For healthcare plans, achieving member quality of life goals can be challenging. Member goals differ on a case-by-case basis; documenting and following these goals requires time, expertise and consistency from every person involved in a member's care. Unfortunately, these barriers often mean conversations about care goals never happen. In fact, one study found that even [...]
Months into the COVID-19 pandemic, many unknowns remain about the virus’s impact on our health, jobs, social life and economy. But one clear impact of COVID-19 is the importance of planning for your care before you need it — otherwise, you risk having others make your care decisions on your behalf. Thankfully, advance care planning [...]
People living with serious medical conditions often spend a lot of time in hospitals. As their illness progresses, the number of hospital visits and the amount of time they spend in the hospital may increase. With each stay, the amount of stress, uncertainty, and even fear that patients and their loved ones feel may increase, [...]
Iris is proud to announce the debut the Iris Blog that will be hosted on our newly redesigned website. Check back here often to find helpful information as well as industry trends and best practices for the Advance Care Planning and Palliative Care industries. This site will feature writing from Iris staff including work developed [...]
This article first appeared on The Citizen By Rev. Kimberly Schmitt Holman As a hospital chaplain, my days are typically spent listening to people talk about their hopes and dreams, their fears and concerns, their faith and how it helps them, or about their family, and even their pets. Those are good days. However, I [...]
This article first appeared on Scope By Ruthann Richter The coronavirus pandemic has made us all painfully aware of our mortality. Still, in this time of uncertainty, there are some choices we can make about how we live - and die. Advance health care planning enables people to reflect on what is important to them [...]
This article first appeared on ACP Hospital By Janet Colwell More hospitals have invested in palliative care, but such services remain rare in rural areas. Small hospitals often lack sufficient resources to attract specialists and sustain full teams to provide this care for patients with serious illnesses. According to the 2019 State-by-State Report Card on Access [...]
This article first appeared in Med City News By Amanda Cavaleri I had the opportunity to learn from a visionary palliative care startup, observed an adult continued education course about dying with dignity, and toured a hospice center that felt like a home. End of life is not a subject that most of us want [...]
This article first appeared in Xconomy By Angela Shah Austin—Iris Plans is using telemedicine for an often overlooked part of health care: advanced care planning. Iris recently announced a partnership with the University of Utah Health Plans, and is now providing technology-enabled advanced care planning for about 50,000 members. Iris has created an online office [...]
