Noe, Smith, and Younis wrote the article, Calls for Reform to the U.S. Hospice System , published in the Ageing International Journal in 2012. The article’s main objective is to offer a historical perspective of the hospice system in the United States. The author also discusses existing trends in the country hospice system and offers policy standards that can govern the system in the future ( Noe et al., 2012 ). The hospice system is one of the fastest-growing fields within the Medicare system. The study is timely and important because it offers a platform for discussion of the future hospice system.
The study collects relevant information on hospice systems in the U.S. from existing records and documents. The research paper is divided into several sections, and they include the history of hospice, exiting hospice system, calls for reforms, and future implications ( Noe et al., 2012 ). Each section draws data from peer-reviewed and credible sources. The use of multiple sources has helped the authors answer their research objectives and draw accurate conclusions based on professionally executed experimentations. These help to increase the article’s dependability. Notwithstanding, using secondary sources as the main sources of information for research poses several limitations. Secondary data may not answer the authors’ specific research question or contain adequate information to offer clear elucidation on the research topic. Additionally, information collected from research may not be timely. The use of outdated information may result in inaccurate findings.
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U.S. hospice systems have evolved significantly within the U.S. over the past thirty years. They grew from nonprofit entities to become Medicare-funded during the 1980s, which has seen a spike in for-profit entities. The image surrounding the hospice system also changed from the perception that they were a place people go to die and are now perceived as a viable alternative to long-term care for people nearing death ( Noe et al., 2012 ). Findings from the study reveal that the hospice payment method, diem reimbursement, is deeply flawed because it offers incentives for providers to do what they can to prolong a patient’s life. There has been a shift from per deim reimbursement; however, there is no clear consensus on an optimal payment method. Another significant finding is, measuring the quality of care services by hospice providers is challenging. This problem has had an economic impact on providers' reimbursement rates. Findings from the study offer a platform for discussions on enhancing hospice systems within the United States.
In my opinion, the article by Noe, Smith, & Younis is comprehensive and informative on the history of the hospice system within the U.S. its, history, current structure, overarching issues, and future implications. The article offers a platform where stakeholders can have insightful discussions on ways to enhance the hospice system. I believe the discussion on current trends in the U.S. hospice system has been invaluable because it highlights areas that require improvement to enhance services and the performance of nonprofit and for-profit enterprises within the sector.
I will apply the lessons I learn from the article in my future professional practice. The study suggests that the time to death is the primary driver of mounting healthcare cost in developed nations (Noe et al., 2012). I will use this information to control cost when a patient is about to die while also offering quality care for the patient and their family. The study also suggests that measuring quality for hospice care is a significant issue that needs to be addressed. I would collaborate with peers and stakeholders to develop quality measures that help assess the quality of care in hospice institutions. Such measures will help highlight issues in care or demonstrate that a hospice system funded by Medicare offers better services.
Reference
Noe, K., Smith, P. C., & Younis, M. (2012). Calls for reform to the U.S. hospice system. Ageing International, 37(2), 228-237.
