Hospice

Quad County Hospice

What is Hospice?

Hospice is the management of terminal illness in such a way that patients are able to live at home comfortably and with dignity until they die. Their family members are able to be with them as they are dying and are given support to be able to go on living afterward.

In Hospice, emphasis is on care of physical symptoms and other problems associated with terminal illness, rather than on cure of the disease. Priority is given to symptom control for the patients and on supportive care for both the patient and family members.

Our Hospice is a coordinated program of palliative and supportive services administered by an interdisciplinary team to meet the needs of a patient/family experiencing the stresses of advanced disease.

The goal of the program is to enhance the quality of life remaining when a disease is irreversible and life expectancy is limited.

The Hospice Interdisciplinary Team

Back Row: Sue Castle, LPN; Sandy Henderson; Lisa Kiefer, RN; Denise Orton, RN; Paige Lees

Front Row: Bob Barr, Chaplin; Dr. Jared Kocher, Co-Medical Director; David Atkinson, MSW

Not Pictured: Dr. Ernesto Fabi, Co-Medical Director

Hospice Services

Care is provided by a medically directed group of individuals from various professions who possess a wide variety of skills and expertise enabling them to provide specialized care to patients with a terminal illness. These services include:

Physician Services
Nursing Services
Social Services
Home Health Aide Services
Pastoral Care Services

Physical Therapy
Occupational Therapy
Speech Therapy
Dietary Services
Volunteer Services

Hours of Service

Hospice services are provided from 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M., Monday through Friday. Also, a nurse is on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays. Therefore, patients in the Hospice program have round-the-clock accessibility to hospice services.

To reach Hospice any time day or night, call (217) 562-6380. Calls after working hours, on weekends, and on holidays will be diverted to the on-call nurse.

Hearing impaired persons can contact Hospice by calling the TDD at the Pana Police Department. The number is (217) 562-2141.

Quad County Hospice is a non-profit organization licensed by the State of Illinois and Medicare and Medicaid certified.

Admission Criteria

A Quad County Hospice patient:

has a diagnosis of terminal illness with a medical prognosis of six months or less (diagnosis is not limited to cancer).
must be receiving palliative care only (management of symptoms rather than treatment of the disease).
has a competent and responsible primary care person available.
is aware of the prognosis and treatment options and chooses hospice care.
lives in Pana or within a 22-mile radius; exceptions considered.
has an attending physician who will medically direct his/her hospice care.
is accepted without regard to race, religion, national origin, handicap, lifestyle differences, or ability to pay.
with a contagious disease including, but not limited to, AIDS, MRSA, and Hepatitis B will not be denied admission based on their diagnosis.

Referrals

Referrals will be accepted from anyone and will be directed to the Hospice Patient Care Coordinator. The Patient Care Coordinator or designee will discuss referrals with the attending physician for appropriateness. If appropriate, an information packet describing Hospice Services will be left with the patient/family for their review.

Equipment, Supplies, and Medication

Durable medical equipment, medical and surgical supplies, and medications related to the terminal disease are provided by Hospice.

Payment

May be single source or combination of sources including private pay, private insurance, Medicaid or Hospice Medicare Benefit.