Hospice Care

Thank you for your editorial supporting the conclusions of the Orange County Grand Jury report that recommends the establishment of hospice care in Orange County. The need is immediate and will increase substantially over the next decade. It now costs $150 per day per patient in a hospice facility, as opposed to $1,200 per day in an intensive care hospital unit.

Our Hospice Orange County steering committee is building an organization to fund and operate a facility that will provide quality, compassionate care for terminally ill patients and give comfort and financial relief to their families. We are now evaluating business plan proposals from Coopers & Lybrand, Ernst & Whinney and a San Diego-based health care consulting firm. United Way has provided an office for us, and we have obtained a California Community Foundation Grant.

Our broad-based committee has benefited from the generous participation of advisers, such as Corrine Bayley, vice president, St. Joseph Health System; Dr. Rex Ehling, county health officer; Penny Weismuller, AIDS coordinator of the county Health Care Agency, and many others knowledgeable in this field.

We appreciate the efforts of the grand jury and its human services committee for bringing the critical issue of hospice care to the attention of the Board of Supervisors.

DR. ROSS CONNER

SINDEE SMOLOWITZ

Co-Chairs

Hospice Orange County

Steering Committee