Hospice FAQs

Hospice care is a unique type of care which emphasizes on the quality of life for patients and their loved ones who are experiencing a life-limiting illness.

Rather than curing the disease, hospice care provides comfort and care for the patient and their loved ones. It provides the emotional and spiritual support regarding end-of-life concerns, and emphasizes on giving seriously ill patients and their loved ones significant time with one another.

Any individual is able to request a hospice evaluation at no cost. There are times where the physician makes the referral or offers multiple options and allows the patient or the family to decide.

A physician must verify with the hospice provider that an individual is eligible for hospice care and has a life expectancy of 6 months or less.

When a referral is made, a team member of the hospice provider will arrange an appointment on the same day or at the earliest convenience of the family to meet with the referred patient and their family. An admissions nurse will take time to evaluate the patient, answer important questions for the patient and their loved ones and create a plan of care that takes into consideration the patient and family’s wishes.

If this discussion goes smoothly and the family is ready, they sign the paperwork for admission and the hospice provider will begin to make visits at their residence of choice.

The hospice team consists of an “interdisciplinary” team which means that members come from diverse disciplines or fields.

This group includes a physician, registered nurse, home health aide, social worker, spiritual chaplain, volunteer and other healthcare professionals.

Hospice care services may begin when a doctor determines the life expectancy of a patient is six months or less.

Patients and their loved ones must consider hospice care services when treatments can no longer cure the life-limiting disease and/or symptom strain outweighs the impacts of treatment.

Patients receive hospice services where the patient considers home. This could be a private residence, nursing home or assisted living community.

The levels of care are the detailed types of hospice care which address distinct needs of patients and their loved ones.

Medicare requires hospice providers to provide these four levels of care.

They include:
Routine Hospice Care – This is the most standard level of hospice care where a patient elects to receive hospice care in their personal residence.

Continuous Hospice Care – This type of care is when appropriate, hospice team members work between 8-24 hours per day for a temporary period of time to assist patients during a difficult time instead of being admitted to a hospital.

This level of care is suitable when a patient is having symptoms that are unable to be controlled by the primary caregiver.

Inpatient Respite Care – Respite care is short-term inpatient care that is provided to the patient only when necessary as the loved ones need relief from caring for the patient at home.

Inpatient Hospice Care – This care is provided when pain control and/or acute symptoms can not be provided at a private residence.

Inpatient Hospice Care is provided in a facility such as a hospital or a nursing facility which provides around-the-clock clinical care.

Hospice can provide the essential equipment for the patient’s care plan.

Hospice patients may need equipment such as oxygen, incontinence supplies or medications that are relevant to their life-limiting disease. For example, a Geri chair can make it more convenient for a caregiver to attend to the patient at home.

As a part of the hospice team’s plan of care for their patients, items such as medications, supplies and durable medical equipment are provided by the hospice at no additional cost. As family members are a critical part of the hospice team, they should convey their needs when discussing the plan of care as to what the patient needs to be most comfortable.

Mega Hospice Care offers services to patients who have a life-limiting illness where the objective of treatment is symptom control and pain management due to a life-limiting illness as diagnosed by the patient’s physician. Hospice patients do not have to live at a private residence but they must be aware of their condition and reside within our service area to receive services from our hospice agency.

Hospice is covered through the Hospice Medicare Benefit and various private insurance companies. No person shall be denied services based on age, race, national origin, disease, handicap, religion, gender, color, or sexual orientation.

The Mega Hospice Care team is very experienced in relieving and managing pain. Our team’s knowledge of pain management allows us to bring an ideal balance of pain relief and alertness.