FOUR SEASONS RECOGNIZED AS NATIONAL LEADER IN CLINICAL TRAINING

Four Seasons – Compassion for Life has been named by the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) and the Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC) as one of 10 clinical training sites in the United States.

John Morris, MD, Four Seasons’ medical director of palliative medicine, said, “Our Palliative Care Immersion Course, which we offer to physicians, nurses and social workers from around the country, exists to help other organizations better serve patients with serious illnesses. I am pleased that we are being recognized as a national leader in palliative care education.”

Janet Bull, MD, chief medical officer said, “We designed the immersion course as an experiential learning course, offering 40 hours of Category I CME to providers. We also offer consulting services to hospice and palliative care organizations around hospice operations, palliative care program development, and starting a research department. We have learned so much over the years, and teaching others helps us to improve and grow. This translates to exceptional care for our own patients and families we serve.”
 Four Seasons’ Palliative Care Immersion Course includes training on the following topics: National Quality Forum, assessing whole person care, goals of care, complex case management, conducting effective family meetings, withdrawing life support, prognostication, basic and advanced pain management, advanced care planning, palliative care emergencies, dealing with drug addiction, chaplains’ role in spiritual care and administrative palliative care needs.

The Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC) partnered with the AAHPM to develop the Directory of National Clinical Palliative Site Visits in response to frequent requests for information regarding palliative care teams willing to host on-site clinical training.

Four Seasons is a non-profit organization led by a dedicated team of health care professionals, social workers, spiritual care professionals and volunteers. Four Seasons currently serves patients in Henderson, Buncombe, Macon, Jackson, Transylvania counties and surrounding areas. For information on the Palliative Care Immersion Course or other services of Four Seasons, please call 828-692-6178.



Tree of Lights-SAVE THE DATE!

• Friday December 2nd. at the Historic Henderson County Courthouse
• 5:00 p.m. refreshments, 6:00p.m. tree lighting 

Order Lights & Luminaries at:

www.treeoflights.com

for more information email: dgroves@fourseasonscfl.org

HOSPICE HOME STORE SALE- Everything 50% off!

Here is some good news to brighten your week:


TOMORROW, October 19th, the Hospice Home Store (located at 215 N. Main St. in Hendersonville), will be having a HUGE sale. Everything in the store will be half-off! (No other discounts apply) This is only the 3rd time they have had a sale this big that included EVERYTHING!

Make your plans to visit the store between 9:30 am and 5 pm tomorrow…hope to see you there!

TWO LOCAL INDIVIDUALS RECEIVE TOP AWARDS FROM THE CAROLINAS CENTER FOR HOSPICE AND END OF LIFE CARE

Jean Moulthrop Hoogstra

Dr. John Morris

Chris Comeaux, president/CEO of Four Seasons, local end-of-life care provider, is pleased to announce that two individuals from the non-profit have received awards from the Carolinas Center for Hospice and End of Life Care at their Annual Conference held on September 28th in Concord, NC.


Jean Moulthrop Hoogstra, Four Seasons’ founder and matriarch, received the Judith Lund Person Hospice Volunteer of the Year Award. At 94 years of age, she has volunteered for Four Seasons for over 30 years. She, along with a small group of volunteers, is credited with founding the agency in 1980 as Hospice of Henderson County (later to become Four Seasons). She has never stopped volunteering for the agency. As a volunteer, she began a speakers’ bureau, held volunteer training sessions, worked as a patient care volunteer, been an administrative volunteer, polled the community on quality of care, and has called active patients and caregivers for a live survey on quality of care.

Comeaux said, “Jean is our founder who had a dream and the determination to make it happen. Four Seasons is her ministry and her legacy. This award in many respects is a lifetime achievement award. Jean represents everything that is great about the true mission of hospice.”
Dr. John Morris, vice president of clinical outreach and palliative care medical director for Four Seasons, received the Sharon O. Dixon Award for excellent clinical care in a hospice. He was instrumental in starting Four Seasons palliative care program in 2005, which is recognized as one of the largest and top palliative care programs in the country. The program has grown exponentially under his leadership. He has also helped create a “Center of Excellence” which provides consultative services to palliative care providers from across the United States.

Comeaux said, “John Morris has been a tremendous asset not only to Four Seasons, but to the larger professional end-of-life care community. He has the unique ability to provide personal, compassionate care on a daily basis to patients and families, lead the organization in innovative services, and challenge other organizations to stretch their vision to provide better care for patients and families as well. He has truly raised the bar in providing excellent care to patients and families at the end of life.”

Four Seasons is a non-profit organization led by a dedicated team of health care professionals, social workers, spiritual care professionals and volunteers. Four Seasons currently serves patients in Henderson, Buncombe, Macon, Jackson, Transylvania counties and surrounding areas.

NATIONAL HOSPICE LEADER SHARES PERSPECTIVE WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS



Four Seasons, a local hospice and palliative care organization, and the Palliative Care Center and Hospice of Catawba Valley recently collaborated to invite J. Don Schumacher, president and CEO of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, to share his perspective on the future of end-of-life care with local hospices and their board of directors. The event was hosted by Hospice of Yancey on Monday, September 26th. Board and staff members from Hospice of Mitchell, Hospice of McDowell, Four Seasons, Hospice of Yancey, and Palliative Care Center and Hospice of Catawba Valley attended. Schumacher shared the future challenges that hospices are going to face with rate reductions, quality reporting, and increased regulatory scrutiny.


Dr. Schumacher has more than 30 years experience in hospice and palliative care administration. Since 2002, he has served as the president and chief executive officer of The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), which is the largest nonprofit membership organization representing hospice and palliative care programs and professionals in the world.

Photo caption: Four Seasons recently invited J. Donald Schumacher, the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization’s President and CEO, to give an informative presentation about the challenges and opportunities facing hospice organizations. Pictured with J. Don Schumacher (left) are Chris Comeaux, Four Seasons President/CEO (right) and Nancy Bouvet, Four Seasons 2012 Board Chair(center).