Valor HospiceCare & The Valor Institute for Palliative Medicine Specialized Programs

      

The Valor Institute for Palliative Medicine

Our academic-based organization ensures that we view patient care, public health, quality, education and research as essential elements of our mission. The Valor Institute for Palliative Medicine members serve Valor HospiceCare interdisciplinary teams to facilitate critical evidence-based knowledge between clinical and academic settings.

The Valor Institute for Palliative Medicine, under the direction of a Director and a Provost, comprises the three program areas of:

1) Quality - Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)/Quality Assessment Performance Improvement (QAPI) & Regulatory Program
2) Organizational Development - Academics, Knowledge & Research Programs
3) Valor PalliativeCare - Palliative Medicine Physician Services Program

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1) Quality - Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)/Quality Assessment Performance Improvement (QAPI) & Regulatory Program

Since inception, Valor has provided a hospice wide, data driven CQI/QAPI program for patient care outcomes as well as for operational efficiencies. The New Medicare Conditions of Participation in 2008 has created 5 standards for quality assessment and improving performance, by moving from reactively monitoring quality to proactively improving outcomes in end of life care for each patient and across the organization.

The elements of our effective CQI/QAPI program include:

1) Evidence of an overarching goal for our organization of improving quality in end of life, patient centered-care for patietns in our hospice. This is a vital part of our Core Values, as well as our Mission and Vision, and is included at all levels of the organization.
2) The Boards role for improvement quality is written in board documents and reflected in board meeting minutes, job descriptions and committee assignments.
3) Structures and process are in place to assess quality outcomes for each patient and across the organization to identify areas for improvement; to do performance improvement projects; to; to involve all staff in improving outcomes; to document these processes and to track measures of quality improvement over time.
4) Outcome and process data can be gathered, analyzed, recorded and displayed to document and communicate results of performance improvement.
5) All members have the skills, time and resouces for involvement in quality improvement activities and to identify "best practices" to improve palliative outcomes. This includes leaders with the skills and vision to lead and manage change, including the Board, CEO, Executive Director, Medical Directors, CQI/QAPI Coordinators and Staff and hospice staff.

2) Organizational Development - Academics - Knowledge - Research Programs

Led by our Medical team, our "Philosophy of Care" is focused on changing and enhancing the the way hospice is organized, planned and delivered in our markets. As an innovative, academic-based leader in evidence-based approaches to palliative care, we are uniquely positioned to utilize evidence-based research from our programs, university partnerships and networks to support the community.

The Valor Institute for Palliative Medicine, in collaboration with the Southwest Hospice Foundation, is committed to our investment in new employees, current staff and community health care professionals. The Valor Institute for Palliative Medicine comprises:

· New Employee Orientation: Our success is directly related to the nurturing of our key asset -- our staff. For new employees, we provide over 80 hours of comprehensive, by-discipline, new employee orientation (NEO) about Valor, hospice and palliative care.
· Continuining Education & Leadership: For continuous education, additional in-service training is provided to staff in our academic-based program. The company has developed and implemented an extensive Human Capital Management framework that allows us to develop, implement and measure over 25 human resources areas of our company.
· The Valor Institute educates health care professionals on evidence-based practices in hospice and palliative care. C.E.U.'s may be available for many of our curriculums. Further, in collaboration with local and national universities, research is conducted for innovative approaches to palliative care.

Education
Medical students, nursing students, fellows, residents interns, pharmacy students and social work students are among those who can benefit from Valor HospiceCare's education opportunities.

Research
Led by our hospice physician team for utilizing medical and complementary therapies, we pursue opportunities to increase the quality of care for patients. The quest to discover new knowledge fosters research for pain and symptom management, cultural diversity, bereavement and integrative therapies.

Current evidence-based programs from research include:

· Integration of More Effective Pain Control Methods into Patient Care
· Specialized Care Programs for Various Diseases
· Ongoing Prognosis and Diagnosis Methodologies to Support Educating the Medical Community
· End of Life Research on Population and Care Trends
· Joint Conferences on Pain Management and Palliative Care

We also affiliate with the Population-based Palliative Care Research Network (PoPCRN) for research projects. For further information, please click here.

