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Cardiology

How Can Hospice Help Your Advanced Cardiac Patients?

Cardiologists have Our specialists: What can your patient expect? and makes the patient more comfortable -
patients they no longer • Monitor patients’ symp- Patients who qualify for VITAS cardiac at home
see because the patient toms and clinical status at comfort care may benefit from the follow- • Inpatient care can be arranged when
can’t leave home any- home ing: necessary until the patient is stabilized and
more. Or if they come • Communicate with the • They can expect an average of five in- can return home
into the office, they can’t cardiology team/office to home visits per week from their cardiac
get onto the examining intervene early and stabilize hospice team Other EOL considerations
table without help. I worsening conditions • Upon admission to VITAS, a cardiac Advanced heart failure patients may
know; I’ve watched my • Manage edema, dyspnea comfort kit is given to every cardiac have to consider having a doctor turn off
own heart disease patients and other symptoms at home patient to address acute exacerbations their heart pump to improve quality of life
become debilitated. or in an inpatient setting • A cardiac weight diary is maintained at the expense of length of life. They need
When advanced cardiac • Enhance quality of life so our team can monitor the patient’s to make clear their preferences about
patients are no longer BY ILEANA LEYVA, MD for the patient: help with weight resuscitation, assisted breathing and artifi-
benefiting from curative ADLs, oxygen dependence • Our staff, trained in cardiac monitor- cial nutrition/hydration; VITAS can
treatments, when symp- and extreme fatigue ing, collaborates with the attending cardi- explain these decisions and guide patients
toms become debilitating, hospice care can • Support the family with education and ologist and nurse practitioner to titrate car- and families through the process to docu-
manage those symptoms, keep patients coping skills diac treatments to minimize symptom dis- ment their wishes legally.
out of the ED and ICU, and improve qual- • Deliver oxygen and other medical tress If you have a patient who might benefit
ity of life for them and their family. equipment through the Medicare hospice • Our nurses make proactive calls to car- from cardiac comfort care, or from a
Not every hospice provider can offer the benefit diac hospice patient every weekend skilled discussion of goals of care, I
enhanced symptom management and Hospice-eligible patients who choose • VITAS cardiac comfort care eliminates encourage you to partner with VITAS
increased home services that cardiac VITAS receive comprehensive treatment re-hospitalizations Healthcare. Talk to your VITAS rep about
patients come to need. The sickest, most aimed at improving quality of life, includ- • VITAS Telecare® means round-the- how we can help your patients with
time-consuming patients need an interdis- ing emotional and spiritual support from clock patient and family support. On-call advanced heart disease.
ciplinary hospice team specially educated an interdisciplinary team made up of a nurses have access to patients’ records and
in advanced cardiac care. That’s where nurse, chaplain, hospice aide, doctor, the ability to dispatch a member of the
VITAS Healthcare excels. social worker, bereavement specialist, and team to the home after hours, weekends To refer a patient or get information, con-
integrated service providers, depending on and holidays, reducing the chance for re- tact us at 800-93-VITAS or VITAS.com.
Cardiac comfort care patient needs. Care occurs wherever the hospitalization Download our hospice eligibility guidelines
VITAS has developed advanced cardiac patient calls home, whether in a private • Shifts of Intensive Comfort Care® at VITASapp.com.
care techniques and protocols to ensure home, nursing home, assisted living facili- nurses in the home are available when rou- Dr. Ileana Leyva is Regional Medical
patients maintain dignity and comfort in ty or, if necessary, inpatient unit. tine home care is not enough. One-on-one Director, VITAS® Healthcare.
their final months, weeks and days. continuous care reduces acute symptoms

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PALM BEA C Y Y : Rahul Aggar wal, MD | B rian B ethhea, MD BRO W A OUUNT Y Y :M ohamed B ehairy , , MD | Erik BE ey er , MD
Thanh Duong-W agner , MD | Mar k F isher , MD | J ames G ar dn , Jrer ., DO N eil G alinde z, MDD | L uis O rihuela, MD | M ohamedd O sman, MD
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J onathan Kahan, MD | M att w Klein, MD | Ehe ric Lieberman,, MD D avid P erloff, MDD | J or dan S asson, MD | Lance S immkins, MD
B rijeshwar M aini, MD | I da Mazza, MD | HM ao P an, MD J uan V e elasque z, MDD | J uan V elazque z-S tuar t, MD | RRicar do i V icuna, MD
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N ishant P atel, MD | B enjamin Rav aee, MD | J oseph Ricotta, MMD MIAMI-DADE COUNTY: R o Vitalie Ci r udu, MD
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S aurabh S anon, MD | J onathhan V a afai, MD | C raig V ogel, DO M iguel D iaz, MD | Leonar do Lope z, MD | Ricar do Machado, MDM
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Ar thur W einer , MD | D avid W eisman, MD J ose M ar que z, MDD | J ose P iner o, MD | J aime S anch z, MDhe
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O ur E xpperienced

P hysician tand ns S

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e T enet F lorida P hysician ern S vices extends our heartfelt thanks to our network of awar d-winning,
exper t car diologists, inter v entionaal car diologists, car diothoraacic surgeons, v ascular surgeons and electr ophysiologissts.

reeferr
al to a TFPS physician,
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call 11.866.654.2362 or visit TTFPSH ear t.com.

South Florida Hospital News southfloridahospitalnews.com February 2019 21