You Have a Right and A Responsibility To:

Be an active participant in the development of the plan of care in the provision of hospice orders.

Be provided with timely information regarding your patient. Notification and contact should occur between the physician and hospice organization when there are changes, including, but not limited to:

1. Changes in the patient’s condition, psychosocial status, home environment, or response to care
2. Lack of achievement of goals within the defined time frame
3. Changes regarding diagnosis, treatments, medications, precautions and limitations

Be available to respond to questions regarding your patient. When the primary physicians are not available, another physician familiar with the patient should be designated. The hospice team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to respond to questions regarding patients. If the case manager is not available, another hospice clinician familiar with the patient will be designated.

Provide and receive information regarding your patients, including, but not limited to:

1. Information to assist in continuity of care, including ongoing updates, written summaries (minimally every sixty-days) and phone consultations
2. Information that is legible, complete and accurate, including treatment orders for your patient
3. Confidentiality of information and communication by hospice personnel

Sign and return hospice orders within the time frame specified in hospice policy and in accordance with applicable law and regulation.

Agree to admit patients who are Medicare/Medicaid/Private Hospice Program beneficiaries to designated hospice contracted facilities for alternate medical coverage and consultative referrals, which relate to the patient’s terminal illness. For non-benefit patients, designate the hospital to which the patient should be sent.

Coordinate the patient’s plan of care with hospice personnel regarding referrals to specialty physicians for the exacerbation of the patient’s terminal illness and make appropriate referrals to their organizations for supportive services.

Participate in the consideration and resolution of ethical issues related to hospice patients.

Be notified of the hospice patient’s death and sign the death certificate in accordance with applicable law and regulation.