Hospice Reporting Only

Park County Hospice Reporting

As the number of hospices that operate in our county has increased it has become apparent that we needed to send out our policies to each of you. While most reports are handled very well there have been a few instances of error. Our goal is to be certain that each death is reported properly and investigated properly while at the same time securing the peace and dignity that these patients and their families’ desire. Our hope is that the following information items will clarify any confusion.

• All hospices that serve Park County are asked to submit their business name, address, contact numbers, and medical director’s information to the Park County Coroner’s Office prior to serving a patient in this county or as change occurs. This is to insure that our staff knows that you are an established and licensed organization prior to receiving any case.
• When a death occurs at a residence in Park County a Registered Nurse shall be the minimum required responder to the home. If only lower certified staff or non-certified staff can be on scene this will require coroner response.
• RN shall contact the coroner’s office as soon after pronouncement of death as possible from the scene and prior to funeral home removal. (Note: The RN must be on scene at time of pronouncement.) This is required 24 hours a day.
• Coroner’s office shall be contacted at the following numbers in the following order:
  • Office 719-836-4340
  • Coroner Alternate Phone 719-839-5552
  • Park County Dispatch Opt 5 719-836-4121 (request a coroner be paged)
• Coroner will not typically respond unless an unusual circumstance has occurred such as a fall immediately prior to death or anything reported as a suspicious or concerning.
• Coroner staff will ask to obtain the following information:
  • Patients name
  • Date Of Birth
  • Address
  • Who was with patient at time of death
  • Next of Kin Name & Contact
  • Diagnosis
  • Time of death according to family or friends present
  • Pronouncement time
  • Doctor pronouncing
  • Doctor who will sign death certificate
  • Date of admission to hospice
  • Any reportable events during hospice (falls, injuries, law enforcement or human services called to the home, Etc..)
  • If medications were administered appropriately by patient or family caregiver
  • RN (Registered Nurse) destroying any controlled substance
  • Funeral home selected
• If your hospice currently submits, or wishes to submit, an information form on the patient at the time of admission that will cover many of the above items however reporting the death to the coroner’s office at time of death is still required.
• Coroner staff will advise the RN during the phone call if any further action is needed prior to release.
• The Park County Coroner’s Office co-signs all hospice case death certificates.

If a hospice is found to have provided any fraudulent information in the report it will be the decision of the coroner to place the hospice on “observation” within Park County. If a hospice is placed on observation, then the coroner or a deputy coroner will respond to each of the deaths in Park County under the care of that hospice until a time it is determined that the hospice is conducting its reporting appropriately. 

If you have any questions at any time about hospice reporting within our county, please call us at 719-836-4340. We look forward to a continued successful relationship with all the hospices that serve our residents.