When to Refer Your Patient to Hospice

Every patient is different. Some patients may clearly be ready to stop preventive or curative treatment and begin palliative care. Still others may simply show a loss of interest in activities, loss of appetite or excessive sleeping during the day.

Cypress Hospice wants to begin treatment with every patient as early as possible. We’ve seen the benefits of hospice care with patients and their loved ones and know it can have a positive effect on a patient’s physical, emotional and spiritual state during end of life situations.

While each patient will require a different referral time, here are some general guidelines on when you might want to refer a patient to hospice care:

• Poorly controlled or managed pain
• Unresponsive to current treatment or therapies
• Difficulty breathing either at rest or with increased oxygen levels
• Wounds that won’t heal
• Difficulty recovering after illness
• Frequent hospital stays or visits in the last six months
• Frequent changes in medications
• Excessive swelling of legs and ankles, even with feet propped up
• Confusion

There may be other combinations of symptoms or circumstances that may make you want to refer your patient to hospice. Contact Cypress Hospice if you believe your patient is eligible for hospice care.