Palliative and Hospice Care

Question

Answer

While it's true that hospice is one type of palliative care, hospice care and
traditional palliative care bear minimal similarities. The key differences are
important to recognize:

• Hospice care is appropriate during the last 6 months of life.
• Palliative care should start at the time of diagnosis.
• Hospice care usually cannot be provided at the same as curative or aggressive treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation, blood transfusions, which are given for the treatment of the terminal diagnosis. An exception may be that chemo/radiation may be given for palliation, relief of pain. Patients in hospice elect DNR status.
• Palliative care occurs simultaneously with aggressive or curative treatments, often managing symptoms that these therapies cause.

Another clarification to differentiate palliative care vs hospice care:

Hospice: 

• Focus is on pain and symptoms management
• Terminal diagnosis with life expectancy < six months
• Not seeking curative treatment
• For Both hospice and palliative care, the focus is on the quality of life of the patient and addressing any adjustment to illness or end-of-life issues. 

Palliative Care:

• The focus is on pain and symptoms management
• The patient does not have to be terminal
• May still be seeking aggressive treatment