2017 Hospice Honors – Photo Gallery

On Thursday, April 27, Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice Honors, presented by Lakeland Bank, was held at Panther Valley Country Club in Allamuchy. We would like to thank all who attended the event. Congratulations to the honorees which included: Robert, E. McCracken, Reverend Ernest M. Kosa, Marlina R. Schetting, MSW, LCSW, CT, Kathy Shane, RN, BSN, Willard and Jeanette Klemm and Friends of Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice. 
Please note: The slideshow make take a few moments to fully load.

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Photos by Paul Wheeler

Hospice Honors 2017 – Winning Number

We would like to thank everyone who attended Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice Honors last night. 224 is the winning secret number. If your program has winning number please call us at 973-383-0115. The winner will receive two free tickets to the 2017 Wine and Cheese Festival to be held on September 10 at Waterwheel Farm in Fredon. Good Luck!

Bereavement Center Open House – Video Gallery

We recently held a donor reception and open house for the new, permanent location of the Joseph T. Quinlan Bereavement Center. The center is now located on 5 Plains Road in Augusta with satellite offices in Hackettstown and Milford, PA.

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National Health Care Decisions Day raises awareness

Why is National Healthcare Decisions Day happening?

NHDD exists to “to inspire, educate and empower the public and providers about the importance of advance care planning.” This year NHDD was launched on April 16 and continues through the week.

Why is NHDD targeted at the public and providers?

All adults should discuss and document their healthcare wishes in the event of a crisis. Accidents and acute illness can happen to anyone at any time, but far too few adults have done anything to plan ahead. It is well known that providers can do a better job of raising the topic of advance care planning and incorporating patient’s wishes into their delivery of care. NHDD offers a chance to address both these populations at the same time.

Why does NHDD start on April 16?

It was inspired by Benjamin Franklin’s quip that “nothing in life is certain but death and taxes.”

Is NHDD only about end-of-life decisions?

No. NHDD encourages all adults to discuss and document their wishes for any event in which they cannot speak for themselves. How many Americans have engaged in advance are planning? Various studies suggest that only about a quarter of all adults have engaged in advance care planning.

Is it difficult to engage in advance care planning?

No. There are all sorts of free tools that are available to start and structure the conversations, and free advance directive forms for every state and several particular interests are available to document the discussion. These are all available at www.nhdd.org. Specifically, the short videos are an excellent way to start the conversation with loved ones. The hardest part is often just raising the topic, which is how NHDD can help. It creates a reason to “have the talk” and provides the tools to do it.

Do I need a lawyer to create an advance directive (living will, health care power of attorney, etc)?

No. Free forms and information are available for every state at www.KarenAnnQuinlanHospice.org/AdvanceDirectives. New Jersey and Pennsylvania advance directive forms are also available at our office located on 99 Sparta Avenue in Newton. Every hospital in the US is required to provide patients information about advance directives, so you can always ask at your local hospital.

Are you doing this to encourage people not to seek aggressive care?

Absolutely not. We want to encourage people to discuss and document their wishes so that they get the right care for them. For some patients this may mean aggressive care and for others it means nothing more than managing pain.

How can people help?

First, lead by example. Do your own advance care planning. Then, let others know about it. For your loved ones, you want to be sure they know your wishes. For everyone else, it is good enough to say you’ve done it. Then, encourage all those contacts to do the same. NHDD is a grassroots initiative, and we can use all the help we can get to spread the word. You can share on Facebook (www.facebook.com/nationalhealthcaredecisionsday) or on Twitter @NHDD/#NHDD. Be creative.

Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice awarded CHAP Accreditation

NEWTON, NJ — Community Health Accreditation Partner, Inc., (CHAP) announced that Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice has been awarded CHAP Accreditation under the CHAP Hospice Standards of Excellence. By achieving CHAP Accreditation, Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice has also been deemed to meet the Medicare Conditions of Participation and is certified as a Medicare provider. During the CHAP evaluation Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice was found to have no deficiencies or faults and no required actions were necessary.
CHAP Accreditation demonstrates that Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice meets the industry’s highest nationally recognized standards. The rigorous evaluation by CHAP focuses on structure and function, quality of services and products, human and financial resources and long term viability. Simply stated, adherence to CHAP’s standards leads to better quality care. “By achieving CHAP Accreditation, Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice has shown a commitment to excellence,” said Karen Collishaw, CHAP President & CEO. “For more than 16 years Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice has achieved CHAP Accreditation, and we are excited to continue our partnership by offering support in its commitment to providing quality care and continuous improvement.”
Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice provides a variety of services to patients and their families in Sussex, and Warren Counties in New Jersey and Pike County in Pennsylvania.
CHAP is an independent, not-for-profit, accrediting body for community-based health care organizations. Created in 1965, CHAP was the first to recognize the need and value for accreditation in community-based care. CHAP is the oldest national, community-based accrediting body with more than 9,000 agencies currently accredited nationwide. Through “deeming authority” granted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), CHAP has the regulatory authority to survey agencies providing home health, hospice and home medical equipment services, to determine if they meet the Medicare Conditions of Participation and CMS Quality Standards. CHAP’s purpose is to define and advance the highest standards of community-based care.
For more information about the CHAP Accreditation process, please visit the CHAP website at www.chapinc.org.
For additional information, contact Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice at 973-383-0115.