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HOSPICE & PALLIATIVE CARE IN SOUTH FLORIDA

Cover Story: Peggy Pettit Has Followed Hospice’s Growth Every Step of the Way

Continued from page 1 therapy, massage, respiratory therapy, to record and share pertinent patient data focused hospice and palliative care to
Part of the evolution palliative care and other integrated serv- would interfere with patient-provider address patient needs and support quali-
Pettit was part of a 1980s VITAS team ices. dynamics. ty of life.
that pioneered end-of-life care for patients Today, iPhones and Android devices, a
with AIDS; in the 1990s she was among Setting the standards VITAS referral app for clinicians, virtual 2020 vision
the clinical leaders advocating for the com- Home is where most hospice care takes reality therapy for anxiety/pain relief and Pettit is among those suggesting that
pany’s earliest electronic medical records. place, but the Medicare hospice benefit innovative mobile technologies are stan- the time has come to revisit the 1983
In 1993 she played a role in drawing up mandates continuous care when med- dard efficiency tools for VITAS profes- hospice benefit, which limits hospice to
the four VITAS values that guide every ically necessary, the capacity for inpa- sionals. Pettit is the first to admit that patients with a prognosis of six months
employee every day. “Patients and fami- tient care, and respite care for patients so world-class technologies enhance time or less and fails to consider the realities
lies come first,” the company’s first value, family caregivers can enjoy a temporary spent at the bedside rather than getting of long-term chronic diseases and the
aligns with Pettit’s personal mantra. reprieve. Not only was Pettit instrumen- between the patient and clinician. nation’s healthcare needs and vision for
Hospice began as a specialty to care for tal in developing VITAS standards for Meanwhile, legislative and industry 2020 and beyond.
patients dying of cancer and to support many of these innovations, she also efforts are transforming and modernizing Aware of how patients and end-of-life
their families. Yet illness and healthcare watched the hospice industry adopt hospice care. Alternative payment mod- challenges have changed, she knows that
have changed over four decades: From them as well. els now reward healthcare providers for hospice and the Medicare hospice benefit
AIDS to Alzheimer’s, the diseases, Today Pettit serves as a hospice ambas- providing high-quality, cost-effective care must evolve with the times to remain
patients and families have changed as sador, traveling the country to meet and for having the necessary goals-of- true to the mission of embracing quality
well. Cancer still claims almost 30 per- other industry leaders and potential lead- care conversations that uncover patient of life at the end of life.
cent of hospice patients, but lung dis- ers, talking about hospice in particular, preferences and shape their care. Her signature question (“Can we do
ease, cardiac issues, dementia, kidney patient care in general and ongoing Recruiting and retaining top-notch more, help more?”) and mission state-
disease, liver disease and sepsis require changes in healthcare delivery. healthcare workers is another industry ment (“Always make the ethical deci-
trained hospice teams knowledgeable challenge, especially as the aging Baby sion, and business will follow”) continue
about symptoms and complications. No barriers Boomer patient population grows and as to serve her and VITAS well.
The core hospice team – physician, Thirty years ago, while brainstorming chronic, advanced illnesses require com-
RN, social worker, chaplain, hospice aide technology ideas to improve communi- plex solutions. In Congress and within
and volunteer – has expanded at VITAS cations, Pettit faced skepticism from col- healthcare institutions, advocates are For more information,
to include specialists in nutrition, music leagues who thought hand-held devices promoting broader, earlier and results- visit the website www.VITAS.com.

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22 November 2019 southfloridahospitalnews.com South Florida Hospital News