Accord Hospice provides comfort care – not curative care. The hospice team cannot cure the disease. Our goal is to minimize the symptoms caused by the terminal illness and provide the patient with optimal quality of life. Hospice emphasizes the rights of patients and their families and/or caregivers to participate in deciding the care that is appropriate for them.

 

Hospice is care which is usually delivered at home or in a home-like setting to persons in the final phase of a terminal illness. It neither hastens nor postpones death, but affirms life, emphasizing quality, not length. Hospice empowers patients to live with dignity, alert and pain-free, while involving families and loved ones in giving care. Indeed a major goal is an environment where patients and families have satisfactory mental and spiritual preparation for death.

 

When Should I Call Hospice?

Many people are not sure when to call Hospice. They sometimes feel that electing hospice means they are giving up; in fact, hospice neither hastens or prolongs death. Rather, it ensures a focus on quality of life and living each moment to its fullest.

 

Now is the best time to learn more about hospice care and ask questions about what to expect. Although end-of-life care may be difficult to discuss, it is best for loved ones and family members to share their wishes long before it becomes a concern. By having these discussions in advance, uncomfortable situations can be avoided. Instead, educated decisions can be made that include the advice and input of loved ones.

 

Consider Hospice For:

• A diagnosis of terminal illness

• Prognosis of six months or less

 

At Accord, we work very closely with Physicians, Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Assisted Living Communities, and others to make hospice a seamless transition. Feel free to contact our office for more information or to schedule a consultation.

 

What does hospice care provide?
Our dedicated and experienced staff members share common values, vision, and purpose. We strive to be exceptional partners in care with a focus on your individual needs. 

 

Who Pays For Hospice?

Hospice Care is covered 100% by Medicare, Medicaid, and many insurance policies. There are many diagnoses that qualify for hospice care including: heart disease, dementia, renal disease, cancer, and general debility. There is no limit to the time a patient can remain on hospice, provided they continue to meet eligibility criteria.

 

Patient Services are provided with- out regard to race, color, creed, age, gender, sexual orientation, handicap (mental or physical), or place of national origin.

 

CHAP CERTIFIED

Accord Hospice is also voluntarily a CHAP accredited organization. Patients and families look for

CHAP accreditation as their assurance that your programs or facilities are of the highest quality.

The CHAP accreditation is a demonstration of superior performance. Accreditation provides objective

non-biased third-party review to ensure we have policies and procedures compliant with current

state and federal regulations and industry standards of practice and care, we receive consultation

and education by industry experts, who can help coach, educate and inspire our staff to achieve

higher levels of performance. Accreditation surveys evaluate whether we are providing care that meets

defined quality standards.  These reviews consider the customary practices of the hospice, such as policies

and procedures, medical records, personal records, evaluation studies, and in many cases also include visits to patients and families currently under care of that hospice program. We use these evaluations to exceed state and federal evaluations.

 

Accord Hospice uses many tools to see how well we are doing in relation to quality hospice standards. All our staff are trained and experienced in excellent patient centered care. Accord Hospice also follows the recommended standards developed by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization entitled ‘Standards of Practice for Hospice Programs’ as one way of ensuring quality. Electronic Health Records are used to help all team members stay communicated on the patient’s status and needs.