Palliative Care vs. Hospice: Understanding Key Differences

Palliative and hospice care are services that help seriously ill patients deal with their pain, symptoms and quality of life issues. Hospice care is a form of palliative care that is given to terminally ill patients in the final weeks or months of their lives.

As the population ages and the prevalence of chronic conditions and catastrophic diseases increases, the need for these types of treatment grows. By making comprehensive palliative medicine more widely available, we can better meet the material, psychological, and spiritual care needs of seriously ill patients and their families. To make the best decisions for yourself and family members, it is crucial to have a firm understanding of palliative care vs. hospice programs.

Definition of palliative care

Palliative care is a specialized field of medicine focused on bringing comfort to patients. It can be sought at any stage of a patient’s illness, including diagnosis, treatment, and the end of life. The goal of palliative care is to alleviate suffering and promote health so patients and their loved ones can face the difficulties of disease with dignity and respect. Palliative care also can help patients make choices regarding their medical treatment. Physicians often recommend it as a supplement to treatments to cure or counteract an illness.

At Florida Medical Center Orlando Health, our team of palliative care providers works with a patient’s care network to improve overall health and wellness. Care is based on the needs of the patient, not on the prognosis. We provide care for patients at any stage of a serious illness. The benefits of this patient-centered approach include:

• Education for the patient and their family to better understand treatment plans
• Improved quality of life
• Emotional support for the patient and the family
• Better control of pain and symptoms related to illness
• Possible reduction of unnecessary and costly hospital visits

Specialist physicians, nurses, and other medical staff, including your primary care physician, may work together to provide palliative care. Other specialists, such as dietitians, social workers, counselors, chaplains, and therapists, may be brought in to help with any unique requirements or specific wishes that you may have. By bringing together experts from different fields, palliative care gives patients with life-limiting illnesses the individualized attention they need.

Many health insurance policies, including Medicare and Medicaid, provide coverage for palliative care. Veterans may be able to access palliative medicine services through the VA. Your doctor and insurer can help you determine which palliative care services you qualify for.

Definition of hospice care

Hospice care refers to a form of compassionate specialized care for people with terminal illnesses whose doctors have given them less than 180 days to live, given the expected progression of their condition. Hospice care is a form of palliative care that focuses on comfort and support for patients and their families.

In hospice care, people receive patient-centered care from medical professionals working in hospitals, hospice centers, and other healthcare settings as they near the end of life. When a patient is receiving care at home, a family member usually takes charge, with the help of a team of specialists that are on call 24/7 to handle medical emergencies. Hospice care often relies on family involvement to better support the patient emotionally and respect their choices. When home pain management becomes too challenging or when caregivers require respite care time, hospice care can arrange for short-term hospital treatment.

Most people qualify for Medicare hospice immediately upon receiving the prognosis. Multiple extensions of the benefit are possible with a physician’s certification. People with private insurance or Medicaid may also be covered for hospice care.

Key differences between palliative care and hospice care

• Timing of care. Palliative care is available to patients at any point in the course of a serious illness, enabling them to keep getting treatment while also providing symptom relief. Hospice care is reserved for individuals who are terminally ill and have only a few months left to live, usually six months or less.
• Goals of care. Palliative and hospice care seek to meet the needs of seriously ill patients by adapting their methods of treatment to their specific phases of illness. Palliative care aims to enhance the quality of life and provide support alongside curative therapy for illnesses, including ones that are not immediately life-threatening. Once treatments for a possible cure have been exhausted, hospice care may begin, focusing on improving the patient’s comfort and quality of life.
• Support services offered. Hospice care focuses on providing individualized spiritual and emotional support (e.g., counseling and bereavement support), in addition to pain relief and caregiver support. Palliative care encompasses a wider variety of medical treatment and psychological services (e.g., pain management, care coordination, and assistance with advance directives).

Importance of early intervention

Patients can greatly benefit from receiving palliative care early on. Patients typically report a marked improvement in their quality of life after receiving prompt treatment for these concerns. Early palliative care may even help some people live longer, according to studies.

For people with terminal illness, hospice care can help with symptoms like pain, anxiety, and shortness of breath. There is no benefit to waiting.

Patients and their loved ones should view palliative care as a strength-building form of care that is an essential part of any holistic treatment strategy. Not only is it useful for situations where time is of the essence, but it also offers vital assistance all the way through the course of therapy. The patient and their loved ones can collaborate with the palliative medicine team to establish meaningful treatment objectives.

Understanding palliative care vs. hospice

Some people might avoid discussing palliative care because they think it means they have a terminal illness. That is not the case. Palliative care helps alleviate symptoms while facilitating ongoing curative treatment. Palliative care can be given at any stage and in a variety of settings. For hospice care, home or specialized facilities are the usual venues. Apart from the normal devoted group of healthcare professionals like nurses and social workers, palliative care teams can also comprise a wide range of specialties.

If you want to make educated healthcare decisions about your treatment, you must know the distinctions between palliative care vs. hospice. With this information in hand, you and your loved ones can select the method of care that is best suited to your physical, emotional, and spiritual needs at each point in your illness’s progression.

The Palliative Care team at Florida Medical Clinic Orlando Health is available for individualized assistance with palliative care and hospice care options for yourself or a loved one. We will listen to your concerns, go over all of your options, and guide you toward the treatment that will best meet your needs.

<h3>About Dr. Syed

Doctor Misha Syed is an empathetic and hardworking specialist in palliative medicine. Her top priority is to improve the standard of care for patients with advanced illnesses, particularly for people in underserved communities.

Dr. Syed uses an interdisciplinary team approach, working with other healthcare professionals to provide comprehensive care. She also has a particular emphasis on advance care planning, shared decision-making, and providing compassionate end-of-life care to patients and their families.

Outside of her practice, Dr. Syed cherishes traveling and spending quality time with her husband and son.

Request an appointment with Dr. Syed on our website or call (813) 367-0555 today.