The MA Department of Public Health recently released a set of draft regulations relative to a new requirement that – effective next year – will require hospitals and skilled nursing facilities to distribute information on palliative care and end of life care. Under the draft regulations, the facilities will be required:
- Have a process to identify appropriate patients
- Ensure that appropriate patients receive information
- Distribute information about hospice and palliative care in a timely manner
Some HCA members have reviewed these draft regulations and believe that the draft definitions do not make a clear enough distinction between palliative care and hospice care almost using the terms interchangeably. There will be a public hearing on these rules in Boston on Nov 21st at 2 PM in the Public Health Council Room, Second Floor, Department of Public Health, 250 Washington Street, Boston.
The Alliance will be providing comments and encourages other members to do so, either in person or in writing. Electronic or written testimony can be submitted to: Reg.Testimony@state.ma.us as an attached Word document or as text within the body of an email and type “End-of-Life” in the subject line. All submissions must include the sender’s full name and address. The Department will post all electronic testimony that complies with these instructions on its website All testimony must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on November 22, 2013.
Members are encouraged to also provide feedback to the Alliance for our testimony as well.
Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.
Think Home Care Blog 
We in home and hospice find that often the MDs do not understand the difference between hospice and palliative care nor do many providers. Across the board edcuation will help improve the manner in which we educate clients/families on this delicate and emotional topics. We in the health care environment need to understand before we can impart this knowledge to others.