What is Hospice?
Hospice care focuses on improving the quality of life for persons and their families faced with a life-limiting illness. The primary goals of hospice care are to provide comfort, relieve physical, emotional, and spiritual suffering, and promote the dignity of terminally ill persons. Hospice care neither prolongs nor hastens the dying process. As such, it is palliative not curative.
If I Refer My Patient to Hospice, Can I Still Remain Involved in His or Her Care?
The attending physician may continue in a primary role (writing orders for medications, consulting with patient, family, and interdisciplinary team on treatment decisions and goals, visiting patient directly at the hospital or home).
He or she may also request that the hospice medical director and hospice physicians manage symptoms related to the terminal diagnosis or assume complete responsibility for the medical care of the patient.
What Medical Information Do Patients and Families Need to Have About Hospice When the Referral Is Made?
It is important for the physician to be as clear as possible with the patient and family about the disease progression, treatment options, prognosis, and goals of medical care that have led to a hospice referral at this time. Patients and families often ask the following questions about hospice care:
How Much Care Will Family Members Be Expected To Provide?
If a patient lives at home and is unable to care for himself or herself, usually a “primary caregiver” is required since hospice team members cannot be in the home for extended periods of time. The hospice program can assist the family in hiring private nursing assistance to meet this need or in “piecing together” care among family members, friends, and community resources.
After a Patient Dies, What Services or Counseling is Offered to Family or Loved Ones?
Every hospice program offers bereavement services to family and loved ones for a minimum of 13 months following the death of a patient. This may take the form of phone contact, short-term counseling, assessment of need and referrals to community resources, support groups, educational forums, written information on the grief process, and/or memorial services.
What Are the First Steps That Happen When a Patient Is Referred to Hospice?
A representative of the hospice will meet with the patient and family to explain the hospice philosophy and services. They will confirm medical eligibility, insurance coverage, and patient and family choice for palliative/hospice care. If hospice is determined to be the appropriate kind of medical care, paperwork will be completed and services begin usually within 24-48 hours of referral. |  |
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