Columbus Community Hospital employs a social worker and an RN case manager/discharge planner to assist patients and families. Services include: - Discharge Planning - Our social worker and discharge planner work with patients and their families to ensure there is a safe plan in place upon discarge from the hospital. This may mean arranging transfer to a long-term care facility for rehabilitation, or an assisted living setting. Transportation can be set up using various van services when patients are unable to be transported by family due to physical needs. Referrals for home health or for durable medical equipment needs can also be arranged depending on a patient's needs and support at home.
- Medicare and insurance issues - Our socal worker and discharge planner can explain Medicare benefits and work closely with your insurance company. They work together to advocate for the patient and family and keep them informed.
- Referral to local resources - CCH serves patients from Columbia, Dane, Dodge and Jefferson Counties. Our social worker and discharge planner are familiar wtih resources and programs from these counties that may be of assistance to the patient and their family. Information and referrals are provided for those who have a variety of needs.
- Supportive counseling - Our Patient and Family Services Department strives to offer patients and families support in difficult times, and has made strides in enhancing the end of life care services offered to patients at CCH.
- Advance Directives - Our Social Worker is available to fill out Healthcare Power of Attorney documents for anyone who is interested. CCH hosts workshops on this topic at various times throughout the year - all of these services are provided for free. See the following section on advance directives for more information.
- Ethics Consultation - Columbus Community Hospital's Ethics Committee provides consultation for patients and families who have ethical dilemmas while here in the hospital, or at the local nursing home. This committee provides counseling and recommendations.
For further information contact Heidi Wallace at (920) 623-1281 hwallace@cch-inc.com or Gloria Dilley, RN, case manager/discharge planner. Advance Directives/Healthcare Power of Attorney What are Advance Directives? Advance Directives is a term that describes the planning that one does to outline what their wishes are in regard to end of life care. In the healthcare field, this typically includes either a living will or a Healthcare Power of Attorney. (Not to be confused with the Financial Power of Attorney). What is a living will? A living will is a document where you outline your wishes in writing, as to what treatments you would or would not want done. It is typically around the presumption that you are in terminal or vegetative condition. What is a Healthcare Power of Attorney? A Healthcare Power of Attorney is a document where you name typically two people to speak on our behalf regarding treatment decisions should you ever become incapacitated. These spokespeople should be familiar with your philosophies, and be willing to advocate on your behalf to ensure your wishes are followed. Legal Issues The important legal issues addressed in the Healthcare Power of Attorney are in reference to nursing home placement, and feeding tubes. - Without this document, if you were incapacitated, and needed nursing home placement, your family would have to attain guardianship of you through the courts. A court date would have to be set before you could even transfer to a nursing home. This can be expensive, and invasive.
- In regard to feeding tubes, if there were a decision made to refuse or remove feeding tubes - there would need to be a consensus among family members, or clear guidelines set by the pat
ient. Without proof of a patient's wishes, and without family consensus, the courts typically are conservative about the removal of nutrition. (They won't allow removal of feeding tubes).
Why should I get an Advance Directive? - It can save your family a lot of grief, and money should you need nursing home care.
- It can prevent your being kept alive against your wishes by artificial nutrition.
- It prevents miscommunication of your wishes - you will have a live person negotiating for you instead of words on paper (which are open to interpretation, and are not likely to address every scenario you may be in).
How do you go about getting one? - You can havea document completed by a lawyer.
- You can make an appointment with Heidi Wallace, Social Worker at CCH (920) 623-1281 or hwallace@cch-inc.com
- You can find sources on the internet and through various agencies for a free form and you can complete it yourself.
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