What Should Your Medical Director Be Doing?

Outline:

Objectives

Hospice Administrators/Nurses

From Hospice Physicians

From Hospice Medical Directors

HMD Roles

History

History Continued

HMD Competencies

Hospice Physician Compliance History

Hospice Physician Fraud & Abuse

Hospice Physician Fraud & Abuse Continued

What Should Hospice Administrators Want From the HMD

What Should Hospice Physicians Want From Their HMD

What Should HMDs Want for Themselves?

Engagement Points for Physicians in Compliance

Engagement Points for Physicians in Compliance Continued

Dr. Lauren Templeton is a certified hospice medical director working at a Texas hospice since 2014 and as a physician consultant with Weatherbee Resources since 2017. She has specialized in hospice and palliative medicine for more than 10 years.

In her hospice medical director role, she assists with compliance, quality improvement, and documentation review. She continues to participate in clinical care managing hospice patients in both the home care and inpatient setting. Dr. Templeton also serves as associate medical director for the Palliative Care Department at a local medical center as well as serving on the foundation board, medical executive committee, and ethics committee at the same facility.

As a Physician Consultant with Weatherbee Resources, Dr. Templeton assists hospice providers and physicians with education, coaching, and mentoring for hospice physicians, auditing physician and other clinical record documentation (e.g., thoroughness and appropriateness with regard to hospice eligibility; compliance with regulatory requirements; appropriateness with regard to coverage determinations; etc.), and record review or expert witness testimony on legal matters involving patient eligibility.

Dr. Templeton graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor of Arts and received her doctor of osteopathy from Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2009. She completed a residency in Internal Medicine and is board certified with the American College of Osteopathic Internists. She completed a fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Medicine at Texas Tech University and became board certified in hospice and palliative medicine in 2013. She obtained additional certification with the Hospice Medical Director Certification Board in 2018. Dr. Templeton also serves as a current member of the NHPCO Regulatory Committee.

Disclosure: Lauren Templeton, D.O., HMDC has no Relevant Financial or Non-Financial Relationship with ineligible companies to disclose.

Tommie Farrell is from West Texas and his wife, Karen, and he are raising their four kids in Abilene TX. He has a passion for end-of-life care and has been involved with hospice and palliative medicine for more than 15 yearHe is a hospice physician with Hendrick Hospice in Texas.

Dr. Farrell had training at Harvard’s Palliative Care Education Project. He has participated in hospice and palliative medicine at the state level as a previous president of Texas Academy of Palliative Medicine and is a member currently of the Texas New Mexico Hospice Organization Board. He has been involved with the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine as a former Assistant Editor in Chief and Section Chief for the publication PC-FACs.

Dr. Farrell is currently serving as Board President of the Hospice Medical Director Certification Board.

His favorite part of hospice is direct patient care and visits to the homes of the patient and family.

Disclosure: Tommie W. Farrell, MD FAAHPM HMDC has no Relevant Financial or Non-Financial Relationship with ineligible companies to disclose.