ASHLAND — In first-time comparative data released by the federal Medicare program, Hospice of North Central Ohio (HNCO), including Hospice of Ashland County, Hospice of Knox County, and Hospice of Richland County, surpassed the national average for every quality assessment and, overall, outperformed every other hospice in the region.
The institution reported the news in a Wednesday afternoon press release.
Because the quality of care that hospices provide to patients and families can vary, The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal agency that runs the Medicare program, created Hospice Compare. In August the comparative data was released on seven important indicators of quality, and more quality measures are expected to be added in the future, the release states.
Hospice Compare reports information on hospices across the nation so that patients, family members, and health care providers have a snapshot of the quality of care each hospice provides. The data can be viewed at www.medicare.gov/hospicecompare.
“It is encouraging to now have comparative data at our fingertips that verifies the high quality of care Hospice of North Central Ohio has provided for 30 years,” said William Kahl, Executive Director of HNCO. “The community should be proud of the performance of its local hospice as it outperformed some larger, for-profit agencies.”
Hospice of North Central Ohio serves more than 200 patients daily in Ashland, Crawford, Huron, Knox, Morrow, and Richland counties who are living with chronic and terminal illnesses.
Additionally, free continuous bereavement services are provided for hundreds of families of hospice patients and to anyone in the community experiencing grief. Call 800-952- 2207 for more information. HNCO is a non-profit organization and a partner agency of United Way of Ashland County.
