FAQ

Yes, you can. Primary attending physicians continue to bill Medicare Part B and other carriers for the patient’s regular office visits or for all covered services. New billing codes are also available for care plan oversight, so reimbursement can be obtained for telephone calls to nurses, as well as patients.

There are several hospices to choose from in the Metro Atlanta area; but what makes Southern Grace stand apart from others is how we consistently carry out our mission to serve our community by providing excellent care and support to each patient and family during a very intimate and challenging journey. Southern Grace strives to go above and beyond the call of duty to deliver compassionate care to your patients suffering with a life limiting illness. More than a place of care, hospice is a unique kind of care for people with an advanced illness and the ones who love them. It is a specialized care that accepts dying as a natural part of life when death is inevitable, seeking neither to speed up the dying process nor postpone it. More than 90 percent of hospice care is received at the patient’s home. Southern Grace Hospice care is available wherever you reside in your private home, in nursing homes, assisted living facilities and hospitals.

Southern Grace staff is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our staff is available to meet with your patients to explain hospice and the benefits at any time for an informational visit whether that is in their home or in your practice. Once we receive the doctor’s order to evaluate for hospice and the supportive medical records; a nurse will go out the same day to complete the admission, as long as the patient and family are in agreement.

Southern Grace encourages patients to elect an attending physician that is most familiar with their care as to promote continuity of care – which is typically the referring physician. Further, Southern Grace will coordinate with the patients’ choice of attending physician as to continue the excellent care pattern already established. If you so chose to accept the role as the Attending Physician, Southern Grace simply asks that you return the written certification with your signature confirming your agreement with the patient’s terminal condition. Our Hospice Medical Director will gladly assume the role of the “Following” Physician as to alleviate the calls that may overwhelm you or your office staff requesting new or updated orders. Your Southern Grace representative will deliver a summary of how your patients are progressing every two weeks, which will include any updates and/or medications changes made during those two weeks. You and your nursing staff are also welcome to contact both the Hospice Medical Director and/or the RN Case Manager at any time to review the patient’s status.