Healthcare Professional Hospice and Palliative Care Resources
Eligibility Resources
- Hospice healthcare eligibility criteria, including disease-specific guidelines
- Evaluation tools and scales
- Compassus Locations
- Eligibility and Duration of Benefits - Code of Federal Regulations
- Better hospice conversations
- Hospice billing reference guide (PDF, 980 KB)
- Kurt Merkelz, M.D., Compassus Chief Medical Officer
- Our response to COVID-19
Referrals
We respect the relationship physicians have with their patients. Our goal is to ensure patients and families receive the right care, at the right time.
If you prefer to speak with someone, you may contact our resource center or a local Compassus office.
- Compassus resource center: 833-457-0811
- Find local programs, including 24/7 contact information, covered counties and more
- Our admissions coordinator will contact all responsible parties to coordinate family consultations and/or patient assessments.
Hospice Levels of Care
Routine Hospice Care, or sometimes called routine home care or RHC, is the most common level of hospice care. Routine care is provided at the patient's residence, which can include their home, assisted living or nursing home.
General Inpatient Care is appropriate when caregivers cannot manage pain or other symptoms in a home setting. Care is provided at a Medicare-approved facility. The hospice team visits the patient daily to help manage care.
Continuous Home Care is short-term care during a period of crisis to maintain the hospice patient at home. A crisis is a time in which a patient requires continuous care that is predominantly nursing care to manage pain or other medical symptoms.
Inpatient Respite Care is short-term inpatient care designed to give family caregiver time off. Respite care is provided on an occasional and pre-arranged basis and may not be reimbursed for more than five consecutive days at a time. During respite care, the patient is transferred to a hospice-contracted nursing facility or hospital for 24-hour nursing care.