Hospice of Franklin County Reports Deficiency-free State Survey

GREENFIELD — Hospice of Franklin County earned a perfect score on a recent survey by the Mass. Department of Public Health, indicating substantial compliance with requirements for hospice providers.

“Hospices must fulfill a long list of requirements to become certified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services,” said Terry Gaberson, executive director of Hospice of Franklin County. “I am so pleased to congratulate the staff of Hospice of Franklin County on their stellar performance in achieving a deficiency-free survey.”

The unannounced survey took place in May. “We don’t know with any certainty when our survey will take place until the surveyors arrive,” Gaberson noted. “They spend several days at our offices interviewing staff members and reviewing records, policies, and procedures, but they also make home visits to hospice patients. This is an examination of the quality of our overall program, and it is a rigorous process.”

Surveys are repeated within a three-year window. Any deficiencies that do not meet regulations require an immediate action plan for correction.

Hospice of Franklin County is a member of the Berkshire Healthcare family of not-for-profit providers of skilled nursing, short-term rehabilitation, assisted and independent living, and hospice services.

Hospice of Franklin County was incorporated as a free-standing, nonprofit, community-based hospice in 2004 and joined Berkshire Healthcare in 2014. It has served more than 2,000 individuals and their families since opening its doors. It is a member of National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization and the Hospice and Palliative Care Federation of Massachusetts. For more information, visit www.berkshirehealthcare.org.