hospice and palliative care are about how you live. Making one’s wishes know is an important part of life’s journey.

I encourage all hospice and palliative care providers to continue with the important work they do to help patients and families and their broad communities. I am proud to be working with such a dedicated community—all those providing hospice and palliative care.

Thank you.

J. Donald Schumacher
President and CEO


For more information visit, http://www.nhpco.org