The earlier a referral to hospice is made, the sooner you can start taking advantage of all the benefits that hospice care has to offer and enhance the quality of life. Hospice professionals are experts in pain and symptom management, but that is just the beginning. Hospice care involves a team of experts that offer patients and their family’s emotional and spiritual support as well. Hospice care is individualized and focuses on helping our patients and their loved ones best cope with their illness in a holistic manner, treating the whole individual, not just their disease.

A referral to hospice care can be made by anyone, not just a physician or healthcare professional. A patient, their family or loved ones can request an evaluation to see if they qualify to receive hospice care. Qualifications to receive this benefit include being diagnosed with a “life-limiting illness” with a life expectancy of 6 months or less (if the disease were to follow its expected course). There are no specific age or disease restrictions – any disease that is in the terminal stages may qualify someone to receive hospice care. Patients can continue to receive hospice care for an indefinite period of time, as long as they continue to meet the guidelines and criteria as set forth by Medicare. Each case is reviewed at set periods of time, to ensure they continue to meet criteria. A patient can choose to stop hospice care at any time, for any reason. For example, to pursue aggressive treatment.