Comments on Hospice Blog: Is Odyssey Hospice the tip of the iceberg?

Interesting how your policy at the bottom of the p...

2010-04-22T21:49:01.747-07:00

Interesting how your policy at the bottom of the page says that comments are not to mention a specific company or basically badmouth them, but that seems to be the intent of this whole discussion!

I agree with the comment of 10/28/2009. In the pa...

2009-11-18T12:10:35.115-08:00

I agree with the comment of 10/28/2009. In the particular office I worked at, it was absolutely about the numbers. The Executive Director could care less about anything but her glory and her pride. Never once did I hear her say anything about "team". It was always about her and what she accomplished. I am not sour grapes or disgruntled because I left with my dignity, integrit and

I work for Odyssey, and as it was put to me today,...

2009-10-28T17:02:13.327-07:00

I work for Odyssey, and as it was put to me today, when we don't admit a referral (that is usually sniffed out by a bloodhound CER) We lose 27000. I used to believe in this company, but have watched us become all about the numbers. I never thought I'd leave this company because I believe in the good that we do, I believe in the other nurses like myself who are in this to do the right

Having been an experienced Hospice and Palliative ...

2009-05-21T21:52:56.308-07:00

Having been an experienced Hospice and Palliative Care Nurse for 12 years, we have found in oour Research Facility that patients referred to us in End Stage Disease Process for Non-Cancer Diagnosis usually die without the Care provided them by comprehensive Hospice Care. It is usually left up to the evaluation of the Nurse Case Manager and the Primary Physiacian in Consult with the Hospice Home

As a family member of a patient who has received h...

2009-03-04T15:37:00.000-08:00

As a family member of a patient who has received hospice care from Odyssey, I am grateful for their existence. My father died a little over a year ago, and the hospice staff made it so much easier on him, and on us. My mother has recently qualified as AFTT, and has Alzheimer's. She is ambulatory, but has had 12 falls in two months. Since hospice involvement, the siruation has improved, with

Hello, Hospice guy.
It's good to see that thi...

2008-12-02T14:34:00.000-08:00

Hello, Hospice guy.
It's good to see that this type of action is getting attention. I am currently working for one of the "big" companies and it is common to see other companies in the workplace. I've come to realize that everyone does it. Willa said it great..."deciding if a person is eligible for hospice is not such a cut and dried thing." The big companies will have more of these

I am currently an RN case manager with one of the ...

2008-03-23T20:48:00.000-07:00

I am currently an RN case manager with one of the 'big' companies, and while we are under pressure from corporate because we are publicly traded, I experienced as much pressure to 'produce' when I was in acute care for a 'non-profit' local health system. In my short tenure (3 months so far) I have had two patients "graduate" from hospice for extended prognosis. When I presented the reasons for

You won't have the cahones to leave this post up, ...

2008-03-06T20:43:00.000-08:00

You won't have the cahones to leave this post up, but I'll write it anyway. Your blog is the most sanctimonious garbage I have EVER read. It ain't about you or your so-called ethics. Hospice is about the patients and giving them the help they need. You are one of those "hospice dilatantes" who love your little business and don't want the pressure of competition so you have your little

Hospice Guy...

I have worked for 2 large ho...

2007-08-13T09:31:00.000-07:00

Hospice Guy...

I have worked for 2 large hospice companies for the last 8 years (not at the same time!), neither of which is Odyssey. What I find to be more disturbing than admitting them when they don't qualify, is keeping them on the program FOREVER. I have had patients for 2 and 3 years that never really change. The ADC is the most important thing to them. It always interests me

Funny really. I've worked now with 4 hospice compa...

2007-02-26T19:31:00.000-08:00

Funny really. I've worked now with 4 hospice companies from the biggest to the smallest and I have yet to see one who did not try real hard to evaluate the Medicare certification criteria very closely for every patient on their services. Almost every major hospice in the USA got nailed a few years ago by the department of justice. Do your homework and you will see that it was not just Odyssey,

I have worked for several hospices and 4 out of 5 ...

2007-02-07T21:09:00.000-08:00

I have worked for several hospices and 4 out of 5 of them required that admission occur with any M.D. order, regardless of the admitting RN's assessment evaluation. I have dealt with the same demand when it is time for recertification for ongoing care--do the recert or find another job. I'm tired of changing jobs!

And what do you think of a large hospice chain tha...

2007-01-23T21:10:00.000-08:00

And what do you think of a large hospice chain that is planning on accepting patients to service with TPN and Dopamine IV drips?

Hi hopice guy,

I am a former spiritual care...

2006-09-17T14:05:00.000-07:00

Hi hopice guy,

I am a former spiritual care coordinator for Odyssey and now am with a small non-profit hospice. I have to say that in my time with the big chain, I found those RN's in admissions to be trying their best to determine hospice appropriateness. Sometimes you admit someone who is questionable and "see what happens" during that first recert period. Obviousy, there has been

Hi, hospice guy. I am a hospice admissions nurse ...

2006-08-10T18:49:00.000-07:00

Hi, hospice guy. I am a hospice admissions nurse (12 yrs experience) with Odyssey HC, but I am not here to defend my company. I actually didn't know about all this until I read it in your blog. What I would like to say is, deciding if a person is eligible for hospice is not such a cut and dried thing after all. Yes, we have the guidelines, but there is a human factor here too. I find it