Hospice Care and Criteria for Admission

Hospice care is based on the belief that the patient and family is the unit of care. Services are provided by the Hospice Interdisciplinary Team in an effort to meet the medical, emotional, practical and spiritual needs of the patient and family. The core services available to patients and families include, but are not limited to nursing, social work, home health aide, volunteer and chaplain visits, nursing consultation 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and bereavement support for families for one year following the death of the patient. Eligibility for hospice care is not based on the patient’s race, color, creed, sex, age, handicap (mental or physical), communicable disease, ability to pay, or place of national origin.

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Patients admitted for Hospice care meet the following criteria:

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1.  The patient has a life limiting illness as determined by the attending physician and the Hospice Medical Director, utilizing standard clinical prognosis criteria.

2. The patient is under the care of a physician who orders and approves the provision of hospice care, and who participates in the patient/caregiver/family Plan of Care.

3. The patient desires hospice services and understands the focus of the care provided is comfort rather than cure.

4. The patient/caregiver/family agrees to participate in the Plan of Care, and sign the consent form for hospice care.

5. The patient resides within the geographical area that Like Family Hospice and Palliative Care Inc. serves.