HPCCV Director’s Annual Report
December 2009
At
the close of my 24th year as Coordinator--then Director-- of the Hospice &
Palliative Care Council of Vermont, it has been my privilege to serve in this
very part-time position (.2 FTE), facilitating the education and communication of
the hospice community in Vermont. In our
small state of just over 620,000 people we create a network of non-profit rural
and small-city hospices that cover every community in the state. In 2008 we cared for more than 1400 hospice patients and their families—an
increase over the previous year, and we expect 2009 numbers to show a similar
increase. Most of our hospice programs
are part of the local not-for-profit home health or visiting nurse association,
and the two volunteer hospices work closely with their local agencies. A third volunteer hospice has been recently
consolidated with the local VNA, collaborating to bring comprehensive care to
their community. This is a unique
collaboration and safety net for the critically ill, the dying and their
families in
The Hospice Council of Vermont was
incorporated and received its 501C3 non-profit status in 1985, after two
years of study of the needs of dying Vermonters and their families, by the
Vermont Ecumenical Council. HCV quickly
expanded to include all of the home care agencies and volunteer hospice groups
in the state, and helped each train staff and achieve certified Hospice
Medicare Benefit status and serve patients in every corner of
In
recent years many of our organizations have added the special category of “palliative care program” to their
services to include those patients with life-threatening illnesses but who are
in active treatment and not hospice-eligible, so that they might receive the
same expertise in pain and symptom control, with seamless staff support. In reflection of this growth in care, the
Hospice Council of Vermont voted to change its name and status to The Hospice & Palliative Care Council of
At
the Conference, We also honored and
celebrated HPCCV President, Diana Peirce, as she heads for retirement after more
than 15 years of dedicated and insightful leadership of the Council. Her steadfast and heartfelt commitment to
improving the lives of the dying and supporting the survival of the living and
those who care for them has carried us all.
Diana will be sorely missed in
Many
times a year we gather from all corners of Vermont to exchange ideas,
brainstorm problems and share up-to-the-minute insights into government and insurance issues that effect
hospice and palliative care. In
specialty sub-groups—Clinicians,
Volunteer Coordinators, and Bereavement Coordinators meet to offer peer support,
compare issues, train new staff, and expand our expertise. We also gather quarterly to meet as a Board
of Directors and create position statements on current issues, set our
conference agenda, and cheer each other on in this challenging work. This collaboration has been critical in adapting
to the new Medicare Hospice Conditions
of Participation and weathering audits.
The www.HPCCV.org website has enabled us to
communicate in another way and connect to larger organizations such as the
National Hospice & Palliative Care Organization, of which we are a member,
and the Vermont Assembly of Home Health Agencies, which gives us free office
space and support as part of their mission.
We are extremely grateful for the generosity of Peter Cobb and Lindy
Hatcher and the Board of VAHHA for their support these many years.
We continue to collaborate with other
organizations with similar goals of supporting the critically ill, the dying
and their families, including the Vermont Medical Society, the Vermont Ethics
Network, the North Eastern Vermont Area Health Education Center, the Vermont
Program for Quality in Health Care, and others.
HPCCV President, Diana Peirce and other members have regularly testified
before the Vermont Legislature on legal and healthcare issues affecting us all.
It
has been the goal of HPCCV to keep a small budget and not detract from the local
fund-raising efforts, which all hospices must do in their own communities in
order to survive. Yet, through good
management and support, we have been able to put aside nearly 10% of our annual
$25,000 budget to create a new partnership with a hospice in
As
Director, I create many documents which you have received or may review at any
time—Board & Meeting Minutes, Treasurer’s Reports,
Annual Budget, Conference Budget & Evaluations, Annual Surveys, and website Events, Specialty
Reports, etc. As you know, I also
work nearly full-time as Bereavement Coordinator for Central Vermont Home
Health & Hospice and I teach in many places. This grounding in clinical issues and the concerns
of our patients and their families gives me a special insight many organization
directors do not have. It also limits
the amount of time I have available for HPCCV.
As long as it suits the needs of the organization to sustain this dual
role—I am honored to do so, and I am eternally grateful for the privilege of
working with so many dedicated, talented, and compassionate people in the
service of the ill, the dying and bereaved.
Below is a list of the teaching sites, to which I have brought the
message of excellent hospice and palliative care for all.
Respectfully Submitted by
Virginia L. Fry, HPCCV Director
2009 Teaching sites: Lamoille
Home Health & Hospice, Vermont Health Care Association, Vermont Family
Network, Vermont Student Assistance Counselors, Johnson State College (x5),
Norwich University, Otter Valley School, Washington County Schools, Stowe High
School, Sterling Services, Newport AAA, Camp Knock Knock,
VT Mental Health Counselors, UVM Medical School’s Palliative Care Week, U. Conn
Medical School’s Master Therapists Series, Community Program Innovations in Billerica,
MA, Exeter Hospital, New Hampshire, Hospice of Lancaster PA, Ricam Hospiz, Germany.