The Role and Scope of Hospice Care
Role of hospice care
Hospice is a care and support program for terminally ill patients. Hospice care focuses on end-of-life physical, emotional, and spiritual comfort.
The primary role of hospice care is to ensure comfort by reducing a patient’s pain and suffering.
Scope of hospice care
Most hospice caregivers are dedicated to providing complete care to meet all patient needs. This includes physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs.
The scope of services includes physical care, emotional counseling, drugs, equipment, and supplies.
Hospice care can be provided at the patient’s home, dedicated hospice care facility, nursing home, and hospitals.
Medicare end-of-life care
Medicare Eligibility for Hospice Coverage: (2023)
- The senior must have Medicare Part A
- A hospice medical director or the patient’s doctor must certify under oath that the patient is terminally ill and has a life expectancy of six months or less.
- The patient must expressly choose palliative care rather than Medicare-covered benefits intended to treat their terminal illness and other related conditions and sign a sworn statement attesting to this fact.
- Care must be provided by a Medicare-approved hospice provider.
Medicare Covers the Following Hospice Services (2023)
- Doctor services
- Nursing care
- Durable medical equipment
- Medical supplies
- Prescription drugs (pain relief)
- Aide and homemaker services
- Physical therapy services
- Social work services
- Grief and loss counseling
- Pain and symptom management
- Short-term inpatient respite care
Referral For Hospice Care
Hospice care usually starts as soon as the patient’s doctor makes a formal referral for such care. A hospice program representative will visit the patient within 48 hours of that referral.
Most of the time, hospice care is ready to begin within a day or two of the referral. However, in urgent situations, hospice services may begin sooner.
Comfortable and pain-free
As their illness progresses, patients may have pain and other severe symptoms. The hospice staff is specially trained to ensure the patient remains comfortable and pain-free.
Hospice volunteers
Hospice volunteers are usually available to provide emotional and logistical support to patients and their loved ones, including running errands, preparing light meals, and staying with the patient when a family member is unavailable.
Locate A Hospice Provider
If you would like to discuss hospice care professional, consider consulting with a verified hospice counselor. The questions you can ask the Hospice Foundation of America include the following topic areas:
- Recognizing end-of-life signs and symptoms
- Selecting the right hospice provider
- When to discuss end-of-life care with the patient
- Distinguishing between hospice and palliative care
- Dealing with grief and how to find help
- Eligibility for hospice or palliative care
- Finding local hospice providers
- Ways of Accessing care
You can reach the Hospice Foundation of America by telephone during business hours (Eastern Time) by calling toll free 800-854-3402. Or you can visit them on their website above.
Note: The Hospice Foundation of America (HFA) is a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit charity that exists to benefit members of the public and clinicians who provide serious illness care, end-of-life care, and bereavement support. HFA’s Ask an Expert services are available at no cost to the public through the generosity of individual donations.
Reference: Does Medicare Cover Hospice? AgingCare.com.
