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What Is Hospice?

What Is Hospice?

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Hospice goal

A principal goal of hospice is to control pain and other symptoms (also known as palliative care) while allowing the patient to remain as alert and productive as possible.    The patient's comfort overrides all other concerns. There is generally no further attempt to cure the condition, only to care for the patient.

Where hospice is given

While hospice care may be provided in a  hospital, private hospice center, or skilled nursing facility, most hospice care is provided in the home.  Family and  loved ones provide the majority of day-to-day home hospice care. The hospice  team provides both the patient and family caregivers with the medical  assistance and emotional support that they need.

The hospice team

The hospice team includes: you, your family, your doctor, a  hospice doctor, a nurse, a counselor, social worker, home health aide,  homemaker and possibly volunteers. A spiritual counselor is generally also  involved.  The hospice doctor and nurse  are generally on call 24/7.

Your doctor and the hospice team work  together to create a plan of care that meets your individual needs.

You can choose a nurse practitioner to be your attending  physician instead of a regular doctor. However, only your doctor and the  hospice medical director can certify that you meet the requirements about the  type of illness and projected amount of time to live.

The setting

Even outside the home, hospice care is  generally provided in a home-like setting, under the rules and regulations of  the hospice (rather than the sponsoring institution.) For example, if a hospice  is located in a hospital, hospice rules govern rather than the hospital's.   

No affiliation

Hospice care is not affiliated with any particular religion,  although religious organizations may sponsor hospice care.

You can stop hospice care at any time

A patient can stop hospice care and resume traditional  treatment at any time. If you choose to leave hospice care to resume  traditional treatment, you can still return to hospice care. Most insurers,  including Medicare, will allow for readmission. At the other extreme, you can  stop all medical care at any time.


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