Hospice is most appropriate when a patient is in the last few months of a terminal illness when palliative care is more beneficial than aggressive therapies.
Criteria have been established by Medicare to assist the hospice team in identifying patients who are appropriate for admission into hospice. The criteria below are not intended to restrict admissions into the hospice program, but to assist the family in making the best choice possible for the patient.
Medicare Criteria for Hospice Care
An individual is a candidate for hospice care if he or she is diagnosed with a terminal illness. Please note, a terminal illness is not limited to a cancer diagnosis only. Other possible diseases used as admission criteria include:
- End stage cerebrovascular disease
- End stage renal disease
- End stage pulmonary disease
- End stage Alzheimer's disease
- End stage cardiac disease
- End stage diabetes
- End stage AIDS
- End stage neurological disease
- End stage liver disease
Additional Criteria for Saint Francis Hospice
Saint Francis Hospice has five additional admissions criteria that help determine the best course of action. These criteria include:
- The patient's prognosis is limited to six months or less.
- The patient has elected to receive supportive (palliative) care only.
- A primary caregiver is available to help with care and decision-making.
- A primary physician is willing to certify hospice care orders.
- The patient resides within an approximate 50-mile radius of Saint Francis.
Learn More About Hospice Care from Saint Francis
Call Saint Francis Hospice at 918-494-6465 for more information.