Internist Opines on Why Hospice Matters
There are quite a few 'anonymous' medical blogs out there, doctors and nurses who want their voices heard, but not on the record. I avoid posting from them, because there are plenty of medical professionals willing to attach their names to blogs. But this anonymous post from the WhiteCoat Underground blog, by an internist, captured my attention. Hospice professionals would undoubtedly agree with this description, but there are many people (medical professionals included) who still don't really "get" hospice care. This internist does:
The hospice team cares not just for the patient, but the family as well. Hospice treats not just the pain of the disease, but the pain of loss as well. Hospice care is indeed aggressive care, when it is most needed.
Krista Renenger
Hospice care is aggressive, but not in the same way as standard medical care. The starting assumption is that a disease is incurable and the patient is going to die. Since the disease is ultimately going to win, the only battle left is the symptoms. Pain, breathing difficulties, loneliness, grief are all treated aggressively by a multidisciplinary team that usually includes doctors, nurses, clergy, and others.
The hospice team cares not just for the patient, but the family as well. Hospice treats not just the pain of the disease, but the pain of loss as well. Hospice care is indeed aggressive care, when it is most needed.
Krista Renenger
Labels: end-of-life, hospice and palliative care
Posted by: HFA permalink
1 Comments:
Thank you for the link. I am constantly educating patients, but even more important, my colleagues on the nature of hospice and palliative care. I have a few experts I work with, but I was lucky enough to have significant training during my residency, at least, enough to take care of my own patients in hospice. And help is only a phone call away when I feel a bit at a loss for how to proceed.
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