Hospice
Tower Health At Home - Berks
Hospice in Reading, Pennsylvania
| Provider details | |
|---|---|
| Address | 739 READING AVENUE VF BUILDING, 202 3RD FLOOR |
| City | Reading |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| ZIP code | 19611 |
| County | BERKS |
| Phone | (610) 378-0481 |
| Website | https://towerhealth.org/locations/tower-health-home |
| CMS certification number (CCN) | 391536 |
| Ownership | Non-Profit |
| Certification | Medicare-certified hospice (CMS) |
| Care types | hospice |
| Services offered | hospice care |
| Palliative services basis | Not determinable from the CMS Hospice General Information file (no palliative field); left unset rather than guessed. Hospice records carry this flag when a source shows a palliative program. |
| CMS quality note | CMS publishes hospice quality (HIS/CAHPS) measures per provider in the separate Hospice - Provider Data file; no quality value is carried in the General Information file used for this record, so none is stated here. |
Tower Health At Home - Berks is in 739 READING AVENUE VF BUILDING, 202 3RD FLOOR, Reading, PA 19611. Phone: (610) 378-0481. Ownership: Non-Profit. It is a Medicare-certified hospice listed in the CMS Hospice General Information file. CMS HIS composite process measure score: 100.00.
More about this provider
| Tower Health at Home's hospice is presented as specialized end-of-life care from a compassionate, skilled interdisciplinary team (nurses, medical social workers, spiritual counselors, health aides, volunteers, physicians and a nutritionist), focused on pain management, symptom control and quality of life for patients facing a life-limiting illness, with bereavement and grief support for families for up to 13 months; the hospice is accredited by The Joint Commission. | |
| Services and programs | Hospice services provided by an interdisciplinary team of hospice-trained nurses, medical social workers, spiritual counselors, health aides and volunteers (the site article adds physicians and a nutritionist), focused on pain management and symptom control and enhancing quality of life; bereavement team support for families after a loved one has passed, with grief support services available for up to 13 months |
| Who it serves | Patients and their families facing a life-limiting / terminal illness — specialized support intended to meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of patients and families facing a life-limiting illness |
| Accreditation | Accredited by The Joint Commission (as stated on Tower Health's own site article about the hospice) |
| Inspection highlights | Tower Health's own site reports that Tower Health at Home Hospice completed a Medicare/State Licensure recertification survey with no deficiencies found; surveyors conducted the unannounced survey onsite over three days in October, reviewing patient records, the admission packet, complaints/grievances, infection control and emergency preparedness programs, and three home visits |
| Visiting and contact details | Tower Health at Home, 739 Reading Ave, West Reading, PA 19611-1045; PHONE (866) 777-4862; FAX (610) 378-9762; Hospice information/referral and Hospice Intake Team: 610-288-2014 (or 855-843-8627, prompt #1) |
| Website | https://towerhealth.org/locations/tower-health-home |
Quality measures
Source: CMS
| Measure | Score | Reporting period |
|---|---|---|
| Average Daily Census | 72 | 01/01/2024 - 12/31/2024 |
| Care Provided in Home | 77 | 01/01/2024 - 12/31/2024 |
| CHC/GIP provided (% days) | 100 | 01/01/2023 - 12/31/2024 |
| Percent of Patients with Cancer | 31 | 01/01/2024 - 12/31/2024 |
| Percent of Patients with Stroke | 9 | 01/01/2024 - 12/31/2024 |
| Provided Routine Home Care only | No | 01/01/2022 - 12/31/2024 |
| Visits near death (% decedents) | 57 | 01/01/2023 - 12/31/2024 |
| Hospice Care Index Overall Score | 10 | 01/01/2023 - 12/31/2024 |
| Care Provided in Nursing Facility | 2 | 01/01/2024 - 12/31/2024 |
| Percent of Patients with Dementia | 4 | 01/01/2024 - 12/31/2024 |
| Care Provided in All other locations | 0 | 01/01/2024 - 12/31/2024 |
| Gaps in nursing visits (% elections) | 7 | 01/01/2023 - 12/31/2024 |
| Hospice Visits in the Last Days of Life | 41.4 | 01/01/2023 - 12/31/2024 |
| Late live discharges (% live discharges) | 10 | 01/01/2023 - 12/31/2024 |
| Care Provided in Assisted Living Facility | 2 | 01/01/2024 - 12/31/2024 |
| Care Provided in Skilled Nursing Facility | 12 | 01/01/2024 - 12/31/2024 |
| Early live discharges (% live discharges) | 77 | 01/01/2023 - 12/31/2024 |
| Per-beneficiary spending (U.S. dollars $) | 2 | 01/01/2023 - 12/31/2024 |
| Percent of Patients with Other Conditions | 33 | 01/01/2024 - 12/31/2024 |
| Hospice and Palliative Care Pain Screening | 100.00 | 10/01/2024 - 09/30/2025 |
| Care Provided in Inpatient Hospice Facility | 2 | 01/01/2024 - 12/31/2024 |
| Hospice and Palliative Care Pain Assessment | 100.00 | 10/01/2024 - 09/30/2025 |
| Care Provided in Inpatient Hospital Facility | 6 | 01/01/2024 - 12/31/2024 |
| Percent of Patients with Respiratory disease | 7 | 01/01/2024 - 12/31/2024 |
