Home health care, hospice meet needs

Nevada Daily Mail

Nevada Regional Medical Center hosted this month's Nevada Vernon County Chamber of Commerce luncheon, with a presentation by Brigitte Brus, NRMC's director of home health and hospice, on the workings of the programs.

The need for home health and hospice will continue to grow as the population ages, Brus told those in attendance.

She began her presentation with a discussion of home health, what's involved, how it's funded, and an overview of requirements.

Eligible recipients must be homebound, with an illness or injury that restricts their ability to leave their residence.

Patients must be under the care of a qualifying physician and the patients must require a level of quality skilled service.

"Our goal is to provide these select set of services safely," said Brus, in the patient's home. Such services can range from nursing care to rehabilitation following a hospital stay.

Services include skilled nursing care, home care aid, physical, speech and occupational therapy and social services.

Home care is paid for primarily through Medicare, which makes up approximately 90 percent of the funding, said Brus, with Medicaid, Veterans Administration payments, private insurance and private pay.

Switching to the hospice program, she noted to qualify for hospice, which can be provided in any location, patients must have a terminal diagnosis and a prognosis of six months or less.

"We provide physical, emotional and spiritual care," she said.

Included are medical equipment, paying for a hospital stay, having a social worker, chapel, physician and nursing services, having a homemaker, housekeeping, therapy, and a dietitian.

Common diagnoses in this area that qualify for hospice are congestive heart failure, COPD, diabetes, kidney disease, Alzheimer's, and cancer, she said.

While Vernon County is the primary service area, Bates, Barton, Cedar and St. Clair counties are also included.

For more information, call 417-448-3751.

Sen. Ed Emery and Rep. Randy Pike gave those in attendance an update on the legislature, which just reconvened Wednesday.

Both elected lawmakers noted that legislation was being filed but would undergo changes over the process.

Pike noted he expected key issues to be affordable energy, economic development and transportation, education, consumer protection, computer data, and Second Amendment concerns.

The meeting wrapped up with coming announcements.

A free glaucoma screening at the hospital is Monday from 9 to 11 a.m.

Dr. Jeremy Fast is leading the lunch and learn Jan. 31 at the hospital at noon, also on glaucoma.

The next Friday Coffee is Jan. 24 from 8 to 9 a.m. at city hall.

Chamber Director Jennifer Eaton noted March 1 had been set as the date for the annual Chamber Gala awards banquet. She encouraged everyone to submit nominations for the award categories, with the names accompanied by the reasoning behind the nomination.