Korean J Hosp Palliat Care.  2010 Jun;13(2):69-75.

Hospice Medical Guideline, Non-Cancer Diseases

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Family Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
  • 2Department of Social Welfare, Chungju National University, Chungju, Korea. oldcare@hanmail.net

Abstract

Hospice is defined by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO, USA) and WHO, as a program of care that provides comprehensive medical, nursing and support services to dying patients and their family. Despite its broad definition, however, hospice care in Korea has been focused mostly on terminal cancer patients. Thus hospice eligibility for patients with advanced cancer is relatively easier to predict than those with other fatal chronic illnesses such as heart, lung, renal or liver diseases, and dementia. This makes it more difficult for patients and families to prepare for death and gain full benefits of hospice care. This article introduces the medical guidelines for selected non-cancer patients who are expected to live for only six months, this making it possible for patients, who are nearing the end of life, to avoid unwarranted suffering.

Keyword

Hospice care; Eligibility determination; Chronic disease; Practice guidelines as topic

MeSH Terms

Chronic Disease
Dementia
Eligibility Determination
Heart
Hospice Care
Hospices
Humans
Korea
Liver Diseases
Lung
Palliative Care
Practice Guidelines as Topic
Stress, Psychological
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