HOSPICE OF THE CAROLINA FOOTHILLS

"I’m glad that this facility has been able to help some people in the community, but there are some things you should know before placing your dying loved one here. This is a for profit organization that pays its “liaisons” a commission for each admission. Beware of the information provided by these individuals as they are salespeople who will misrepresent the facility to make their commission. The nursing ratio we experienced was 1 nurse to 9 patients. If your loved one has high medication or care needs, this is not the appropriate place for them. There is not a provider on site 24/7 like a hospital palliative care environment. Contacting the on-call provider delays patient care, and the provider does not conduct a complete evaluation of patients admitted outside of regular business hours. My dad was receiving excellent, high-level care in the palliative care unit at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center. The nursing ratio was 1 nurse and patient care technician for every 2 patients. Ashley Skinner contacted our family while he was there and introduced herself as a hospice “liaison.” (We later saw that she refers to herself as a hospice “marketing specialist” on social networking sites.) Had we been appropriately informed of the nursing ratio, absence of an on-site provider, and limitations of the facility, we would not have transferred my dad out of Spartanburg. Unfortunately we encountered a salesperson, Ashley Skinner, who was either grossly misinformed or knowingly lied to us about the capabilities of the facility to earn her commission. "