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palliative care


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I became a PA for several reasons, but one of which was that during my previous career as a broadcast journalist (news/documentary), I produced a story on palliative care. I was so impressed by the quality of care, and the philosophy of care in this specialty, that it factored heavily into my decision to apply to PA school and make my career change. I wanted to companion people meaningfully to the end of their lives, and support and teach their loved ones how to participate in this very spiritual and powerful part of a person's life.

 

I have been a PA for 10 years and have NEVER been able to find a palliative or hospice care position looking for a PA. they advertise for NPs (I apply anyway, but get no response), and I search for inpatient interventional pain/ anesthesia positions bc they are often called to assist in peaceful, comfortable end of life care.

 

has anyone here ever worked in palliative care, or known any other PAs who worked in palliative care? if so, where?

 

thanks, 

 

ps in case anyone is wondering, I got out of broadcast journalism bc it was all freelance, and when I became a mother I needed to find a more reliable source of income that would make use of my undergrad education (pre-med), and allow me to do something meaningful and make a contribution to society. 

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the reason you can't get hired - regulations....

 

NPs can bill for hospice care, PA's can not....   there is a bill in congress now to try and change it....

 

As a practice owner for home bound patients I did a lot of palliative care.  First name basis with the hospice doc and we would speak about patients all the time.  Very rewarding.  But I was the PCP no the specialist....

 

 

Is a great field where compassion rules - just need to know what your patient wants, then be their advocate....

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the reason you can't get hired - regulations....

 

NPs can bill for hospice care, PA's can not....   there is a bill in congress now to try and change it....

 

 

Is this an issue in an inpatient setting?  i.e. large academic hospital on the palliative medicine service getting consults for pain management, establishing goals of care, etc.

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Ventana is right, PAs are excluded from hospice reimbursement so we can't work for hospice. There is a bill pending, for the second time I think, to allow PAs to work for hospice. Last time I think it died without a vote. There is an organization for PAs in hospice and palliative care: http://www.pahpm.com.

 

At my current job, they post positions for either PA or NP for most positions and that includes the palliative care team. They only have MDs and NPs right now but my manager who oversees both Geriatrics and Palliative Care said they would be open to a PA. 

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I am talking about palliative care, not hospice, but the comments coming in are interesting. if they changed the regs I'd go hospice.

 

strange, though, if hospice has MDs (and NPs) what's the barrier to a PA being in the mix? as long as there are MDs to be SPs...?

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hospice and palliative care are commonly lumped together in one position....  Palliative care is just hospice with out the hospice benefit - but officially you are correct, you can be paid for palliative care because it is just typical coding 

 

tough thing is finding an employer that wants to hire a PA over an NP (who can do hospice)

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