Introduction:
Hospice is a framework that provides palliative (supportive) care for people who are in the advanced stages of an illness or at the end of life
Those who want to stay at home, may also receive treatment through home hospice care
Hospice care is a treatment framework designed for people who are in the advanced stages of an illness or at the End of Life.
- Hospice patients are provided with palliative (supportive) care to enable them to live with dignity.
- Hospice teams emphasize improving quality of life and providing relief from symptoms such as pain, shortness of breath, nutritional difficulties, etc.
- Moreover, the inter-disciplinary staff also works to relieve the mental distress suffered by patients and their families.
- Hospice patients wishing to remain in their homes are able to receive treatment through Supportive Home Care (Palliative Care)
Hospice facilities in Israel:
- Tel Hashomer: Oncological Hospice, Sheba Medical Center (for cancer patients only)
- Jerusalem: Hadassah Hospital Mount Scopus
- Map of supportive care services (palliative care, hospice) in Israel - From the Tmicha - The Israeli Association of Palliative Care website
Target Audience and Prerequisites
It is recommended to move to a hospice when:
- All possible treatments to cure the disease have been exhausted.
- A medical and family decision has been made to solely pursue a conservative treatment plan focused on relieving symptoms.
- A patient's medical condition makes it difficult to continuing functioning and living at home.
How to Claim It?
- Hospice facilities may be contacted directly, through community medical professionals, or by the hospital (if the patient is hospitalized).
- Admission to a hospice facility is conditional on an evaluation performed by a multidisciplinary team at the facility, which is based on various considerations and availability.
- Transfer to a hospice facility is performed at no cost, subject to submission of the required Form 17 (a letter of financial obligation from the health plan).
Aid Organizations
Government Agencies
Laws and Regulations
- Health Ministry Director- General Circular No.30/09 from 12.07.2009 Activating Palliative (hospice) care in the community, general hospital and nursing homes.
- National Health Insurance Law
- The Terminally Ill Patient Law
Additional Publications
- Palliative Care on the Ministry of Health website.
Credits
- Original translation performed by The Shira Pransky Project.