Because individual hospices can differ, we urge you to contact your local hospice provider to find out about the program in your area. At any time during a life-limiting illness, it's appropriate to discuss all of a patient's care options, including hospice. By law the decision belongs to the patient. Hospice staff members are highly sensitive to these concerns and are always available to discuss them with the patient, family and physician. 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.
In addition, physicians and all others can also obtain information on hospice from the American Cancer Society, the American Association of Retired Persons, and the Social Security Administration. If improvement in the condition occurs and the disease seems to be in remission, the patient can be discharged from hospice and return to aggressive therapy or go on about his or her daily life. 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 will also be asked to sign consent and insurance forms. These are similar to the forms patients sign when they enter a hospital.