Bereavement Professional

This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous

Hello members,

How many phone calls do your care plans require before the hospice survey is mailed to families? Referring to question #38.
The tentative answer here is that surveys are mailed to families 6 weeks after the death.
If this is true, we currently call low to moderate risk families twice before they receive their surveys. For high risk, they get 3 calls.
Is anyone calling more often, less often? We're considering a change to our care plans in response to lower CAHPS scores as of late.

Thank you!​

We individualize our plan of care so when we call depends on what the home hospice social workers have documented in their bereavement referral. If they are high risk and have limited support we may call a week or two after the death. In most cases, if there are several strengths and few stressors, we'll wait to call around 5 or 6 week after the death. Whenever we talk with a bereaved individual, our determination of what they need or want, whether it is a visit (usually an infrequent request) or continued calls is individually determined based on collaboration between the client and the bereaved counselor. So we don't have a 'set' prescribed number of calls we make if someone is thought to be high risk.

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Patti Anewalt, Director
Pathways Center for Grief & Loss
Hospice & Community Care
Mount Joy, PA
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Original Message:
Sent: 03-02-2022 10:36 AM
From: Anonymous Member
Subject: Care Plans and CAHPS Hospice Survey

This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous

Hello members,

How many phone calls do your care plans require before the hospice survey is mailed to families? Referring to question #38.
The tentative answer here is that surveys are mailed to families 6 weeks after the death.
If this is true, we currently call low to moderate risk families twice before they receive their surveys. For high risk, they get 3 calls.
Is anyone calling more often, less often? We're considering a change to our care plans in response to lower CAHPS scores as of late.

Thank you!​

Our berv clients are admitted based off of need with a level of service admit (low, moderate, high, Calls only or mailers only). We do not send the berv survey until the 12 month berv services are provided. The evaluation of the hospice is sent at 21 post death by an outside entity. 

Our EMR system populates calls straight to our calendar. For example a low risk berv client in our system is scheduled to receive the following: 
2 weeks- sympathy card
3 weeks- Completion of post death assessment, Initial mailer and completion of POC 
4 month mailer- Reminder of services
6 month- Call
12 month- Call and anniversary mailer
Spring and Holiday mailers are sent out at as well
Every call or mailer is a reminder of services
At the time of the post death berv assessment if a client chooses to attend support group, in home or in office grief support that begins. 

When a client is admitted to HBV for moderate or high then the frequency of contact increases
Calls only enables the  berv to only receive calls and no mailers
Mailers only receives no calls
Original Message:
Sent: 03-02-2022 10:36 AM
From: Anonymous Member
Subject: Care Plans and CAHPS Hospice Survey

This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous

Hello members,

How many phone calls do your care plans require before the hospice survey is mailed to families? Referring to question #38.
The tentative answer here is that surveys are mailed to families 6 weeks after the death.
If this is true, we currently call low to moderate risk families twice before they receive their surveys. For high risk, they get 3 calls.
Is anyone calling more often, less often? We're considering a change to our care plans in response to lower CAHPS scores as of late.

Thank you!​

This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous

The minimum for our organization is one call.  If the social worker has determined that the individual is moderate to high risk for bereavement complications we will call a second time if we're unable to reach them on the first call.  When we talk with them the first time, we of course then try to assess for the need for additional supports which might include additional phone calls, individual meetings, volunteer calls, group support, etc.   Our CAHPS scores are high but one thing we've identified is the need to differentiate our bereavement mailing envelopes from the other mail our hospice might send.  So our department has received it's own logo with "Grief Support" added in the hopes that when people receive our mailing they will know what the letter is for. Since our first bereavement mailing letter is sent within the first 4 weeks after the loss, it will precede the survey and hopefully impact that score.
Original Message:
Sent: 03-02-2022 10:36 AM
From: Anonymous Member
Subject: Care Plans and CAHPS Hospice Survey

This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous

Hello members,

How many phone calls do your care plans require before the hospice survey is mailed to families? Referring to question #38.
The tentative answer here is that surveys are mailed to families 6 weeks after the death.
If this is true, we currently call low to moderate risk families twice before they receive their surveys. For high risk, they get 3 calls.
Is anyone calling more often, less often? We're considering a change to our care plans in response to lower CAHPS scores as of late.

Thank you!​

Our process is very similar to Patti's. We careplan according to risk so they might receive 1 call or more before the survey is received. It just depends. We have no set process of how many calls should be made, we let the client drive that. Hopefully, some of this wonderful feedback that has been posted will provide helpful guidance.

------------------------------
Karen Monts
Director, Grief Support Services & Practice Manager, Counseling Services
Northstar Care Community
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 03-02-2022 10:36 AM
From: Anonymous Member
Subject: Care Plans and CAHPS Hospice Survey

This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous

Hello members,

How many phone calls do your care plans require before the hospice survey is mailed to families? Referring to question #38.
The tentative answer here is that surveys are mailed to families 6 weeks after the death.
If this is true, we currently call low to moderate risk families twice before they receive their surveys. For high risk, they get 3 calls.
Is anyone calling more often, less often? We're considering a change to our care plans in response to lower CAHPS scores as of late.

Thank you!​

A few years ago we targeted this exact thing and made a policy that someone from the primary care team needs to make a condolence call to the family within 72 hours of the patient's death (even if they were present).  RN, chaplain, MSW in particular; the call is charted.  It ultimately is the MSW's responsibility.  Then we pick up the bereavement plan of care and calls in a few weeks.  Most families have received that condolence call + one bereavement call by the time of the survey is received.

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-----
Kristen Emerson, LCSW
Bereavement Counselor | Bon Secours Hospice | Richmond | VA
kristen_emerson@bshsi.org | 804-433-4710
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 03-02-2022 10:36 AM
From: Anonymous Member
Subject: Care Plans and CAHPS Hospice Survey

This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous

Hello members,

How many phone calls do your care plans require before the hospice survey is mailed to families? Referring to question #38.
The tentative answer here is that surveys are mailed to families 6 weeks after the death.
If this is true, we currently call low to moderate risk families twice before they receive their surveys. For high risk, they get 3 calls.
Is anyone calling more often, less often? We're considering a change to our care plans in response to lower CAHPS scores as of late.

Thank you!​

HI,
Our volunteers make calls at 2 weeks, 2 months, 4 months, 7 months, 10 months and 12 months. We also send out mailings (grief newsletters) at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months 11 months, 13 months and a December Holiday mailing.  This is for all the patients.  If any issues arise as a result of the calls, our BC reaches out to the bereaved immediately.   Our surveys are sent out 6 months after the death and 13 month after the death.  Our BC reaches out additionally based on the risk.

------------------------------
Barbara Raby
Volunteer Coordinator
Franciscan Hospice Care
Meriden, CT 06451
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Original Message:
Sent: 03-02-2022 10:36 AM
From: Anonymous Member
Subject: Care Plans and CAHPS Hospice Survey

This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous

Hello members,

How many phone calls do your care plans require before the hospice survey is mailed to families? Referring to question #38.
The tentative answer here is that surveys are mailed to families 6 weeks after the death.
If this is true, we currently call low to moderate risk families twice before they receive their surveys. For high risk, they get 3 calls.
Is anyone calling more often, less often? We're considering a change to our care plans in response to lower CAHPS scores as of late.

Thank you!​