VNA MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the Visiting Nurse Association is to set the standard for excellence in the delivery of home care services to the citizens of Southeast Missouri through therapeutic, custodial, palliative and preventive care in a cooperative and seamless system, utilizing innovation, diversification and cost efficient methods in an environment that fosters learning and demonstrates positive outcomes. The services will be provided without regard to age, race, creed, disability or economic status. This mission will be carried out using the not-for-profit corporation form of doing business as defined in chapter 355 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri.

PHILOSOPHY AND VALUE STATEMENTS

•  As a health care provider, VNA has the responsibility to provide quality, comprehensive, individualized care to all its patients, and to aid them in attaining the highest possible level of health or, in appropriate cases, peace and dignity as they die.

•  The primary focus of VNA is the welfare of patients and their families ; Therefore , the whole patient must be considered and his or her health care needs must be identified.

•  Patients of VNA are entitled to specific rights to quality, personalized service as outlined in the patient bill of rights.

•  The health care needs of VNA patients will best be met if and when VNA seeks the cooperation of and works with various health care professionals and all available agencies within the medical community in planning for and providing total patient care.

•  VNA employees should exhibit high ethical conduct, loyalty and professionalism. Proficiency must be maintained through continuous in-service programs and individual self-improvement efforts.

•  VNA should present or sponsor a continuous program of in-service education for all personnel in order to provide improved quality of care and to keep VNA personnel current with developments in the health care field. All personnel should regularly participate in in-service programs and must be encouraged to continue their education.

•  A continuous evaluation of all the activities of the corporation is necessary to assess how effectively the needs of the patients are being met and to take action to improve services when indicated.

•  In order to identify and resolve community and patient problems, VNA should utilize research found in current literature as well as research and studies conducted within the corporation.

•  As a hospice program, VNA endorses the philosophy of hospice as follows:

Hospice affirms life and exists to provide support and care for persons in the final phases of life so that they might live as fully and comfortably as possible. Hospice recognizes dying as a normal process but does not hasten or postpone death. Hospice believes that patients and their family can attain a degree of mental and spiritual preparation for death that is satisfactory to them through personalized services and a caring community.

OBJECTIVES

•  VNA and VNA Hospice patients will receive quality home care services under physician orders. These services include, but are not limited to, skilled nursing, physical therapy, medical social services, occupational therapy and home health aide services.

•  The VNA Hospice program provides palliative services to the terminally ill in their place of residence. The basic hospice benefits include: Nursing, Social Work, Counseling (i.e., dietary, spiritual, and bereavement, etc.) Physician and Volunteer services, under the direction of the Hospice Interdisciplinary Team. Additional services available under the Medicare/Medicaid hospice benefit may include the following: Continuous Home Care, General Inpatient, Inpatient Respite, Durable Medical Equipment, Medical Supplies, Biologicals , Medical Appliances, Medications related to the terminal illness, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy for palliative measures, homemaker, and home health aide services.

•  VNA patients will receive individualized care based on professional, holistic assessment, identification of patient needs, and professional/corporate standards.

•  VNA patients will be provided with an effective patient/family teaching program developed and incorporated into the plan of care and based on the patient’s previous knowledge, capacity and motivation for learning as well as specific learning needs.

•  VNA patients will be given the benefits from effective communication, cooperation and coordination with existing community health care professionals, agencies and facilities. VNA will develop a “network” system for the continuing delivery of health care services.

•  VNA will provide patients the benefits of a continuous, flexible program of in-service education for all VNA departments, adapted to orientation, skill training, continuing education and leadership development.

•  In order to benefit patients, VNA will procure, maintain and utilize the supplies and equipment required for activities of the agency, to the end that all resources are effectively utilized to achieve high-quality care.

•  A close association between VNA (and individual employees) and community organizations and professional groups will be maintained so as to keep abreast of current trends and advancements in health care.

•  In-house research will be conducted and current literature will be reviewed on the problems relating to community health needs and how to adapt and implement the results of such research and study to improve patient care.

•  VNA personnel will explore new and innovative systems of health care management and cost containment in order to benefit VNA patients.

•  VNA will do continuous evaluation of personnel performance and care given and will annually review the Corporation’s objectives and policies.

•  VNA will establish and maintain an organization-wide quality assurance program.