VNA Care Choices

Supportive Palliative Care

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

Supportive palliative care is patient and family-centered with a goal of improving quality of life by anticipating, preventing, and treating symptoms. Supportive 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 140 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 concluded at the end of 2021. Listen to this podcast to learn about the MCCM program pilot results and how we modeled our current VNA Care Choices Program. Harnessing this experience has positioned VNA Care Choices as the premier provider of home-based supportive palliative care services in North Texas.

How We Support Patients

Customized, home-based palliative care support
Physician-directed care
RN care coordination
24/7 nurse access
Symptom management
Education on disease process
Preserve treatment flexibility
Emergency room/hospitalization prevention
Emotional and spiritual support
Medication review by a pharmacist
Assist in Advanced Care Planning/Goals of Care discussions

Eligibility Guidelines

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

Diagnosis of CHF, COPD, Cancer, Pulmonary Failure, Liver Failure
Have an attending physician
Live within the VNA service area

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

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.

The supportive palliative care physician and in some cases nurse practitioner provides support with medical management of disease symptoms.

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 Child Life Specialists are available for families with young children who may need additional support to understand and cope with a loved one’s serious illness.