What is Hospice?
In the U.S., hospices have characteristically been organized as independent programs that assumed case management
responsibilities for all care related to a person's advanced, life-limiting illness; including support for the family through
the dying experience and during their bereavement. Hospice programs coordinate care through an interdisciplinary team under
a variety of administrative and ownership structures. Hospices may be fully independent corporate entities, semi-autonomous
subsidiaries of integrated systems, or departments of medical centers. While hospices have traditionally been non-profit,
community-based organizations, there has been a significant proliferation of for-profit hospice corporations, operating in
multiple sites.
The evolving history of end-of-life care, hospice has and will continue to represent the epitome of
palliative care. By demonstrating clinically achievable improvements in quality of life for dying patients and comprehensive
support for families in their care giving and their grief, the best hospice programs have provided "benchmarks" toward which
the discipline can aim. As the field is embraced and becomes part of the main stream health care system, hospice is one of
several delivery models to explore, but it also offers a gold standard against which to gauge success in end-of-life care.
Reference: Byock, I. R. (1998).
Hospice and Palliative Care: Parting ways or a path to the future?
Journal of palliative medicine, 1(2), 165-176.
What is palliative care?
Palliative care is simply comfort care. When aggressive medical treatment has failed and a cure is no longer expected,
the focus of medical care should be to keep the patient as pain-free and comfortable as possible.
Who decides when a patient is referred to hospice care?
At any time during a life-limiting illness, it's appropriate to discuss all of a patient's care options, including Hospice.
The decision to choose Hospice legally belongs to the patient. You should feel free to discuss Hospice care with your physician.
What is the normal process to begin hospice care?
Our admissions department will contact the patient's physician to make sure he or she agrees that Hospice care is appropriate
for the patient at this time. An admissions nurse will visit the patient and family to explain our Hospice services and evaluate
the patient's condition. The patient will be asked to sign consent and insurance forms. One particular form, the Hospice election
form, says that the patient understands that the care is palliative (aimed at pain relief and symptom control) rather than
curative.
What is the trend in palliative care--according to the research?
The scope of palliative care has evolved to include a wide range of patient populations who may
not be appropriately termed dying but for whom alleviation of suffering and improvement of quality of life may be very relevant
goals. The ultimate success of the new models of palliative care will eventually
rest upon the commitment of health professionals to recognize and integrate the changing concept of palliative care into everyday
practice.
Reference: Nursing Theory and Concept Development or Analysis: A concept
analysis of palliative care in the United States. By: Meghani, Salimah H.., Journal of Advanced Nursing, Apr2004, Vol. 46
Issue 2, p152.
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