Scripps CEO Weighs in on End-of-Life Care

Caring for patients during the last days of their lives can be challenging and costly as doctors weigh whether more or less treatment is warranted.

As a result, hospitals are increasingly embracing palliative and hospice services, according to a report by Healthleaders magazine. And they are looking for innovative ways to partner with other health care providers to deliver care that complies with the wishes of patients while avoiding unnecessary costs.

“The cost of healthcare in the country is bankrupting the country, and we’ve got to get our minds around the cost of care,” Scripps President and CEO Chris Van Gorder told the magazine. "We need to manage costs much more effectively. The question we always have is, ‘Is what we are doing at the end of life the most appropriate thing to do, and the most compassionate thing to do?’ "

Read the Healthleaders article: A Fresh Look at End-of-Life Care

Earlier this year, Scripps launched its hospice program and acquired the former San Diego Hospice hospital and 8-acre property in Hillcrest.

Scripps also operates a palliative care program that seeks to improve quality of life and decrease suffering for patients with serious, chronic or life-threatening illness.