[hcan]

Is there any kind of a short and easier admission process for those patients who are actually dying? It would help in those situations where the documentation lasts longer than the patient.

[aimeee]

Unfortunately the medicare conditions of participation don't cut any slack for the imminent death patient. It would be nice if they had a different set of standards, but they don't. Many hospices though have streamlined their process for the near death patient because much of the care plan can be standardized. You can also skimp on some of the documentation....obviously you don't need a whole heck of a lot of backup to prove terminality when they are already drawing their last breaths. We have a specialized care plan entry for imminent death that includes all the standard stuff and then other things can be added to customize. If the patient dies during the process we just enter the meds that were actually given under our care into the orders.

[hcan]

Thank you. I appreciate your response.