Deaconess provides Hospice Services in the patient's home, in a caregiver's home, and in a long term care facility or in the Deaconess Hospice Care Center.  Physicians may refer any patient with a terminal illness and six-month prognosis or less to Deaconess Hospice Care, or patients or their families may request service directly. The patient and family must be willing to participate in the care, and must meet several criteria:

• A primary caregiver must provide the majority of care.
• A physician order is required and the willingness to oversee the Hospice Plan of Care.
• The patient/family agree that curative treatment is no longer being sought for the terminal illness.
• The home must be safe and appropriate for care and located within 40 miles of Deaconess Hospital (in Vanderburgh, Warrick, Gibson, Posey and areas of Pike or Spencer counties).

The Deaconess Hospice Care philosophy affirms the rights and dignity of a person throughout the death process. Our program utilizes a holistic and interdisciplinary team approach to care for the physical, psychosocial, spiritual and emotional needs of the terminally ill patient and his/her family.

Services In Long-Term Care Facilities

Patients may receive Deaconess Hospice Care services in any long-term care facility with which Deaconess Hospice Care has a contract. Because Medicare considers the long-term care facility to be the patient's home, patients can receive hospice services including regular visits by members of the hospice team and bereavement follow-up care for family members. The hospice team works with the staff of the long-term care facility to ensure palliative care and symptom management are achieved.

Hospice care concentrates on controlling the patient’s pain and other symptoms while continually meeting mental and spiritual needs. This allows patients in long-term care facilities to remain in familiar surroundings for the rest of their lives, keeping their spirits strong so they may make the most of each day.

Medicare covered services for long-term care facilities include:

• pain and symptom control
• patient/family education regarding hospice and their illness
• nursing visits to coordinate care with the nursing facility’s staff
• 24 hour a day, 7 day a week on-call nursing availability
• medications, equipment, and medical  supplies as related to the terminal illness
• volunteer services to patients/families
• consultation services and/or visits by  professional team members as needed
• bereavement program to support patient families for a 12-month period following death

Services in the Deaconess Hospice Care Center

The Deaconess Hospice Care Center is located on the 4th floor of Deaconess Hospital.  The unit utilizes four private rooms clustered on Unit 4500 (4502, 04, 06, & 08) and a family lounge-kitchenette for use by family members. 

Our qualified hospice nursing staff provides care for the inpatient hospice patients on this unit.  Each shift is staffed by a registered nurse and an LPN or aide allowing for a high staff to patient ratio to achieve the concentrated care necessary to meet the needs of patients and their families. 

We feel this location meets the needs of patients that are too ill to be transported, as well as those that will return home once symptoms are controlled. Physicians support this location as being accessible to them for continuing to follow the patient and managing the plan of care.  Also, the family members have access to the amenities of the hospital such as the Garden Café, Chapel, gift shop, coffee kiosk, etc. 

Please call Deaconess Hospice with any questions at 450-4999.

The Hospice Medicare Benefit  provides for a variety of services, many of which are not covered through any other type of provider.

Inpatient Hospice Care at Deaconess

In addition to the Deaconess Hospice Care Center, Deaconess Hospice provides hospice inpatient services at Deaconess Hospital and Deaconess Gateway Hospital when patients meet the inpatient hospice criteria. Our goal is to utilize the Deaconess Hospice Care Center when there is a bed available; however, if the Care Center is full or if the circumstances do not allow for a patient to be transferred, the patient can be admitted to hospice while they remain in the hospital. The attending physician may elect to follow the patient, or care may be transferred to the Hospice Medical Director.

Benefits to the patients and families who qualify for inpatient hospice care include:

• Daily visits from hospice nurses to provide oversight and education to patients and families about symptoms related to disease progression.
• Assessment of patient needs.
• Consultations with hospital unit staff to ensure pain control.
• Individualized support and counseling regarding end of life issues.
• Assistance with end of life planning (funeral arrangements as appropriate).
• Assistance with transition to home or nursing home when symptoms are controlled/stabilized.
• Master's social worker and chaplain services utilizing hospice philosophy.
• Anticipatory grief counseling prior to loss and bereavement services for the family up to one year after death of the loved one.

Insurance Participation & Policies

Many insurance policies, both private pay and Medicare/Medicaid, cover hospice care for qualified patients. Our experienced staff are available to evaluate and explain insurance coverage. 

To learn more about Deaconess Hospice Care services,
call 812/ 450-HOPE (4673) or toll-free 800/ 440-9816, 24 hours a day.

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