Physicians play an integral role in helping people understand their body and the ailments they may be suffering. There is no doubt that without the expertise of physicians, people would not be able to have their illnesses cured or live longer than expected. The role of a hospice physician, however, is very different from that of a traditional general practicing physician. This is because hospice physicians care for people who are terminally ill.
Hospice is not a service that is readily available in all parts of the world. In fact, The Huffington Post lists the United States in their top 10 list of countries with the best care for the dying, the first being United Kingdom.
There are many misconceptions about hospice, even within the medical field, and it is important for every health care professional and provider to understand the intricacies of providing hospice care to terminally ill patients.
A hospice physician is part of an interdisciplinary team comprised of nurses, social workers, chaplains, volunteers and other specially trained palliative care experts. There are two types of physicians in a hospice team: the medical director and the team physician. Each has a specific role, although sometimes one hospice physician will fill both roles. For instance, the medical director is responsible for the oversight of the medical care patients receive, while the team physician provides the hands-on medical care that the patient needs. Both medical professionals can either be employed or contracted by the hospice.
In addition to the physicians within the hospice team, there are other types of doctors who play an important role in the patient’s care, such as the patient’s attending physician, a consulting physician, long-term care facility or managed care medical directors, and even palliative medical consultants.
A patient’s attending physician has the most significant role in determining the patient’s medical care because they have in-depth knowledge about the patient’s condition, their health care goals and treatment preferences. They often collaborate with the hospice team and are kept informed of the patient’s condition and any necessary adjustments made to their specially tailored plan of care. However, not all attending physicians are comfortable with matters that surround death and dying and may not work closely with the hospice team and that’s okay, they will still remain informed about the patient’s health.
The consulting physician is typically contracted by the hospice to provide a specific medical service to a patient that cannot be provided by the attending physician or the hospice medical director.
Long-term care facility or managed care medical directors are physicians employed by their organizations to oversee the medical care provided to their patients. For patients not yet receiving hospice care who have medical needs similar to hospice patients, a palliative medical consultant – either in private practice or employed by a hospice, hospital, or long-term or managed care facility – may be consulted by the patient’s attending physician to provide palliative medicine consultations.
Hospice is about making life livable for patients whose health is steadily declining. The cooperation of each physician within the hospice team and those collaborating as consultants is important for the team to successfully provide topnotch medical care to help keep patients comfortable and pain-free, at the end of life.
VITAS Healthcare is the nation’s leading provider of end-of-life care. Since 1978, the company has helped to define levels of care provided to terminally ill patients throughout the nation. March 30th marks National Doctor’s Day, and the team at VITAS Healthcare in South Florida would like to recognize its hospice physicians for providing exemplary care throughout the region.
