A Privilege to Serve
As the Chief Operating Officer at Ohio’s Hospice, I have the privilege of speaking with newly hired staff on their first day of work. They might be starting here at Ohio’s Hospice or at one of our affiliates—Ohio’s Hospice of…
“Palliative care? Isn’t that just hospice?”
What’s the Difference Between Palliative Care and Hospice Care? “Palliative care? Isn’t that just hospice?” I can’t count how many times I have heard this comment, not just from potential patients and their families, but also from seasoned providers and…
Peace, Comfort, and Dignity: The Heart of Hospice
What is hospice? What does it do? As a hospice CEO, I’ve given tremendous thought to this question from both a practical and philosophical perspective. But when I ask others, I am amazed at the staggeringly diverse responses I hear.…
Four Ways to Build a Better Hospice Team
More than a Bunch of Folks: Four Ways to Build a Better Hospice Team The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services require hospice teams to meet every two weeks to review a patient’s plan of care. These teams include a…
The Blessings of Working in Hospice
Before joining the team at Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton, I had the opportunity to rotate here as a resident. During that time, I saw firsthand how influential hospice is for patients with cancer. Since I had an interest in cancer…
DNR versus AND Designations: How are They Different?
In the late 1990s, the late Reverend Chuck Meyer offered the idea of the Allow Natural Death (AND) designation as an alternative to Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders. Both terms have similar clinical implications: they refer to care that manages…
Ohio’s Hospice: Doing What’s Right
by Kent Anderson, President/CEO Remember the game musical chairs? A chair is taken away and everything changes—but no one realizes it until the music stops. Over the last decade, I’ve watched the healthcare landscape change dramatically. To stay competitive, hospitals…
