Comparison of Palliative Care and Hospice
| Palliative Care | Hospice |
|---|---|
| Generally acute hospital based | Care provided in home or nursing home generally |
| Patient criteria: Advanced life limiting illness with patient in need of symptom management, addressing goals of care or future planning. Aggressive treatment can be continued. | Patient criteria: Patient with terminal illness with prognosis of less than 6 months; aggressive, curative treatment is completed or stopped |
| Multiple models including interdisciplinary consultation team, unit, clinic. Make up of team varies. | Interdisciplinary team defined by Medicare to include physician, registered nurse, social worker, spiritual care and volunteers amongst others |
| National Consensus Project has established standards | Medicare establishes regulations |
| Palliative care can provide a bridge to hospice care by identifying appropriate patients earlier | Hospice uses the acute hospital setting for short-term admissions if symptoms cannot be controlled at home |