SCAN Health Plan’s Program for Advanced Illness Featured at Healthcare Innovation Expo in Washington, D.C.

LONG BEACH, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–SCAN Health Plan’s Program for Advanced Illness, which
helps members and their caregivers navigate the many health challenges
associated with end-of-life care, was featured at the Healthcare
Innovation Expo recently held in Washington, D.C. An annual event hosted
by the Healthcare Leadership Council, the Expo provided the opportunity
for more than 150 members of Congress as well as congressional staff to
experience new tools, technologies and practices being developed by some
of healthcare’s most innovative companies.


“Advanced illness poses difficult, often heart-wrenching questions for
patients and their families; and it is important that these patients
receive individualized care that reflects their quality-of-life goals
and wishes,” said Romilla Batra, MD, SCAN’s chief medical executive.
“SCAN’s Program for Advanced Illness is not about a particular course of
treatment but rather a way for patients and their families to review
their care options with a sympathetic trained professional who will
advocate on their behalf for what is most valuable to them.”

Under the Program for Advanced Illness, a registered nurse, trained in a
palliative approach, serves as the member’s personal case manager and
ombudsman, offering assistance with care coordination and support with
pain management. The nurse works closely with the patient, the caregiver
and the entire medical team to ensure that everyone understands the
critical decisions that are being made. Focusing on the physical,
psychological, cultural and spiritual aspects of the patient’s life, the
nurse helps the patient contend with such issues as how certain courses
of treatment will impact quality of life and how they wish to spend the
time they have left.

“SCAN’s mission is to keep seniors healthy and independent, and that
shouldn’t stop as members approach end of life,” says Dr. Batra. “There
comes a time when healthy is not an option, but we can help individuals
maintain some measure of independence by ensuring their wishes are known
and respected at every stage of care.”

Dr. Batra, who presented the Program for Advanced Illness at the Expo,
says that since implementing the program in 2014 SCAN has seen a reduced
number of hospitalizations, emergency department visits and readmissions
among those members in the program as well as increased referrals to
hospice and palliative care. Of the members who died while in the
program last year, 85 percent were where they had asked to be when their
time came, which Dr. Batra says “respects their dignity and shows
appreciation for a life well lived.”

SCAN is one of the nation’s largest not-for-profit Medicare Advantage
plans currently serving approximately 170,000 members in California and
Arizona. Further information may be obtained at scanhealthplan.com
or on Facebook at facebook.com/scanhealthplan.

Y0057_SCAN_9572_2015 IA 11122015

Contacts

for SCAN Health Plan
Ross Goldberg, 818-597-8453, x-1
ross@kevinross.net

Recibe gratis las noticias más importantes y más leídas diariamente en tu email

Este sitio está protegido por reCAPTCHA y Google Política de privacidad y Se aplican las Condiciones de servicio.

¡Muchas gracias!

Más sobre este tema
Contenido Patrocinado
Enlaces patrocinados por Outbrain