Frequently Asked Questions about Hospice Care

Questions

Answers

  • Q. What Is Hospice?
    A. Hospice is a home-based program offering a total support system to patients and their families who are dealing with a terminal illness. Hospice support enables families to share their remaining time together with dignity while the patient is as free from pain as possible. Allegiance Hospice is a not-for-profit, community-based organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life, while respecting the rights of patients and families to make decisions that affect a patient’s life and death. Hospice is there to help in difficult times, emphasizing human dignity and preserving the quality and sanctity of life, while providing care with compassion, integrity and respect. top... 
  • Q. Does Hospice just take patients with cancer?
    A. Though a majority of our patients have cancer, each potential admission is individually assessed for appropriateness. We routinely have patients with end-stage congestive heart failure (CHF), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary [lung] Disease (COPD), Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS), Alzheimer's and other diseases. top...
  • Q. What does Hospice Medicare cover?
    A. The Hospice Medicare Benefit covers nursing care, social services, durable medical equipment, medications used for pain and symptom control, and consulting physicians' fees relative to the terminal illness and planned by the Hospice Interdisciplinary Team (IDT). It also covers hospitalization if under the Hospice plan of care. The key factor is how related the cost is to the terminal illness. top...
  • Q. What is the difference between regular Medicare and Medicare Hospice Benefit?
    A. With Hospice Medicare, Hospice assumes full responsibility for treatment related to the terminal illness and on the IDT plan of care. The patient is not billed for these goods and services, and there is no deductible or co-payment. top...
  • Q. Does Hospice admit patients with AIDS?
    A. We do have AIDS patients whose admission to our program is based on AIDS-specific criteria:
    • Physician certification of terminal illness with a prognosis of six months or less if the terminal illness runs its normal course
    • Patient desires palliative rather than curative care top...
  • Q. Is a Living Will or Do Not Resuscitate Order needed to be admitted to Hospice?
    A. Neither is necessary for admission. We do, however, encourage our families to have advance directives. They are also asked not to call 911, but to allow the care of the patient to be guided by the Hospice Interdisciplinary Team. Heroic efforts to save lives through artificial means are generally not a part of the Hospice care program. We do cover the costs of hospital admissions for any Hospice patient when they are hospitalized related to the terminal diagnosis and within our plan of care. top...
  • Q. Is Hospice a religious organization?
    A. Hospice is an independent home-based program offering a total support system to patients and their families who are dealing with a terminal illness. We are not a religious organization, but the nature of our philosophy encompasses spiritual issues. Addressing spirituality is a personal decision, reached by the patient or family and Hospice always respects the rights of our patients and families on this and all other issues. top...
  • Q. Do Hospice staff members pray with their patients?
    A. At all times, Hospice staff members respect the patient's beliefs and desires, and at no time do staff members impose their own beliefs on the patient or family. A patient or family member may ask a Hospice staff member to pray with or for them. top...
  • Q. Must all referrals come from a physician?
    A. Even though our admission criteria state that patients must have an attending physician to come into the program, the original referral need not come from a physician. Very often, our first contact is with the patient, a family member or friend. top...
  • Q. What is the difference between "curative" and "palliative" measures?
    A. Curative measures are those intended to cure; palliative measures are those that offer pain and/or symptom control, without curing the patient of his or her disease. When a patient enters the Hospice program, he or she acknowledges curative measures are no longer appropriate and palliative care is indicated for comfort measures. top...
  • Q. Does Hospice have patients in nursing homes?
    A. Through our nursing home program, we are able to provide Hospice services to persons with life-limiting illnesses who are in nursing homes. The patients may be either homebound patients who transfer to nursing homes or nursing home residents who are admitted to our program. Allegiance Hospice currently has contracts with many nursing homes in our service area. top...
  • Q. Are all Hospice patients pain free at the time of death?
    A. Pain control is a prime consideration within the Hospice program and our staff stays current on the latest pain control medications and technologies. Our goal is to enable the patient to be at home with loved ones and as comfortable and free from pain as possible. Early referrals allow more time to adjust pain medications and maximize pain control. top...
  • Q. What is bereavement support?
    A. Hospice has a strong bereavement program with a full-time bereavement counselor who facilitates follow-up with all Hospice families. Our practice is to maintain contact with Hospice families for a period of 13 months following the death of a patient. Regular phone contact, support groups and monthly newsletters are available for any who choose to participate. More intensive one-on-one counseling is available when Hospice personnel determine the need. top...
  • Q. Can Hospice admit patients who do not have a physician?
    A. Although this situation rarely presents itself, there are times when we have a referral of a patient who does not have a physician. Hospice has two choices at this point: we encourage the patient to seek a physician through physician referral services, or we can seek the assistance of our Hospice medical director to act as a physician on the patient's behalf. top...
  • Q. Does Michigan have a Hospice Medicaid benefit?
    A. Yes, the state of Michigan supports Medicaid benefits that mirror the Federal Hospice Medicare benefits. top...
  • Q. Must the life expectancy be six months?
    A. Predicting life expectancy is not an exact science. The six-month life expectancy criteria are an established federal guideline for Hospice programs related to reimbursement standards. More importantly, it is a realistic measure of the ideal length of time the Hospice team needs with a patient and family to provide optimum assistance. We do have patients who live well beyond the six-month prognosis, and when patients live longer, we continue to serve them. We do, however, assess patients on a regular basis and discharge patients who no longer meet the admission criteria. top...
  • Q. Does Hospice take away the patient's hope?
    A. To the contrary, Hospice affirms life and regards dying as a natural process. We do not encourage false hopes of cures, but rather validate the hope of living each day to its fullest with emphasis on human dignity and preserving the quality and sanctity of life. top...
  • Q. What if the patient doesn't admit he or she is dying?
    A. Many patients are not ready to talk about their illness or impending death, and that's all right. The patient or family has acknowledged the reality of the life-limiting illness by seeking Hospice services. Hospice allows each person to establish his or her own level of outward acceptance with the assurance of a strong support system with or without verbal discussion of death. Rather, they may choose to address their immediate needs as they present themselves. top...
  • Q. Are all patients over 65 years of age?
    A. Although the majority of our patients are over 65, we do have many patients well under that age. top...
  • Q. Does Hospice have an in-patient facility?
    A. Yes, Allegiance Hospice now has a Hospice Home, which opened in the spring of 2007. This beautiful facility provides a local option for end-of-life care. top...
  • Q. How can I become a Hospice volunteer?
    A. Hospice is dependent on our volunteer program, which currently includes approximately 150 volunteers. All volunteers participate in a training program that orients them to the Hospice philosophy and program and helps them to find their niche. Patient care is only one of the many roles available to Hospice volunteers, who may choose from a long list of needed services. Anyone interested in learning more about volunteering for Hospice is encouraged to call the volunteer coordinator at (517) 841-6982 or (888) 821-3256. top...