The goal of Hospice is to provide a comprehensive individualized plan of care that efficiently meets your needs. In order to accomplish this, the Hospice Team coordinates services with a variety of related health care services. The Hospice Team is in regular contact with the:
• Durable Medical Equipment Companies (DME)
• Nursing Homes
• Hospitals
• Pharmacies
• Private Health Care

Providers
• Physicians
We are responsible, under insurance guidelines, for this coordination of care. It is our intention to streamline and simplify this necessary communication process.

Under Medicare, there are four levels of care:
• Routine Home Care – Intermittent visits by the Hospice Team.
• Respite Care – To provide relief for the patient’s caregivers.

(On an occasional basis only, not to exceed more than five (5) consecutive days.)
• Short-Term Inpatient Care – For pain control and symptom management
• Continuous Home Care – Only during a period of crisis which requires primarily nursing care to achieve palliation (comfort control) or management of acute medical symptoms.

Hospice provides support and care for persons in the last phases of incurable disease, that they may live as fully and comfortably as possible. Hospice recognizes dying as a part of the normal process of living and focuses on maintaining the quality of remaining life. Hospice affirms life and neither hastens nor postpones death. Hospice exists in the hope and belief that through appropriate care and promotion of a caring community sensitive to their needs, patients and their families may be free to attain a degree of mental and spiritual preparation for death that is satisfactory to them. (From the National Hospice Organization’s Mission Statement)

Palliative care in the hospice setting promotes comfort and pain management as the primary goals of treatment.

Election into the Hospice Benefit entitles you to the following services that will be provided by Hospice of Frederick County:
• Intermittent nursing care
• Home health aide and homemaker services
• Physician services (related to terminal illness) by the Hospice of Frederick County Medical Director
• Counseling services
• Medical social services
• Medications related to terminal illness for symptom management and pain relief
• Medical equipment (may include bed, wheelchair, oxygen, etc.)
• Medical supplies or appliances that are necessary to provide comfort
• Therapy consults (physical, occupational, nutritional, or speech)
• Short term in-patient care – if pre-approved by hospice team
• Intermittent volunteer visitation and support services
• Chaplain visitation and support
• Bereavement counseling

Since Hospice of Frederick County supports the natural dying process, the following services are generally not considered appropriate unless deemed necessary to maintain or enhance comfort by the hospice team:
• Resuscitation
• Mechanical respirator or ventilator
• Major diagnostic work-ups (including CT Scans, MRI, etc.)
• Renal dialysis
• IV therapy (except to administer medications)
• Radiation therapy (except for pain and symptom management)
• Transfusion of blood and blood components