Choosing a Hospice

It is important to always consider your choices when choosing a hospice provider. You have the choice to request hospice care from a particular hospice and can communicate your wishes with your physician. We encourage you to call us and ask about our services and to talk to friends or colleagues who work in healthcare or who have received support from hospice to get their input too.

Following are some sample questions to think about asking when considering which hospice organization is right for you.

• What services are provided?
• Are they Medicare/Medicaid certified?
• What kind of support is available to the family/caregiver?
• What roles do the attending physician and hospice play?
• Do they allow my personal physician to remain involved in my hospice care plan?
• What does the hospice volunteer do?
• How does hospice work to keep the patient comfortable?
• What is the average staff to patient ratio?
• How are services provided after hours?
• How and where does hospice provide short-term inpatient care?
• With which nursing homes or long-term care facilities does the hospice work?
• How long does it typically take the hospice to admit someone once the request for services is made?
• Does the hospice create a plan of care for each new patient?
• How does the hospice handle payment and billing?