When Ohio’s Hospice received notice that they had only four days’ supply of injectable medications remaining, they responded to the crisis by implementing the Macy Catheter.
What was first intended to be a short term solution became a standard of practice.
VP of Medical Care Dr. Wendy Schmitz, MD quickly discovered that medication administration via the Macy Catheter controls pain faster than when medications are administered subcutaneously.
She also observed that her clinical team could achieve effective palliation with fewer dose adjustments.
Because Dr. Schmitz was impressed by the improvement in patient care and the reduction in costs, nursing time, and burden of care, she established the Macy Catheter as a long-term standard of practice.
Dr. Wendy Schmitz, MD
I will never go back to my prior practice and will continue using the Macy Catheter.
Based on my experience on our hospice inpatient unit, the Macy Catheter is faster than subcutaneous in controlling pain with opioids and I am able to control pain with less opioid dose adjustments. It is also very effective in most instances in quickly controlling terminal agitation and other symptoms. It saves nursing time and decreases medication cost and waste. I will never go back to my prior practice and will continue using the Macy Catheter.
Dr. Wendy Schmitz, MD
Vice President of Medical Care – Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton
