An Introduction ToDoctor’s Hospice

What Is Hospice?Hospice is a healthcare

approach that supports the physical, emotional, and

spiritual needs of those who have life-limiting illnesses.

The Goal of HospiceThe goal of hospice is to allow

the dying process to unfold with a minimum of discomfort, and maintain dignity and quality of

life until the end.

The Team ApproachAt Doctor’s Hospice, we have a team of professionals working together to ensure the comfort

of each individual patient.

The Team Includes…•the patient•a personal physician•family•a nurse•a home health aide

•a social worker•a chaplain•volunteers•our medical director

Where is Hospice?Hospice is not a place. It is a concept of care. Hospice care can be received in a variety of places including:• Personal Residences• Nursing Homes• Assisted Living Facilities• Inpatient Hospice Units• Group Homes

What Hospice Provides• Symptom Management• Counseling• Medication related to the hospice diagnosis• Medical equipment • Any other services deemed necessary as

related to the hospice diagnosis.

Common Hospice Myths• Hospice kills people (practices euthanasia).• Hospice is only for elderly or cancer patients.• Hospice is only for the last few days of life.• Hospice makes patients stop all medications.• Hospice is only for people who are ready to

die and fully accept their impending death.• Hospice care is very expensive.

• Anyone can request an information visit from hospice (physician’s orders are not required).

• If a patient has a life-limiting illness and their physician feels like their disease process could end their life within six months hospice should be contacted.

• If a patient has weight loss, decrease in functional ability, decrease in cognition, decrease in mobility.

When Should I Call?

Terminal Diagnoses• Metastatic Malignancies• Heart Disease• Kidney Disease• Liver Disease• Lung Disease• Stroke and/or Coma• AIDS

• Neurological Disease• Lou Gehrig’s Disease• Multi organ failure• Failure to Thrive• Senescence

Remember…• Someone with a life-limiting illness who

refuses or discontinues curative treatment will decline rapidly and should be evaluated for hospice IMMEDIATELY.

• All it takes is a phone call to Doctor’s Hospice and one of our nurses will be happy to assist in the evaluation of the patient for hospice appropriateness. We are available 24/7/365.

Did You Know?• Doctor’s Hospice is Joint Commission accredited.• All Joint Commission accredited hospice agencies

are required to perform satisfaction surveys to assess the family’s feelings about their hospice experience after the death of their loved one.

• Do you know what the most common complaint on the survey is?

If I Could Change Anything…

If families could change one thing about their hospice care, it would be that they had been referred to hospice sooner.

What MakesDoctor’s Hospice

So Special?

Why Doctor’s Hospice?

COMMUNITYWe’re locally owned and operated.

ACCREDITEDJoint Commission Accreditation.

EXPERIENCE and EXPERTISE

Why Doctor’s Hospice?

INTIMACYMore attention, personal care.

DIVERSITYBroad spectrum of specialists.FLEXIBILITY and COMPASSION

We are hereto help you

and we care…

Service AreaServing Northeastern

and Southeastern

Louisiana from our

offices in West Monroe,

Walker, and Mandeville.

Northeast Louisiana318-325-6695Toll-Free 877-325-6695

Capital Region225-667-1340Toll-Free 877-667-1340

Northshore985-809-0844Toll-Free 877-801-0844

Helping others find peacein troubled times

www.doctors-hospice.com