In 2015, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) contracted HOI to develop an End-of-Life Care (EoL) assessment and planning model to inform future partnerships with private hospitals in the delivery of EoL care. To meet DVA’s requirements, HOI developed the following:
- A feasible and evidence-based best practice EoL care assessment and planning model for private hospitals to employ during discharge planning with identified DVA clients, including but not limited to the following:
– A quantifiable EoL matrix or scoring system to guide hospital staff and discharge planners in assessing patients, including clarity as to how this fits within the current discharge planning processes and responsibilities;
– Reporting and evaluation measures and processes, and how these are linked to payment plans;
– Developing an implementation framework including education of hospital staff, Veteran’s Liaison Officers and/or discharge planners, with particular note given to private hospitals that may have low DVA client throughout. - Development of strategies for DVA to improve EoL care services delivered by community-based health care providers.
Key consultancy activities included: extensive environmental analysis; evaluation of current DVA EoL services; needs analysis of current DVA client base; comprehensive literature review; stakeholder consultations; national online survey; establishment of an expert clinical panel to provide specialist input into the design of the potential EoL care model for DVA; workshop with key DVA stakeholders to review draft report and provide feedback on proposed EoL care model; ethics approval. A final assessment and planning model was delivered to the client.