Anybody, including you or a loved one, can request information or hospice care services.
It is often perceived that hospice care must be initially suggested or referred by a healthcare provider. However, anybody, including you or a loved one, can request information or hospice care services. Once the care is requested, the hospice team contacts your doctor to evaluate whether or not it is an appropriate course of action. You can also speak directly with your loved one’s doctor about hospice care. If the doctor feels that your loved one needs this type of care, he/she will make a referral.
Beginning Hospice Care
Once the referral is made, hospice care can begin. The hospice team then contacts the patient to arrange a consultation meeting where various options for care are discussed. When the patient comes to an agreement with the hospice team about a plan of care, the proper consent forms and paperwork are created and signed. Normally, hospice care will begin within merely 24-48 hours of the referral being made. In dire situations, care can begin even sooner.
When To Ask About Hospice
There’s no better time than the present to educate yourself on hospice care as well as ask any relevant questions regarding it. End-of-life care and treatment can be a difficult subject to broach, but it can ensure your loved one is well taken care of long before his/her health becomes a concern or, as a means to enhance their quality of life. Hospice care is designed to support and oftentimes relieve stress for patients and their loved ones during difficult times.