Home Hospice has the experience and expertise to provide the quality care you seek. We survey our patients and families about care received, and sadly, only 88% of our respondents feel they were referred to hospice at the right time with the others saying the referral cam too late in the disease process. Frequently we receive statements such as, “I wish my daddy could have known this quality of care for a longer period of time,” or “if only our doctor had told us this kind of help was available sooner.”

Home Hospice of Grayson , Cooke and Fannin Counties:

• licensed and regulated by the Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) of the State of Texas
• certified by the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the United States
• accredited with deemed status by the Community Healthcare Accreditation Program indicating Home Hospice meets requirements greater than those of either the DADS or CMS
• Quality Assurance/Performance Improvement Committee meets quarterly

Home Hospice of Grayson, Cooke and Fannin Counties is committed to the highest quality end-of-life care and support for both individuals and their family members. This Family Evaluation survey is one tool that we use to monitor how well we achieve our objective of providing that care to each individual whose life we touch. As unrealistic as it is to expect 100% in all categories because we are human and so are the families we serve, that is our goal and this kind of feedback is enormously valuable as we take steps for continuous quality improvement.

Below are a few sample results from our third party surveys:

• 100% would recommend Home Hospice to others.

Areas in which Home Hospice ranked in the top 10% of hospices surveyed:

• Right amount of help with patient’s feelings of anxiety of sadness 100%
• Patient was treated with respect 100%
• Family had enough instruction on patient care 100 %
• Family was kept informed of patients condition 90.6% “always”
• Very confident in knowing expectations while patient was dying 71.9%
• Right amount of spiritual or religious contact 100%
• Right amount of emotional support prior to patient’s death 100%
• Right amount of help received from volunteers 96.9%
• Team response to evening and weekend needs 82.8% “excellent”
• Team clearly explained plan of care to patient’s family 100%
• Quality of care improved after hospice was involved 85.5%

Home Hospice is an active member of the Texas and New Mexico Hospice Organization. {link to www.txnmhospice.org } The Texas & New Mexico Hospice Organization, grounded in hospice philosophy and standards, advocates excellence in services, promotes ethical practices, and fosters education and research. It assists its membership network to provide care that enhances the quality of life for patients and their families experiencing a life-limiting illness. Seven current staff members and volunteers have been chosen best in their respective disciplines by this prestigious organization.

Home Hospice is also an active participant in the Texas Non Profit Hospice Alliance, {link towww.tnpha.org} a statewide organization committed to compassionate end-of-life care through comfort against physical and emotional pain and individual control of quality of life. The Executive Director of Home Hospice sits on the Board of this organization and through this association, Home Hospice is constantly focused on best practices and innovations in hospice care.

When benchmarked against hospices both within the State of Texas and Nationwide, Home Hospice consistently outperforms other hospices in

• Provision of emotional support to the family both before and after their loved one’s death – this is a critical piece of hospice care as the family is a part of the unit of care; they are providing care to someone they love even as they prepare for and struggle with the approaching loss of that person – support, guidance and compassion are crucial for families during this time
• Provision of spiritual care in the amount requested / desired by family and/or patient – many of the questions faced during our final journey are spiritual in nature, “What has my life meant? What’s next? Have I made a difference Have I done all I can to make life better for those I love?, among many others. It is important to have a spiritual counselor available for those who wish to explore these feelings, whether they are dying or caring for a dying loved one.
• Provision of information on what to expect. Many families tell us that the consistent flow of information is vitally important to them during this time as they seek to balance their own lives with the care of someone close to them. Knowing what to expect takes away much of the fear of the unknown giving them comfort and security throughout the process.
• Patient is treated with respect. Honoring a person’s wishes and treating them with respect and dignity are the pillars of care at Home Hospice. This very important time belongs to each individual and the goals for care and choices should be theirs.
• Family had enough instruction in taking care of their loved one (100%) and were confident in doing so Few of us have much experience at caregiving, and even if we have done the tasks before, each person cared for is a different individual and has a different relationship with us. Having experts in the field provide guidance, education and support increases the success we achieve in the experience and that security allows us to enjoy our moments with this very special person.
• Team response to evening and weekend needs There is nothing more frightening than a crisis, big or small, at night or on the weekend. Typically, help is not available. Home Hospice has a staff dedicated to meeting your needs during these times. Whether it is a need for additional medication, a change in a person’s condition, the need for emotional support, or a variety of others, our staff is available – day or night – and are just a phone call away. This dedicated staff live locally, making response times as short as they can possibly be. Additionally, Home Hospice maintains a group of highly experienced hospice nurses between the hours of 5 and 9 pm, Monday – Friday, to answer your call and ensure your needs are met. Call us, we’ll be right there.