Throughout a patient’s hospice stay, they may have a need for different types of care. Medicare defines 4 distinct levels of care:
Routine Home Care: Patients are seen wherever they call home, whether it’s an independent or assisted living facility, or a family member’s home. 90% of hospice care is routine home care.
Continuous Home Care: Hospice can place a clinician in the home for up to 24 hours per day in cases where the patient requires frequent intervention. Continuous care will be reevaluated every 24 hours.
General Inpatient Care: If the patient’s symptoms require more intense attention that cannot be managed at home, the patient can be transferred to a 24-hour facility. This is typically short-term.
Respite care: A patient may be temporarily admitted to a 24-hour care facility for up to 5 nights when the family or caregiver cannot be available. Respite care is meant to be part of a caregiver support program for planned or emergency situations.