Idt

Specialties Hospice

Published

I would like to know how different agencies run their IDT meetings. We run a census at about 80 patients, with each patient being discussed q 2 weeks. We have split our Patients into North and South teams. It takes 2 hours to discuss each team's active patients and recent deaths.We then have a 1 hour memorial service between each of the team meetings where we spend time remembering the patients that have died within the last week.

So as you can see, that is 5 hours every week of meeting time for the chaplains and coordinators, and the social workers and RNs each spend 3 hours. The meetings are not very efficient, We just need some advice. Anyone can help????

Specializes in Oncology, Hospice, Research.

I am not sure if this will help or not as I worked Hospice for several years but our census was about half of yours. We had two teams that met weekly and each team presented their patients every other week. We started our meeting with a QUICK discussion of patients who had died that week and that patient's nurse lit a candle for them. Our spiritual and bereavement staff were there for that part but then left before the patient presentations started. The meetings were long and could be tiring but I think it was necessary. Maybe you could "triage" your patients by having each nurse present 4 or 5 of his/her most acute or problematic patient and summarize the others with a sentence or two. We all know there are some patients and families that are easy and others are very high maintenance. You may not need to hear about the lower acuity patients so frequently.

There are three teams, each meets weekly for two hours. Each patient (anywhere from 25-35 per team) is discussed every two weeks. Usually it works out pretty even, but sometimes it works out that there are many more care plans due one week than the other and it gets difficult to stay within our time frame. Each team runs their meetings a little differently but we cover administrative announcements, bereavement presents how the family members they are following are coping, the chaplain presents something thought provoking or soul soothing for all.

Specializes in MS Home Health.

My hubby runs a hospice and I am a hospice volunteer over 10 years. They do their IDTs the same but no memorial service as that takes way to much time. They do their memorials twice a year and the community is invited. They send invites to the families that have died and the staff is welcome and runs the memorial. They light a candle and do a slide show video at the memorial. Oh yes the do the geographic areas in four quads.

Does this help?

renerian

Thanks, that does help. I have had people complain about how long the IDT is, but I see no way of making it shorter. It sounds like you all have the same process and the time length is similar. I might be going to Denver in April for the HPCNA conference, one of the breakout sessions is on IDT and how to make it run smoother. I hope to get some good tips from that also.

Specializes in MS Home Health.

They stick right to the patient list. They have a strict meeting facilitator, the PCC, who keeps everyone on tract. They never discuss who died other than to say the person on the list did. Saves time.

renerian

Our Hospice team meets once a week and discuss all the pts. It lasts approx. 1-1 1/2 hr. I thought this was long until I read about yours. We have a memorial once a year for staff and family. At meetings only the name of the passed one is mentioned. I will never complain again about this meeting time. Ha! Ha!

Lately, my agency's IDT 's are worse than having your eyelashes pulled out one by one.

Our census is usually only 14-18 and we have idt meetings every Tues and Thurs! Each pt gets 20min, our msw's ramble on and on about family dynamics, the vol and family are invited, we accomplish nothing.

I feel for you.....

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