Question

What happens if a hospice patient lives longer than 6 months?

Answer 1

If a hospice patient lives longer than 6 months, a physician in conjunction with input from the interdisciplinary team will also need to document and attest that the patient is still terminal and still has a life expectancy that is short enough to require hospice.

Some patients in hospice can still live in hospice longer than 6 months as long as they still meet the criteria for hospice care.

If the hospice patient recovers or gets better, then they can be discharged from hospice and can reenter hospice later if needed.

The two conditions that must be present for a patient to enroll in hospice are having a life expectancy of 6 months or less and having a terminal diagnosis.

For a patient to enroll in hospice, the patient must have a certified prognosis of a life expectancy of 6 months or less if the illness runs it's normal course and have a terminal diagnosis, with a documented decline in their health, in which the patient opts for palliative comfort care, instead of curative treatment.

For a patient to be eligible for hospice care, whether in a hospice center or at home, a doctor and a hospice medical director has to certify that the patient has an expected life expectancy of 6 months or less.

Although the hospice care can still be extended if the patient in hospice continues to meet the criteria.

There must also be documented and rapid decline in the patients status, like increased weakness, unintentional weight loss or frequent infections.

And the patient chooses to focus on quality of life and pain management, and forgoes further curative treatments.

A PPS or Palliative Performance Scale rating of <50% to 60% or needing assistance with daily living indicates that it's time for the patient to consider hospice.

Hospice can be provided in a hospice center or even in home through at home hospice, where a hospice nurse will visit the patients home.

Hospice care provides comprehensive comfort care (palliative care) for patients with a terminal illness (typically a life expectancy of six months or less) who choose to forgo curative treatments.

Hospice care focuses on pain management, quality of life, and emotional/spiritual support for patients and families, usually in the home, nursing home, or specialized facility.

Services of hospice care include routine home care, continuous home care (during crisis), inpatient care for symptom management and respite care to provide temporary relief to family caregivers.