Wiseman: Increased need for hospice means we have to talk about it

Hospice Services is among the fastest-growing fields in healthcare and that, in its own way, is good for society as a whole.

Hospice has grown as a popular option for individuals at the end of life. Much of that growth has evolved from acknowledgment by medicine that hospice is a specialty with expertise in controlling pain and symptoms that may develop at the end of life. Although referrals continue to be made late in the disease process, Physicians are also making referrals more readily as well.

There has also been increased community awareness that hospice is a service for both the patient and their loved ones. Hospice defines its “unit of care” as both the patient and their relatives and provides services to both as their needs are identified.

In the past, hospice was a topic few people wanted to think or talk about. A terminal diagnosis for anyone is frightening. It is a path we all will travel down only once but none of us know what to expect on that journey.

Hospice has evolved as an end of life specialty, utilizing a multidisciplinary team to assist patients and families with a goal to live each day fully. The team is very skilled at resolving physical, psychosocial, and spiritual issues and every day management of symptoms, making each day as good as it can be.

There are some important things to understand about hospice. Individuals may access Hospice if their physician identifies they have a prognosis of six month or less. However, the national average length of stay for hospice is 64 days. In the State of Michigan it is 60 days. Sparrow Hospice Services has an average length of stay of 39 days.

There are increased needs and the cost of care accelerates for those individuals accessing hospice in the final weeks and days of life. Although most health insurance has some level of benefit for hospice care it is not uncommon for the cost of care to exceed the hospice benefit.

That’s why programs such as the not-for-profit Sparrow Hospice Services are so important. They care for all Patients, regardless of their health insurance or financial resources. Sparrow Hospice Services annually utilizes $300,000 to $350,000 of donated funds for indigent care and to supplement healthcare insurance.

On May 21, Sparrow Hospice Services will hold its annual Hike/Bike for Hospice to assist with our mission of providing care for anyone. This year we are honoring Ari Golden, an enlisted Army soldier who died at Sparrow’s Hospice House. Ari was a longtime volunteer for Clinton Area Fire and Rescue and his family will welcome and open the Hike for Hospice ceremonies.

For more information about the 30-mile bike ride or the hike through Granger Meadows Park, go online to Sparrow.org/HikeBikeForHospice.

Michelle Wiseman is director of hospice services for Sparrow Health System.