Description:

Prognostication is both an art and a science, and learning the necessary skills to predict life expectancy is vitally important to determine hospice eligibility. In this presentation we will discuss the four different pathways leading to death, and the role of nutritional, cognitive and functional status that contribute to decline.  We will examine the different prognostication tools that are available to use in decision making.  The role of co-morbidities and secondary conditions will be discussed.  We will take an in-depth look at the most common disease states and examine the evidence basis for prognostication compared to current LCD policies.

Objectives:

• Participant will describe how the prognostic indicators were determined and examine their accuracy in predicting prognosis
• Participant will identify some of the triggers for chart audits by the MACs
• Participant will describe the 4 common pathways to death and identify the common denominators to decline which are universal despite diagnosis
• Participant will improve prognostication skills by diseases categories
• Participant will explain the importance in documenting prognosis for recertification notes

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