Primary Care Physician for In-Home Hospice Patients
At Unique Hospice, primary care physicians (PCPs) play an important role in providing comprehensive care for our patients and their families. Our PCPs are specially trained in hospice and palliative care, and they work closely with our team of nurses, social workers, chaplains, and other specialists to provide the best possible care for our patients.
What Does a Hospice Physician Do?
A hospice physician provides medical care for patients with terminal illness and their families. The focus of hospice care is on managing symptoms and providing comfort rather than curing the underlying disease.
What Services Does a Hospice Physician Provide?
Hospice physicians provide a wide range of services to their patients. They perform physical examinations, order and interpret diagnostic tests, prescribe medications, and more.
Hospice physician services may include:
- 24/7 on-call care: Our hospice physicians are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Physical examinations: All hospice patients receive physical examinations from a physician to determine how best to proceed with their care.
- Ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests: Hospice physicians order and interpret diagnostic tests, such as blood work and X-rays.
- Vaccinations: To prevent the spread of disease, hospice physicians may recommend and administer vaccines.
- Prescribing medications: Hospice physicians may prescribe medications according to the pain and symptoms patients are experiencing.
- Preventative care: Hospice providers offer preventative care to avoid complications and manage their discomfort.
- Providing support to patients and their families: In addition to providing medical care, hospice physicians also provide support to patients and their families.
- Making referrals to other hospice services as needed: If a patient or family member needs additional services, such as counseling or physical therapy, hospice physicians can make referrals to other hospice services.
How Often Will a Hospice Patient See a PCP?
The PCP will generally see the patient once every two weeks but may increase or decrease the frequency of visits depending on the patient’s needs. During each visit, the PCP will assess the patient’s condition and make any necessary changes to their care plan.
Why is Primary Care Important in Hospice Care?
Seniors and individuals with terminal illnesses often have difficulty getting to doctors’ offices for appointments. This can be due to transportation issues, physical limitations, or simply not having someone to help them get to their appointments.
Hospice care offers primary care services to patients so that they can receive the treatment they need without having to leave their homes, which can ease stress in both the patient and any caregivers. In-home primary care is important because it allows patients to receive the services they need in a comfortable and familiar environment.
In-Home Primary Care at Unique Hospice
At Unique Hospice, we believe that everyone deserves high-quality hospice care. That’s why we offer primary care physician services for our in-home patients who are looking for primary care inside of hospice and palliative care. Our PCPs make house calls to our patients, so they can receive the care they need in the comfort of their own homes.
If you or a loved one is interested in receiving primary care physician services from Unique Hospice, please contact us today. We would be happy to answer any questions you may have about our services.