Louis Hampers Responds to Growth of Pediatric Palliative Care Centers in US
Online, August 6, 2012 (Newswire.com) - When a child is diagnosed with a terminal illness where life can no longer be extended, families face an intense set of emotions and a vast array of challenges. As these situations are complicated in an emotional nature, many times families will request medical care that offers comfort and familiarity in order to let a child ease into their final days. A recent article from CNN discusses the rise of pediatric hospice care centers as an alternative to less personable and costly hospital arrangements that many insurance providers require. Louis Hampers, a noted pediatrician who has extensive experience in hospital emergency environments, explains why these new models can make the process a lot easier for suffering families.
The article discusses Dr. Barbara Beach's observation into pediatric hospice care and her struggles as the co-founder and director of the George Mark Children's House. Beach explains that hospice units provide a great middle ground to families with critically ill children; many children request that they do not want to spend their final days in a hospital, but rather in a home environment. However, many insurance providers prevent the use of in-home nursing care to terminally-ill children, despite its economic benefit. At hospice centers such as George Mark's, patients can experience more comfortable end-of-life care, yet still have all the necessary medical resources that are required by insurance providers.
Although insurance companies have proven reluctant to accept palliative care centers, George Mark's reports some success as its health insurance reimbursement has covered up to one-third of the organization's annual budget. Louis Hampers, MD, has spent many years treating children with a variety of illnesses, including those who face terminal conditions. He commends this center for taking difficult steps to establish a foundation for more pediatric hospice centers. He states, "An integrated, coherent and holistic approach to pediatric hospice care is a welcome trend."
As a professional who has spent a majority of his career caring for such patients within a hospital, Louis Hampers understands the reasons why a child would not want to end his or her life in a generic hospital setting. For him, hospice options are much easier on families during a difficult time and avoid a lot of unnecessary factors that distract from the emotional severity of these situations. He concludes, "In the absence of the hospice approach, children with terminal conditions are sometimes subjected to costly, unnecessary and unpleasant acute interventions in emergency departments and in-patient environments."
ABOUT:
Dr. Louis Hampers is a pediatric emergency physician in Colorado. Through his work, he has assisted in the research and development of emergency medicine. Additionally, he has contributed to the creation of medical interpreter services. Dr. Louis Hampers earned his degree at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Today, he is a leader in the effort to overcome language barriers within medical facilities.