Calvert Hospice Responds to WP Article on for-profits

[David]

Brenda Laughhunn, Executive Director of Calvert Hospice submitted this letter in reference to a WashPo article on for-profit Hospices.

Personally, if you can make a zillion dollars manufacturing sneakers, sports drinks or the latest must-have electronics (and can do it honestly w/o buying politicians to get laws passed in your favor) have at it. But, seriously, making a profit off of dying people in need and then not even doing a good job of it because profits are more important? Wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of their karma.

God bless our local non-profit hospices. I've looked at their IRS Form 990's and I am pleased to note that these folks are not paying themselves high salaries like many other local non-profits (St. Mary's Hospital's CEO comes to mind).

Dear Editor:

With a heavy heart I read the latest Washington Post article (Terminal Neglect? How Some Hospices Decline To Treat The Dying) lambasting the hospice industry for not providing the higher levels of care: continuous care and general inpatient (GIP) when patients need it. Unfortunately, this latest investigative reporting by the Washington Post continues its general thesis from a previous article last December: the hospice industry, dominated by for profit providers, is doing a lousy job.

In my years of working in the hospice industry, I have seen many for profits focus solely on the bottom line, NOT the patients or service--often compromising the quality of service provided to save a dollar or make one. Thus a bad rap for all hospices.

I am proud of the great care and compassion our hometown nonprofit hospice program provides. Calvert Hospice does provide GIP and Continuous Care Levels of Care. We have an agreement with Calvert Memorial Hospital to provide general inpatient (GIP) level of care when deemed necessary. We have also provided continuous care on at least 2 occasions within the last 6 months alone. When the situation warrants continuous care and the patient agrees, we normally send the patient to our Burnett Calvert Hospice House. Again, our mission is to provide compassionate care for those living with a serious illness and we are committed to our patients, families and service, not sales.

It is a complicated issue and hospices have been criticized when they don't provide enough of these higher levels of care, as is the case in the Washington Post article and criticized when they provide too much as cited in Compliance Program, Guidance for Hospices published by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG). The article discusses both underutilization and over-utilization or billing for a higher level of service than was necessary as hospice risk areas.

Clearly this Washington Post article and the previous one last December inflame negative reactions to hospice. What gets lost in the shuffle of this negative publicity are the hundreds and hundreds of hospices that are doing amazing things every day to take care of patients and their families.

As stated by the CEO of National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization Don Schumacher, "There are two kinds of hospices in America: the ones that get it right, and those that should be out of business." Calvert Hospice is proud to be one of the many hospices that DOES get it right!

Brenda Laughhunn
Executive Director
Calvert Hospice