Admission to hospice is appropriate when:
- A patient has a terminal illness with a life expectancy of 6 months or less (if the disease runs its usual course).
- Comfort care and symptom management becomes the focus.
- Curative treatment is no longer the patient's choice or option.
- Patient is agreeable to hospice care.
Hospice services are available to patients without regard to disease, color, creed, national origin, age, sex, or ability to pay.
Referrals to hospice may be made by anyone, including but not limited to:
- Physicians
- Family Members
- Clergy
- Discharge Planners
- Nursing Homes
- Friends
To make a referral to Hospice call:
(641) 682-0684 or Toll Free at 1-800-806-4967
- Many referrals for hospice care are not made until the patient has uncontrolled symptoms and is near death.
- Although hospice care can do much to assist and provide care at this time, the patient and family can benefit much more from hospice services if referred earlier.
- Many symptoms (i.e. pain) can be anticipated and prevented from becoming severe.
- Symptoms that might otherwise require a hospitalization or an emergency room visit can be successfully managed by the hospice team in the patient's home.
- The patient's and family's quality of life can be greatly enhanced by early intervention.
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