Anyone can request a hospice evaluation at no cost. Sometimes the physician makes the referral or provides several options and lets the patient/family decide.
The physician must certify to the hospice provider that the patient is eligible and has a prognosis of 6 months or less.
When a referral is made, the hospice provider makes an appointment (the same day or on a date convenient for the family) to meet with the patient and family. The admissions nurse evaluates the patient, answers the family’s questions, and creates a plan of care that reflects the patient/family’s wishes.
If the discussion goes well and the family is ready to decide, they sign admissions paperwork and the hospice team begins to visit.