Understanding the Difference Between Hospice and Palliative Care

If you or someone you love are aging or ill, you may have begun to think about what your options are when the time comes for additional support near the end of life.

Many don’t fully understand the difference between hospice and palliative care, and we’re here to shed some light on both.

Hospice is comfort care without curative intent; the patient no longer has curative options or has chosen not to pursue treatment because the side effects outweigh the benefits. Hospice care takes place at four levels:

• Routine home care
• Continuous home care
• Inpatient care
• Respite care

Palliative care is comfort care with or without curative intent. Palliative care can take place within a hospital, at a residential nursing home, care home or hospice facility, or as daytime only care at hospice or within the patient’s home.

Palliative Care

Who can be treated?

‍Any individual with a serious illness, regardless of life expectancy or prognosis.

Where does care take place?

Palliative care can be provided in any setting, including:

• Home
• Hospice Facility
• Skilled Nursing Facility
• Long-term Care Facility
• Long-term Acute Care Facility
• Assisted Living Facility
• Hospital
• Group Home
• Clinics

‍What services are provided?‍

Pain and symptom management, in-person and telephonic visits, help navigating treatment options, advance care planning, and referrals to community resources.

Can I receive curative treatment?

Yes, individuals on palliative care are often still pursuing curative treatments.

How long is care?

Palliative care is not time limited. How long an individual can receive care will depend upon their care needs, and the coverage they have through Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurance.

Most individuals receive palliative care on an intermittent basis that increases over time as their disease progresses.

‍Who provides the services?

Palliative care may be provided by an interdisciplinary team. However, most palliative services are provided by a physician, nurse practitioner, or nurse with consultative support from social workers and chaplaincy services.

These services are performed in collaboration with the primary care physician and specialists through consultative services or co-management of the patient’s disease process.

What types of health care organizations provide these services?

Palliative care is not dependent on care setting or type of medical practice. Services are performed in collaboration with the patient’s primary care physician, other specialists, and health care settings they may be receiving services from.

• Palliative Care Practices
• Licensed Home Health Agencies
• Licensed Hospice Agencies
• Nursing Facilities
• Healthcare Clinics
• Hospitals

Hospice Care

Who can be treated?

Any individual with a serious illness measured in months, not years. Hospice enrollment requires the individual has a terminal prognosis.

Where does care take place?

Hospice care can be provided in most care settings, including:

• Home
• Hospice Facility
• Skilled Nursing Facility
• Long-term Care Facility
• Assisted Living Facility
• Hospital (Inpatient Levels of Care Only)
• Group Home

What services are provided?‍

Pain and symptom management, 24-hour on-call service, in-person visits, medical equipment, related medications, inpatient care, continuous care in the home, respite care, volunteer services, spiritual care, bereavement, and counseling services. There are four levels of care that can be provided to patients per CMS regulations (routine, inpatient, continuous, and respite care).

Can I receive curative treatment?

The goal of hospice is to provide comfort through pain and symptom management, but not curative treatments.

How long is care?‍

As long as the individual patient meets Medicare, Medicaid, or their private insurer’s criteria for hospice care. Again, this is measured in months, not years.

Who provides the services?‍

Hospice care is provided by an interdisciplinary team that is led by a physician and includes nurses, social workers, chaplains, volunteers, hospice aids, therapy disciplines, and others.

These services are performed in collaboration with the attending physician.

What types of health care organizations provide these services?

Hospice Organizations:

• State licensed and/or Medicare-certified Hospice providers
• Non-Medicare certified hospice providers
• Veteran Affairs Hospice

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Source: Copyright © National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. All rights reserved. For more information on hospice or palliative care, check out the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization: https://www.caringinfo.org/