Topical compounds are often used in hospice to treat many symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, anxiety, and terminal delirium. However, there is a lack of data supporting the absorption and efficacy of these applications. Does this negate the subjective efficacy of these compounds – no! But let’s dive into whether we should make this a standard medication for our hospice patients.

Hydroxyzine is a versatile medication belonging to the class of antihistamines, although its applications and use extend beyond allergy relief. In this article, we will delve into the drug class of hydroxyzine, its dosage forms, common uses, potential side effects, and explore its role in hospice and palliative care.

Managing symptoms and End-of-Life (EOL) is essential in the hospice and palliative care setting. Many patients experience exacerbating symptoms in the last hours to days of life. Alleviating burdensome symptoms is important to not only promote comfort for the patient, but also to decrease feelings of helplessness for caregivers…

At the end of a patient's life, comfort and quality of life become paramount. Haloperidol may be employed judiciously in hospice care to provide relief from distressing symptoms, improve the patient's comfort, and ensure their dignity during their final moments.

PDC Rx is pleased to announce its participation at the 2023 Oklahoma Hospice & Palliative Care Association Annual Conference: Compassionate Hearts Moving Forward in Excellence. The event will be held at Hard Rock Casino & Hotel, Catoosa, OK, from November 2-3, 2023.

As a Hospice PBM, it’s more common to talk about what it is that you DO. At PDC Rx, we would like to instead talk about who we ARE. 
First and foremost, PDC Rx is a Hospice PBM. We live and breathe hospice every day. We also never stop learning when it comes to hospice regulations. Being a resource to our customers for anything hospice related is something we take pride in. There is no better “pat on the back” than when a hospice nurse thanks you for helping them with a problem, no matter how small.

PDC Rx with SONO is pleased to announce its participation at the National Association for Home Care & Hospice 2023 Conference: One Voice, Many Stories. The event will be held at Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, National Harbor, MD from October 15-17, 2023.

Jaymie Wilson MSN, APRN-CNP, ACHPN answered five common questions about terminal secretions. Is it bothering the patient? Do these secretions mean death is near? Can you suction out the secretions? Are there any medications that can be given to help decrease the amount of secretions? What can I do as the caregiver to help?

Music therapy is a type of therapy that uses music to address the physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals. It has been shown to be effective in improving the quality of life for hospice patients, who often experience a range of physical, emotional, and spiritual symptoms related to their illness.

PDC Rx is pleased to announce its participation at the Florida Hospice & Palliative Care Organization 2023 Annual Forum: Connect & Cultivate. The event will be held at Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek, 14100 Bonnet Creek Resort Lane, Orlando, FL 32821, from May 12-12, 2023

Hospice PBM, or Pharmacy Benefit Management, is an important part of the hospice care provider. We have put together everything you need to know about Hospice PBMs and the benefits of utilizing one for your Hospice Organization.

Over the past 10 years, PDC Rx partnered with SONO to create a hospice conference that you won’t find anywhere else. A sales-free, collaborative, and intimate style conference where hospice leaders can truly learn from one another and lift up the industry as a whole.

The decision to use Eliquis, or any other medication for the hospice patient, should be made carefully and with consideration of the potential risks and benefits.

PDC Rx and SONO are pleased to announce their participation at the 41st Texas & New Mexico Hospice Organization Conference. The event will be held at Las Colinas Omni Hotel in Omni Mandalay, Irving, TX from February 25-27, 2023.

PDC Rx is pleased to announce its participation at the Georgia Hospice and Palliative Care Organization - 2023 Annual Leadership and Clinical Conference at the UGA Hotel and Conference Center 1197 S. Lumpkin St. Athens, GA from February 22-24, 2023.

PDC Rx is proud of the fact that this is something that none of our Hospice Customers have to experience when working with us. We don’t have answering services. Only dedicated customer support experts are trained to help you while you are on the phone with them. It’s such a simple thing we do, but we are finding out more and more that the quality of our 24/7/365 availability is actually quite unique.

Does my patient still need long-acting inhaler?

Inhaled medications such as Advair and Incruse Ellipta are often prescribed to control symptoms in advanced COPD patients. These inhalers contain Long-Acting Beta-2 Agonist (LABA), Long-Acting Muscarinic Antagonist (LAMA), Steroid, and/or combination of the three. The long-acting inhaler can be administered daily or BID and may decrease the need for rescue inhaler.
However, long active inhalers require precise technique that can be challenging to most patients, especially elderly and end-of-life patients.

Mindi Henry (I) entered nursing school with plans to become a labor and delivery nurse, which is very common for many young nursing students. Unlike most of my classmates, I had no experience in nursing. We read in our textbooks that the role of the nurse involves understanding the patient’s physical, emotional, psychosocial, and spiritual needs. However, I did not see that practiced in the typical clinical settings until my hospice rotation. I thought to myself “now this is real nursing”.

In the hospice industry, there have always been vendors that surface from every corner of the earth to try and provide a better product or service to hospice organizations. With this steady flow of new hospice vendors, it becomes quite competitive to gain hospice customers. With this, PDC Rx would like to layout our services in front of you with zero smoke and zero mirrors. There is no catch to the service we provide. And yes, we have to say that because people to this day still ask us - “So… what’s the catch?”

As a Hospice Pharmacy Benefit Manager, PDC Rx is always looking for new services that we can offer to our hospice customers. Decreasing pharmacy costs for our hospice customers is only a fraction of what we strive to accomplish. In recent years, faxing prescriptions has become more and more unaccepted when it comes to controlled substances. In fact, it is already illegal in several states.