Medical leader Dr. Khalid Mahmoud Shirif serves as the medical director of Traditional Hospice, Vanguard Physician Group, and Anthem Hospice. Dr. Khalid Shirif is also board-certified by the American College of Surgeons in palliative and hospice care.

Hospice and palliative care are very closely related. They both help patients who have a life-limiting illness with improving physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being. This is done by providing compassionate care to patients as well as serving the families of the patient through spiritual and psychosocial counseling services. Despite their similarities, there is a distinct difference between the two that many people are unaware of.

Recognizing the difference between palliative and hospice care depends on the timing of the care. Palliative care can begin as soon as a patient is diagnosed with an illness. This means that patients who are undergoing active treatment for their condition can receive palliative services. Since such care overlaps with the patients' treatment, it often focuses on managing the symptoms or side effects, such as shortness of breath or pain.

Meanwhile, hospice care is provided to patients after treatment is completed. It is made available at an end-of-life stage and is often only offered to patients who have less than six months to live. Most insurances, along with the Medicaid Hospice Benefit, the Medicare Hospice Benefit, and the Veteran’s Administration, cover the majority of the cost of hospice services.