The Valor Institute for Palliative Medicine - Pain Management and Palliative Care Conference
The Valor Institute for Palliative Medicine, in collaboration with the Southwest Hospice Foundation, hosts a series of conferences on Pain Management and Palliative Care. Physicians and healthcare professionals are invited to participate. These conferences provide additional education on ethics in end-of-life and palliative care, including new research and knowledge about pain management and symptom control. Additional information will be released on the curriculum, speakers and other topics. CEU credits will be offered. For further information, please contact us at 877.615.3996.

3) Valor PalliativeCare - Palliative Medicine Physician Services Program

Valor HospiceCare & The Valor Institute for Palliative Medicine is accepting the challenge of open access by extending services to an increasingly broad array of patients, family members and caregivers. This continuum of clinical care outreach reflects a natural progression of the hospice philosophy and builds on the skills of experienced providers.

Palliative (pronounced pal´e - a tiv) care is medical care focused on relieving suffering and improving the quality of life for anyone dealing with a serious illness, at any time, regardless of diagnosis, prognosis or treatment. Palliative care extends the principles of hospice care to a broader population that could benefit from receiving this type of care earlier in their illness or disease process. Coupled with modern medicine, no specific therapy is excluded from consideration. Palliative care, ideally, will segue into hospice care as the illness progresses.

Services currently are only for patients of physicians, health care professionals, assisted living facilities, hospitals, commercial insurance and the general public who are seeking advanced palliative evaluations to determine hospice eligibility. Or, working in partnership with the Primary Care Physician, our Medical Directors are available to provide palliative care consultations to our hospice patients with symptom control or pain management issues.

Current PalliativeCare Evaluation Services

Palliative medicine evaluaton services are available to assist community physicians for patients in physician practices, private homes, adult care homes, group homes, assisted living facilities, skilled nursing facilities and hospitals. Upon request, a Board Certified in Hospice & Palliative Care Physician will make a patient visit to assess complex symptoms and discuss findings and suggestions with the requesting physician.

These evaluations are available for all patients, regardless of age, and are not limited to those patients considered hospice-appropriate.

Indications:

· Diagnosis and Prognosis Discussions to Determine Hospice Eligibility
· Pain and Symptom Management
· Developing Goals of Care based on a Holistic Attitude Towards Care
· Preparation and Management of the Dying Process
· Advance Care Planning
· Issues with Other Aspects of Care that Affect Quality of Life
· Interdisciplinary Team Approach of Physicians, Nurses, Social Workers, Spiritual Care Providers, Other Hospice Professionals and Volunteers

We have also partnered with local and national commercial insurance firms to provide services for new programs that follow Medicare Advantage services. Please contact us for eligibility.

Pre-hospice evaluations are fully covered by Medicare Part A, Medicaid (AHCCCS) and with prior approval, most commercial insurance companies. Please contact us at 877.615.3996 for patient evaluations today.

Current PalliativeCare Consultation Services

If hospice appropriate and admitted to our program, in-home Physician and Nurse Practitioner consultations will emphasize aggressive symptom management and utilization of appropriate interdisciplinary team psychosocial and spiritual support systems to enhance the outcomes of comfort and self-determination.

Working with a patient's Attending Physician, an individual’s needs will be continually assessed and treatment options will be explored and evaluated in the context of the individual’s values and symptoms.

Palliative care consultations are fully covered by Medicare Part A, Medicaid (AHCCCS) and with prior approval, most commercial insurance companies. Please contact us at 877.615.3996 if additional palliative care services are needed when on hospice.

Future PalliativeCare Continuum of Care Services

Additional Valor PalliativeCare Programs are in development for seeing and following patients with other physicians and nurse practitioners and at nursing homes, assisted living facilities and hospitals.

In the meantime, if patients are not eligible to receive hospice services at this time or are in need of palliative pain and symptom management, Valor will coordinate care with our authorized, qualified geriatric and long term care groups.

We are partnering with local and national commercial insurance firms to provide services for new programs that follow Medicare and Medicare Advantage services. All services will be reimburseable under Medicare Part B, AHCCCS and other commercial insurance companies. Please contact us at 520.615.3996 for further information.

Please click on the following website links for further program information.

      
   

Please contact us today at 877.615.3996 or info@valorhospicecare.com for further information about our services and programs.