Gentiva Health Services is an American health care company.
“Any patient with a life-limiting illness, with a life expectancy of six months or less, may be appropriate for hospice care including those with end-stage heart disease, COPD, Alzheimer’s disease, ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), and cancer, to name a few.”
“Because hospice is based on a personalized care plan and not a specific location, most patients can choose to receive hospice care in the familiar surroundings of their own home. They can also choose to receive hospice care at a relative’s or a friend’s home, an assisted living facility, or a nursing home.”
“If your illness improves or you wish to seek curative treatment, you are free to leave hospice care whenever you choose.”
“A patient’s physician typically identifies when it is appropriate for the patient to consider hospice care. As a guide, people often enter hospice care when they’re diagnosed with a life-limiting condition and curative treatments are either no longer effective or create side effects that prolong discomfort or pain.”
“The vast majority of Gentiva’s hospice providers are ACHC accredited.”
“Patients are allowed to leave home for medical reasons. In order to qualify for home health care, however, leaving home should require a considerable or taxing effort and require the assistance of others, or a supportive device like a cane, walker, or wheelchair.”
“Occasional absences from the home for non-medical reasons, such as a trip to the barber or beauty shop, attendance at a family reunion, funeral, or other infrequent events, does not disqualify a person from receiving home health care, as long as the absences from home are infrequent and of a short duration.”
“Patients can receive home health care as well as outpatient services at the same time if the outpatient services are something that the home health care company cannot provide in the home setting.”
“Chronically ill patients may experience periods when their condition worsens. This may require medication changes, treatment adjustments, symptom management, or additional education that could indicate the need for home health care services.”
“Palliative care is a medical specialty that focuses on aggressive pain control and symptom management for people with serious or life-limiting illnesses. The main purpose of palliative care is to improve quality of life by anticipating, preventing, and treating symptoms within a supportive patient and family-centered care program.”
“While both palliative care and hospice care are designed to help people diagnosed with a serious or life-limiting illness, there are two main differences between the services. Palliative care may be provided at any stage of a serious illness, while hospice services require a terminal prognosis.”
“No, palliative care can be provided alongside curative treatment.”
“Medicaid, Medicare Part B, and many private insurers may cover the costs of palliative care for those who qualify. We obtain the necessary insurance authorization and approval for treatment or change of palliative services prior to services being provided.”
“Palliative care works collaboratively with your current healthcare providers, to ensure that each aspect of your treatment plan and care is communicated and coordinated effectively.”
Download this profile and inspect its supporting evidence.