Hospice Accreditation

Hospice Care services provide care for terminally ill patients in their place of residence. End-of-life care involves an interdisciplinary approach to meet the physical, psychosocial, spiritual, and emotional needs of the patient and/or family, as well as the palliation of symptoms related to the terminal illness.

Hospice Inpatient Care is provided directly by the hospice personnel at a facility owned/operated by the hospice (e.g., Hospice House). If general inpatient or respite care is provided, there must be a nurse on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. End-of-life care involves an interdisciplinary approach to meet the physical, psychosocial, spiritual, and emotional needs of the patient and/or family, as well as the palliation of symptoms related to the terminal illness.

This additional recognition acknowledges that older adults may have goals and priorities that differ from those of other age groups. Age-friendly care is intentional with regard to safety and reduction of harm and confusion. It focuses on the use of four evidence-based best practices in geriatric care known as the 4Ms*: What Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility. The Distinction in Age-Friendly Care is patient-centered and designed to enhance patient outcomes.

This distinction must be achieved in combination with ACHC Hospice Accreditation.

*The 4Ms framework is a key element of the Age-Friendly Health Systems initiative developed by The John A. Hartford Foundation and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, in collaboration with the AmericanHospital Association and the Catholic Health Association of the United States.

This additional recognition focuses on patient- and family-centered care that optimizes quality of life throughout the continuum of illness by addressing physical, intellectual, emotional, social, and spiritual needs and facilitating patient autonomy, access to information, and choice. ACHC Palliative Care Standards are based on the National Consensus Project Clinical Practice Guidelines for Quality Palliative Care.

This additional recognition focuses on the provision of care to clients/patients with acute or chronic conditions, using telehealth technology that allows monitoring in the clinical or home environment. This technology creates disease management empowerment and independence, improved access to care, increased collaboration among healthcare providers, and improved client/patient outcomes. Standards were based on telehealth clinical guidelines of the American Telemedicine Association.