As a physician, you know your patient best and when it is appropriate for you to recommend hospice as an option for care. When that time comes, Hope Hospice is here to support you and your patient. Hospice care is unique because it focuses on meeting the patient's physical needs, while also supporting their emotional, social, and spiritual needs. In general, patients must meet the following eligibility criteria to be appropriate for hospice care:

• Adults with a prognosis of six months or less if the disease runs its normal course
• Prognosis is certified by the patient’s primary care physician as well as the hospice medical director
• Patient and family desire palliative care as opposed to curative treatment
• Hospice can continue beyond six months as long as the patient continues to meet eligibility criteria

A common misconception about hospice care is that a referral can be premature. Hospice care is most effective over a period of months, yet most hospice patients die within a month of referral based on the reluctance of providers to refer patients earlier or at all. An early referral can provide your patients with the extra attention and focused hospice care that relieves symptoms and manages pain. It also offers patients and their families a vital opportunity to deal with their loss and say goodbye.

The benefits of referring a patient to Hope Hospice include:

• Providing your patients with a caring option to manage their end-of-life journey that reflects well on your practice
• Supporting, reinforcing and respecting the relationship you have with your patients
• Maintaining a link between you and your patients
• Providing 24 hour care so that you do not have to handle after-hour calls
• Ongoing pain management and symptom relief for your patients so you can rest assured that your patients are comfortable
• Ease of referral and minimal paperwork
• Ability to continue to bill if you provide services for your patient

To assist you in educating your patients about hospice, we have developed a list of “Frequently Asked Questions” (download here) that you may distribute.

Training and Education
We offer ongoing training and education for physicians and their staff. Click here to learn about the opportunities available to you.

On Call Newsletter
We publish a free physician newsletter designed to provide you with up to date information about hospice and end of life care. Click here to download recent issues or click here to be placed on our mailing list to receive future issues.