Wash. HCA Hospice Services Billing Guide, What is the hospice program?

HCA’s hospice program is a 24-hour a day program that allows a terminally ill

client to choose physical, pastoral, spiritual, and psychosocial comfort care and

focus on quality of life. A hospice interdisciplinary team communicates with the

client’s non-hospice care providers to ensure the client’s needs are met through

the hospice plan of care (POC). Hospitalization is used only for acute symptom

management.

A client, physician, or an authorized health care representative may initiate

hospice care. The client’s physician must provide certification that the client is

terminally ill and certify that the client has a life expectancy of six months or less

and is appropriate for hospice care. Hospice care is provided in the client’s

temporary or permanent place of residence.

Hospice care ends when:

• The client or an authorized health care representative revokes the hospice

care.

• The hospice agency discharges the client.

• The client’s physician determines hospice care is no longer appropriate.

• The client dies.

Hospice care includes the provision of emotional and spiritual comfort and

bereavement support to the client’s family member(s).