Are You Providing Hospice or Palliative Care? Please respond below

From:
Barb Hansen, MA, RN
Executive Director
Washington State Hospice & Palliative Care Organization

I hope you will take a moment to reply to two "list-serve" questions regarding Physicians and NPs working with Hospice and Palliative Care programs in Washington. Please forward this email to Physicians and NPs directly, if you feel it is appropriate, and ask them to in turn forward their responses to hansen@wshpco.org . (Or if they reply to you, please forward any responses to me.)

 1.  Do you have an outline or have you defined expected competencies for physicians and ARNPs who are providing end of life care?
    *   If you have defined certain expected competencies, do you have a competency or skills "checklist" or other tool you use to document the competency of your hospice Physicians and NPs, either during orientation or as a part of an annual competency evaluation?
    *   If your answer is "Yes", are you willing to share your list? A physician colleague in the state is working on creating a competency list for physicians and NPs for their program and would appreciate being able to collaborate on this project--and possibly share this resource.

2.  The 2nd question comes from an NP colleague who explains: It is our hospital's policy that I must have a physician do a joint visit with all of my patients when I'm working in the hospital. In my previous practice at another institution, I could see patients independently. I believe this is the case in many WA institutions, anecdotally. In my presentation to the credentialing committee, I'd like to include a list of WA institutions that allow Palliative Care NPs to see patients without a collaborative MD visit. What institutions do you know of that have this practice?

    *   So the question boils down to this: If you are affiliated with a hospital, does your hospital allow NP Providers to see patients independently, w/o a physician doing a joint or "collaborative" visit?
I will be happy to share the compiled responses in a couple of weeks. Thank you in advance for your time.
Barb
hansen@wshpco.org

"To foster, advocate for, and promote quality hospice and palliative care."

P.O. Box  361
Camas, WA 98607
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