Determining that a patient has a six month prognosis at the earliest time eligible helps the patient receive the proven benefits of hospice care at the soonest time Resource (1) below:
On average, hospice patients live about two-and-a-half months after being given a six-month prognosis. This means most patients who come into hospice care were actually eligible for services months before the referral was made. Patients miss out on the benefits of our comprehensive services and support when the referral is made too late.
All that follows are excerpts from Resource (1):
CMS Disease Specific Guidelines (LCDs)
A patient is eligible for hospice services if he
meets these three criteria:
1) has a Palliative Performance Scale [Resource (2) below] of less than 70%
2) is dependent on at least two Activities of Daily Living [Resource (3) below], and
3) meets the Disease Specific Guidelines [Links below are directly to my post on the individual Disease Specific Guidelines]Non-Cancer Diagnoses
Resources:
1. Determining Hospice Eligibility In Terminally Ill Patients Hospice by The Bay – An Affiliate Of USCF Health, Updated 3-2014
2. The Palliative Performance Scale For Determination Of Hospice Eligibility
Posted on March 29, 2018 by Tom Wade MD
3. Instruments For The Assessment Of The Activities Of Daily Living [ADLs]
Posted on March 30, 2018 by Tom Wade MD
