What Is Palliative Care?
Reviewed: Dr. Gromatzky
4. Quality Over Length of Time
There is a common misunderstanding between hospice and palliative care. Palliative care does not mean that the patient is dying, rather that the patient needs extra care. At some point, when all indications are that a patient has only about 6 months to live, curative treatment may be discontinued, and the patient may opt for hospice care instead of palliative care.
Hospice care includes other nonmedical members such as chaplains and volunteers. The disciplines and medications aim is to make the patients last days more comfortable.
Advertisement
