FAQ
What is Hospice?
Hospice of the Northwest’s purpose is to meet the emotional, spiritual, and physical needs for anyone dealing with a terminal illness and life expectancy of six months or less as determined by their physician. Each patient and their family works with an interdisciplinary care team specially trained in relieving suffering and improving quality of life. Hospice is a routine part of medicine, representing an important resource in the completion of good medical care. Hospice focuses on aggressive pain and symptom management versus cure or control of disease.
Who is eligible?
Any person facing the advancing stages of a terminal illness with a life expectancy of six months or less as certified by the patients attending physician and the hospice medical director.
In addition to a life limiting condition, core indicators of eligibility can include:
- Weight loss greater than 10% of weight over the past 6 months
- Frequent hospitalizations or ER visits
- Dependence in most Activities of Daily Living (dressing, bathing, feeding, continence of bladder and bowel, transfers, and ambulation to bathroom)
- Serum Albumin levels of less than 2.5gm/dl
Where is care provided?
Hospice care is provided in the privacy and comfort the patient’s home, or other places of residence such as skilled nursing, assisted living, and adult family facilities.
Who pays for Hospice?
Hospice care is covered by most insurers, including Medicare, Medicaid, and many private insurance policies. Hospice of the Northwest admits qualifying patients regardless of their ability to pay.
Who can initiate hospice services?
Anyone can make a referral for hospice care. Once a referral is made, Hospice of the Northwest Services will schedule a visit to assess the best care options available.
How can I get more information?
Request an information meeting:
To download a pdf of the Hospice of the Northwest's admission guide, click here
|
|
Hospice is a philosophy of care that values life from the moment it begins to the moment it ends.
Dame Cicely Saunders, founder of the first hospice
|
