Hospice & Community Care Support Groups

10 Questions To Ask When Choosing Your Hospice

1. How long have you been providing hospice care in the community?
Hospice & Community Care was the very first hospice in this area. Since 1985, we have been serving patients and their families in York, Chester, Lancaster, Cherokee, Union and Fairfield Counties with a guiding mission to give hope, comfort and compassion to our community when needed most. We remain the leading nonprofit hospice care provider in this area and dedicate our resources to caring for patients and families dealing with the end-of-life.

2. Are all hospices the same?
No. Hospice is a medical specialty. Each hospice is a different company. All hospices have the same general philosophy, but their services may differ. Some hospices are for-profit corporations, while others, like Hospice & Community Care, is a not-for-profit organization. It is your right to request the hospice of your choice if more than one hospice serves your area. If you want us to provide your care, please be sure to ask for Hospice & Community Care.

3. Are your staff specially trained in end-of-life care?
Hospice & Community Care employs two full-time physicians that specialize in palliative and end-of-life care. By federal law all hospices must have a medical director. However, we are the only hospice in our area with two full-time physicians who manage pain and symptoms and who will make house calls if needed. We also have more certified hospice nurses and home health aides than any other area hospice. Hospice & Community Care is the only hospice within our area that is certified to provide continuing education credits by the South Carolina Nurses Association.

4. How satisfied are your patients and families?
In 2007, we received 100% ratings on multiple areas including: families’ overall ratings of our hospice care, the care we provide on weekend and evenings, and satisfaction with our volunteer services. In addition, 100% of the families we served said that they would recommend Hospice & Community Care to others.

5. Do you have ample volunteers to assist patients and families?
All hospices have to have volunteers. We have over 400 - all of which have completed formal training in end-of-life care - which enables us to provide an elevated level of personal assistance to our patients and families.

6. Do you provide bereavement services for the entire family?
Yes. Hospice & Community Care provides a comprehensive range of free grief support services to all family members. The bereavement team follows the family for a minimum of 13 months following the patient’s death. These services may include personal visits, phone calls, providing educational materials and offering support groups. We also have a full-time children’s counselor dedicated to serving the children and teens of our area.

7. What is your policy for patients who are unable to pay for services?
Hospice & Community Care is pleased to be able to care for everyone who requests our services, regardless of their ability to pay. As a nonprofit organization, we are fully committed to meeting our patients’ needs fairly and equitably.

8. What professional affiliations does your hospice maintain?
Hospice & Community Care is Medicare and Medicaid certified to provide care. We are active members of the Carolinas Center for Hospice and End of Life Care and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. We are also members of the Nursing Advisory Board at York Technical College, the Bioethics Research Group of Charlotte Region, United Way of York County’s Health and Wellness Task Force, York County Legacy Group, Ethics Committee and Credentials Committees at Piedmont Medical Center. Hospice & Community Care currently serves as a clinical internship site for students at Winthrop University Masters of Education in Counseling, Masters of Social Work, York Technical College School of Nursing and Continuing Education Departments.

9. What hospitals does your hospice have contracts with?
Hospice & Community Care has contracts with:

Piedmont Medical Center, Rock Hill
Chester County Hospital, Chester
Springs Memorial Hospital, Lancaster
Carolina’s Medical Center, Charlotte Mercy Hospital, Charlotte
Presbyterian Hospital, Charlotte
Gaston Memorial, Gastonia

10. Do you have a freestanding inpatient center?
Yes. In fact, we have the only free-standing hospice house in this community. The Wayne T. Patrick Hospice House is a state-of-the-art facility specially designed to meet the unique needs of local patients and families.

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