Getting Started with Hospice

physician-patient hospice consultation

It is expected that, up until this point, you don’t know all that there is to know about hospice services. You likely had no reason to think much about what hospice is or can provide.

In most instances, a patient who is considering hospice will do so because their doctor has recommended that hospice be considered as a next step in the care plan for that person. What then would happen is that your physician will contact us and we will visit with this patient and their caregiver/spouse/healthcare proxy to explain what services we can offer you.

Once the patient has consented to services with Hospice of the South Coast, a team made up of a doctor, nurse, certified nurse aide, social worker and chaplain will be in service to that patient and their family. You will quickly learn that our program is designed to not only care for the patient but also to help the family understand everything that is going on and how they can best be of help to their loved one. Now, don’t worry. We do not all come at once.

Hospice of the South Coast provides care to anyone facing a serious life-limiting illness, but that does not mean a person must be close to death to be admitted into our service. A hospice-appropriate patient is defined as someone with a life expectancy of six months or less; however, it is not unusual for some of our patients to live longer than six months.

Most patients come to us through a referral from a doctor or nursing home. But if you think your loved one can benefit from our service, feel free to call and talk to one of our experts, and we will walk with you through the process. Simply contact us and we will get the process started. Calling is not a commitment, but rather a conversation about your options.

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