| Hospice and Palliative Care Dyspnea Screening | 100.00 | 10/01/2024 - 09/30/2025 |
| Hospice and Palliative Care Dyspnea Treatment | 100.00 | 10/01/2024 - 09/30/2025 |
| Skilled nursing minutes on weekends (% minutes) | 44 | 01/01/2023 - 12/31/2024 |
| Hospice and Palliative Care Treatment Preferences | 100.00 | 10/01/2024 - 09/30/2025 |
| Burdensome transitions, Type 1 (% live discharges) | 67 | 01/01/2023 - 12/31/2024 |
| Burdensome transitions, Type 2 (% live discharges) | 45 | 01/01/2023 - 12/31/2024 |
| Percent of Patients with Circulatory/heart disease | 17 | 01/01/2024 - 12/31/2024 |
| Provided Routine Home Care and other levels of care | Yes | 01/01/2022 - 12/31/2024 |
| Hospice and Palliative Care Composite Process Measure | 100.00 | 10/01/2024 - 09/30/2025 |
| Beliefs & Values Addressed (if desired by the patient) | 100.00 | 10/01/2024 - 09/30/2025 |
| Nurse care minutes per routine home care days (minutes) | 59 | 01/01/2023 - 12/31/2024 |
| Patient Treated with an Opioid Who Are Given a Bowel Regimen | 100.00 | 10/01/2024 - 09/30/2025 |
| Hospice served at least 1 patient enrolled in Medicare Advantage during one year | Yes | 01/01/2024 - 12/31/2024 |
| Hospice served at least 1 patient with both Medicare and Medicaid coverage during one year | Yes | 01/01/2024 - 12/31/2024 |
| Measure | Score | Reporting period |
|---|---|---|
| EMO_REL_MBV | Not Applicable | |
| Family caregiver survey rating | Not Applicable | |
| The hospice team always communicated well | 83 | |
| The hospice team usually communicated well | 12 | |
| Caregivers rated the hospice agency a 7 or 8 | 14 | |
| The hospice team always provided timely help | 77 | |
| Caregivers rated the hospice agency a 9 or 10 | 81 | |
| The hospice team usually provided timely help | 13 | |
| YES, they would probably recommend the hospice | 9 | |
| Caregivers rated the hospice agency a 6 or lower | 5 | |
| YES, they would definitely recommend the hospice | 86 | |
| The hospice team sometimes or never communicated well | 5 | |
| The hospice team always treated the patient with respect | 90 | |
| The hospice team sometimes or never provided timely help | 10 | |
| The hospice team usually treated the patient with respect | 8 | |
| The patient always got the help they needed for pain and symptoms | 72 | |
| The patient usually got the help they needed for pain and symptoms | 18 | |
| NO, they would probably not or definitely not recommend the hospice | 5 | |
| The hospice team sometimes or never treated the patient with respect | 2 | |
| The hospice team provided the right amount of emotional and spiritual support | 89 | |
| The patient sometimes or never got the help they needed for pain and symptoms | 10 | |
| The hospice team did |not| provide the right amount of emotional and spiritual support | 11 |
Who pays for hospice?
What this care costs, and who pays — Medicare, Medicaid, or the family — is covered in these guides:
- What Medicare hospice covers and what you may still pay
- Hospice Room and Board in a Nursing Home: Who Pays?
Hospice guide · Paying for care
Other hospice in BERKS County
- Bayada Hospice — Reading
- Compassus - Greater Philadelphia — Hamburg
- Aspire For Well-Being Hospice — Wyomissing
Common questions about Tower Health At Home - Berks
Where is Tower Health At Home - Berks located?
Tower Health At Home - Berks is at 739 READING AVENUE VF BUILDING, 202 3RD FLOOR.
What care and services does Tower Health At Home - Berks offer?
Tower Health At Home - Berks offers hospice, hospice care.
Is Tower Health At Home - Berks Medicare-certified?
Medicare-certified hospice (CMS).
How do I contact Tower Health At Home - Berks?
Call Tower Health At Home - Berks at (610) 378-0481.
How much does hospice cost?
Medicare pays the hospice agency for your care. You pay no deductible. You pay up to $5 for each pain or symptom drug you get as an outpatient. You pay 5% of the Medicare-approved cost for a short inpatient respite stay. Most families pay little or nothing for hospice care itself. See our guide to hospice care costs and who pays for the full picture.
Does Medicare pay for hospice?
Yes. Medicare Part A pays for hospice when a doctor says you have 6 months or less to live if the illness runs its normal course. You choose comfort care over care to cure the illness. Hospice is paid by Original Medicare even if you have a Medicare Advantage plan. Your Advantage plan still covers care that is not part of the hospice benefit.
What is the difference between hospice and palliative care?
Palliative care is comfort care that can start at any stage of a serious illness. You can get it while you still get treatment to cure the illness. Hospice is palliative care for the end of life. It starts when a doctor says you have 6 months or less to live, and you stop treatment aimed at a cure.
Who else pays for hospice besides Medicare?
Medicaid pays for hospice in most states for people who qualify. The VA covers hospice for veterans. Most private health plans and long-term care insurance plans cover hospice too. Many hospices also give care to people who cannot pay.