Sparsh Hospice in Hyderabad has received accreditation from the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) and launched a living will clinic as the palliative-care institution completes 15 years of service to terminally ill patients.
The hospice announced the developments on Wednesday. Its living will clinic will help individuals record their medical preferences in advance through an Advanced Medical Directive, including the treatments they would or would not want if they develop an irreversible terminal illness or enter a permanent vegetative state and are unable to communicate their wishes.
The initiative is intended to give individuals a formal way to document their preferences for end-of-life medical care before they become unable to speak for themselves. Jagadish Babu Ramadugu, founder trustee of Sparsh Hospice, described the living will initiative as a step towards promoting dignity and personal autonomy in end-of-life care.
The accreditation comes as Sparsh Hospice marks 15 years of providing palliative and hospice care. Founder trustee Dr M. Subrahmanyam said the institution had served close to 17,000 patients and their families during this period.
Sparsh Hospice currently serves around 200 patients. About 90 per cent of its patients receive services free of cost, while patients who can afford to pay are charged nominal amounts, according to the institution.
The hospice’s services cover patients requiring palliative care for terminal illnesses, along with support for their families. The living will clinic adds an advance-care planning facility to the institution’s existing care services, allowing people to record treatment preferences before a medical crisis affects their ability to make decisions.
Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, special chief secretary Jayesh Ranjan, AIG Hospitals CMD Dr D. Nageshwar Reddy, AIG Hospitals director Dr G. V. Rao, trustees, members of the Rotary Club of Banjara Hills and Sparsh Hospice staff were present at the announcement.
The clinic’s launch and the NABH accreditation mark the latest developments announced by Sparsh Hospice as it enters its next phase of service in Hyderabad. The institution said the living will facility would focus on helping individuals document their medical choices in advance.
