We keep our patient’s Primary Care Physician (PCP) as the director of care. Our staff makes sure the patient’s PCP is informed of all of their wants and needs. Our hospice team also employs a Medical Director who oversees all clinical aspects of hospice care and provides medical education to community and facility staff. These physicians actively participate in the admission, eligibility and recertification decisions and actively participate with in-home visits to hospice patients. The CompassionCare Medical Director provides overall direction for the hospice interdisciplinary staff. A referral to hospice care can be made by anyone, not just a physician or healthcare professional. A patient, their family or loved ones can request an evaluation to see if they qualify to receive hospice care. Qualifications to receive this benefit include being diagnosed with a “life-limiting illness” with a life expectancy of 6 months or less (if the disease were to follow its expected course). There are no specific age, or disease restrictions – any disease that is in the terminal stages, may qualify someone to receive hospice care. Patients can continue to receive hospice care for an indefinite period of time, as long as they continue to meet the guidelines and criteria as set forth by Medicare. Each case is reviewed at set periods of time, to ensure they continue to meet criteria. A patient can choose to stop hospice care at any time, for any reason. For example, to pursue aggressive treatment.