Palliative care and hospice care are often confused because they both provide comfort and relief from pain and symptoms. However, there are some key differences between the two services that you should be aware of. Palliative care is provided alongside curative treatment, while hospice care is given to patients who have decided against further treatment and only offers comfort care. Let’s learn more about palliative and hospice services in this blog post!
One similarity between palliative and hospice care is that they both focus on improving the quality of life for patients with serious or chronic illness. They provide medical support for symptom management, particularly for pain and complex medical management.
But there are also important distinctions between palliative and hospice care. Palliative care can start at any point during a patient’s illness, while hospice care typically begins when a patient has six months or less to live. Palliative care is provided by a nurse practitioner or physician with either in-person home visits and remote visits. Palliative care is billed as a physician visit with typical co-pays. In addition to palliative care, hospice provides physical, emotional, and spiritual support for both the patient and their loved ones. Hospice services also involve a multidisciplinary team approach, with doctors, nurses, social workers, and spiritual counselors all working together to provide comprehensive care.
Another key difference is that palliative care can be used alongside curative treatment, while hospice care does not offer curative treatment. Patients receiving palliative care may still opt for medical interventions, such as surgeries or chemotherapy, while those receiving hospice care have decided to forego further treatment and focus on comfort and quality of life.
It’s important to understand the similarities and differences between palliative and hospice care in order to make informed decisions