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Tuesday, July 1, 2008

· American Hospice Foundation, Washington. Nonprofit consumer advocacy organization provides information for consumers and educates health care providers and human resources professionals about hospice and grief. http://www.americanhospice.org, 202-223-0204.

· Capital Hospice, Falls Church. Offers education, counseling and hospice services to residents of Washington; Arlington, Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun, Prince William and Stafford counties in Virginia; and Prince George's County in Maryland. http://www.capitalhospice.org, 800-869-2136.

· Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Accredits hospice providers, which are listed at its Quality Check site ( http://www.qualitycheck.org). The commission also offers a checklist of questions to ask when choosing hospice and a place to make complaints at http://www.jointcommission.org/GeneralPublic/Choices/hc_ome.htm.

· National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. Alexandria-based industry group representing hospice providers. http://www.nhpco.org. Offers guidelines for consumers on how to choose hospice at its Caring Connections site, http://www.caringinfo.org/hospice or by calling the HelpLine at 800-658-8898.

-- Alicia Ault

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