For Health Care Professionals
Hospice Medical Memo
A newsletter for healthcare providers
When to refer to Hospice:
- Your patient has sought treatment in an emergency room or has been hospitalized for a disease-related episode twice in the past year
- You are receiving an increased number of calls and requests from family caregivers
- Family members appear to be overburdened with or fatigued by care giving
- After hospitalization, your patient cannot return home and is admitted to a nursing facility
- Your patient has had a weight loss of 10% or more in the last six months
- Your patient’s appetite has been steadily declining, unrelated to any other condition
Arnold and Egan
The American Journal of Geriatric Cardiology
To make a referral to Hospice of the Carolina Foothills, call 828.894.7000 or 800.617.7132, or fax to 828.894.2675. Referrals will be handled promptly, and are accepted 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
When to refer to Palliative Care:
We can help the most with patients who have some of these characteristics:
- Major medical co-morbitities (major illnesses)
Examples include function-limiting heart disease, COPD, dementia, Parkinsonism, cancer, cerebrovascular disease and many others - Unrelieved physical symptoms either due to the patient’s disease or its treatment
Such as pain, dyspnea, nausea, weakness, anxiety, depression, constipation, etc. - Unrelieved spiritual, emotional or social pain
- Recent hospitalization(s) for major medical illness or frequent ED visits for decompensated medical status
- Dependent in some or all activities of daily living
- Life expectancy of 2 years or less
i.e. "Would you be surprised if this patient died within the next 2 years?" - Need for patient and family education about the patients medical condition/prognosis, assistance with advance care planning, or psychological support
Palliative Care of the Carolina Foothills will be happy to consult with patients who are referred by their attending medical provider (physician or nurse practitioner). To make a referral to Palliative Care, call 828.894.7016 or 800.617.7132, fax to 828.894.2675, or email pcare@hocf.org.
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