When a patient is referred for hospice care or home health services in Tennessee, many families assume they must go with the provider recommended by a hospital or doctor. However, Medicare patients have an important right that many people don’t realize—they have the right to choose their care provider.
Under Medicare regulations, patients and their families are free to select the hospice or home health provider they trust most. While a physician or hospital may make a recommendation, the final decision always belongs to the patient.
This means that if you or a loved one needs hospice care in East Tennessee or home health services in your community, you can choose the provider that offers the highest level of care and compassion.
For families across the region, the best choice is Smoky Mountain Home Health and Hospice.
Understanding Your Medicare Right to Choose a Hospice or Home Health Provider
Medicare’s Patient Choice Law protects patients by ensuring they are not required to use a specific agency when they qualify for hospice or home health care.
Hospitals and physicians often maintain relationships with certain agencies and may suggest them when a patient is discharged. However, Medicare clearly states that patients have the right to select any qualified provider that serves their area.
This choice allows patients to consider important factors such as:
Quality ratings from Medicare
Patient and family satisfaction
Reputation in the community
Local ownership and accountability
Experience and longevity of the provider
Choosing the right provider can make a major difference in a patient’s comfort, dignity, and overall care experience.
Why Families Choose Smoky Mountain Home Health and Hospice
When families in East Tennessee communities need trusted care, many turn to Smoky Mountain Home Health and Hospice.
Founded in 1982, Smoky Mountain Home Health and Hospice has been providing compassionate care to patients and families across the region for more than 40 years. The organization is locally owned and operated by Tammy Francis, ensuring that decisions are made with the needs of the community in mind.
As one of the longest-standing providers of home health and hospice care in East Tennessee, the agency has built a reputation for delivering personalized care that focuses on dignity, comfort, and support.
Our care teams include experienced:
Registered nurses
Therapists
Social workers
Spiritual counselors
Home health aides
Each member of the team works closely with patients and families to provide care that is compassionate, respectful, and tailored to individual needs.
Recognized as One of the Best Hospices in Tennessee
Quality of care matters when choosing a provider, and Smoky Mountain Home Health and Hospice has been recognized at the highest level by Medicare.
We are proud to announce that Smoky Mountain Home Health and Hospice has received a 5-Star rating from Medicare’s Care Compare for 2025.
This distinction places our hospice program among the highest-performing providers not only in Tennessee, but across the entire United States.
In fact, we are one of the only hospices in the 13 counties we serve to earn this elite 5-Star rating.
Medicare’s Care Compare ratings evaluate providers using strict quality metrics, including:
Patient and family satisfaction
Timeliness of care
Clinical outcomes
Quality of services
Overall patient experience
Achieving a 5-Star rating means Smoky Mountain Home Health and Hospice is performing at the highest level of care recognized by Medicare, outperforming many providers both statewide and nationally.
You can read more about this achievement here:
https://smokyhhc.org/uncategorized/smhhh-earns-5-star-rating/
The Importance of Supporting Local Healthcare Providers
When choosing hospice or home health care in East Tennessee, many families prefer to support providers that are deeply connected to the community.
Smoky Mountain Home Health and Hospice is proud to be a locally owned healthcare organization that has served East Tennessee families since 1982.
Local providers offer unique advantages, including:
Care teams who understand the local community
Personalized service with familiar faces
Faster response times and stronger relationships
Investments that stay within the local economy
Our nurses, caregivers, and staff members often live in the same communities as the patients they serve. That connection helps us deliver care that is more personal, more compassionate, and more responsive to the needs of families across the region.
Hospice and Home Health Care in East Tennessee
Each type of care serves a different purpose, but they share a common goal: helping patients live with dignity, comfort, and support.
Home Health Care
Home health care provides medical services in a patient’s home, allowing individuals to recover from illness, surgery, or injury while remaining in a familiar environment.
Services may include:
Skilled nursing care
Physical therapy
Occupational therapy
Medication management
Health monitoring
Hospice Care
Hospice care is designed for patients with life-limiting illnesses who are focusing on comfort and quality of life rather than curative treatment.
Hospice services provide comprehensive support, including:
Pain and symptom management
Emotional and spiritual support
Family counseling
End-of-life care planning
Remember: You Have the Right to Choose
When a doctor recommends hospice or home health care, it’s important to remember that the recommendation is not the final decision.
You have the right to choose your provider.
Patients and families can request the provider they trust most—one that delivers the highest quality care and has a strong reputation in the community.
Choose the Best Care for Your Family
With more than 40 years of experience, local ownership, and a Medicare 5-Star rating, Smoky Mountain Home Health and Hospice is proud to provide some of the highest-rated hospice and home health services in Tennessee.
If you or a loved one needs hospice care or home health services in East Tennessee, remember that you have a choice—and you deserve the best care possible.
