VNA Care Choices

Holistic Palliative Care

VNA Care Choices provides supportive care services in the home for patients who are managing a serious illness. Patients may continue to receive curative treatment from other Medicare providers while using this program.

Palliative care is patient and family-centered with a goal of optimizing quality of life by anticipating, preventing and treating suffering. Palliative care involves addressing physical, intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual needs and to facilitate patient autonomy, access to information and choice.

Medicare Care Choices Model

In 2014, VNA applied to participate in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) pilot, Medicare Care Choices Model (MCCM), to test the effectiveness of home-based palliative care to improve quality of life for those suffering from a serious illness and decrease cost for the health care system. In 2016, VNA was chosen as one of the 100 hospices nationwide to participate in the pilot. As part of the second cohort of the pilot, VNA began offering VNA Care Choices in 2018.

The MCCM pilot has been extended for an additional year and VNA will continue to enroll patients through July 2021. In a mission-driven decision, VNA also enrolls patients who may not be eligible for the CMS pilot program into VNA Care Choices.

How We Support Patients

Customized, home-based palliative care support
Physician-directed care
RN care coordination
24/7 nurse access
Symptom management
Preserve treatment flexibility
Emergency room/hospitalization prevention

Eligibility Guidelines

Patients may be eligible for the VNA Care Choices program if they meet the following criteria:

Diagnosis of CHF, COPD, HIV/AIDS, end-stage cancer, end-stage liver disease, or other end-stage pulmonary disease
Terminal diagnosis with a prognosis of six months of life or fewer (there is no penalty to the physician or the patient if the patient lives longer than six months)
Enrolled in any insurance plan accepted by VNA

Clinical Excellence

VNA Care Choices was launched in 2018 and participated in the only Medicare-sponsored home-based palliative care program in North Texas, focused on improving quality of care, patient/family satisfaction and reduction of emergency room visits and acute hospital stays.

Learn more about our Clinical Quality measures.

Learn More

Palliative Care Teams

Our palliative care teams are trained on the latest palliative care best practices and protocols. Their main goal is to ensure effective patient-centered care coordination. Our teams are available for triage services 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

RN case managers perform thorough assessments to establish a plan of care in collaboration with the patient and family. VNA will work with physician(s) and patients to coordinate the treatment plan. As experts in symptom control, the nurses act as a resource to address patient concerns.

A medical social worker connects patients and families to community resources and offers emotional support and counseling.

Spiritual counselors are available to provide comfort and support. VNA is able to provide spiritual counseling for all faiths and creeds. If requested, the VNA Chaplain can work directly with a patient’s clergy to provide additional support.

VNA volunteers offer compassionate support and companionship for patients and their families. Volunteers can serve in multiple roles including: providing caregiver respite, reading and/or listening to music with the patient, documenting patient stories and memories, running light errands, and providing emotional support.

A personal care aide is provided in some cases. Please consult with your case manager for more information.