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Hospice at NorthShore University HealthSystem

Hospice Provides Dignity, Support for Loved Ones at End of Life

12/5/2003 -

Shown here are members of NorthShore University HealthSystem’s Hospice Interdisciplinary Team
What is hospice? Ask 10 people and you’ll get 10 different answers.  Put simply, hospice is a concept of care that is recognized as the model of quality, compassionate healthcare delivery for people facing life-limiting illnesses.

Hospice combines pain and symptom control with support, bereavement care and grief counseling tailored to the needs of each patient and his or her family.  Studies consistently show that 80 percent of Americans would prefer to die in their homes, free of pain, surrounded by family and loved ones.  Hospice care makes this happen.  Yet fewer than 25 percent of Americans have completed advance directives making their wishes for such care known to their family and physicians – and only 25 percent die at home.  The Department of Health and Human Services advocates expanding the reach of hospice care because of our country’s aging population.

The hospice interdisciplinary team consists of each patient’s primary care physician, hospice physicians, nurses, nursing assistants, social workers; spiritual support personnel, volunteers and bereavement coordinators.

“With an aging population, more and more families will need to be aware of hospice care and how it can help them,” said Michelle Engle, Manager of NorthShore University HealthSystem’s Hospice program, which is one of 3,200 such programs nationwide.  “Far too many people wait until they are facing a health crisis in their family to learn about all the options available to them.”

Here’s what to remember:

  • Hospice care is provided in the home, in nursing facilities or on inpatient units
  • Hospice is covered by Medicare, Medicaid and most insurance plans
  • Hospice is not limited to six months.  While Medicare and many insurance companies require a prognosis of six months or less for hospice coverage, there is no limit to the length of a person’s hospice care as long as he or she is eligible
  • Families need to be aware of hospice sooner.  About 34 percent of hospice patients in 2001 died within a week or less – an inadequate time for the patients and families to benefit from all that is available to them
  • NorthShore University HealthSystem’s 24-hour hospice line is 847.475.3002.

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