At any time during a life limiting illness, it is appropriate to discuss all of a patient's care options, including hospice. By law the decision belongs to the patient. Understandably, most people are uncomfortable with the idea of stopping an all-out effort to beat the disease. Hospice staff members are highly sensitive to these concerns and always available to discuss them with the patient and family. The patient and family should feel free to discuss hospice care at any time with their physician, other health care professionals, clergy or friends.
Most physicians know about hospice.
Absolutely, if the patient's condition improves or stabilizes or the disease seems to be in remission, patients can be discharged from hospice and might even return to aggressive therapy. If a discharged patient should later need hospice care, Medicare and most private insurance companies will allow coverage to resume. One of the first things hospice will do is contact the patient's physician to make sure he or she agrees that hospice care is appropriate for this patient at this time. The patient or representative will be asked to sign consent and insurance forms. These are similar to the forms patients sign when they enter a hospital.