Hospice is central to the care of dying patients, no matter how they die

Over 90% of patients considering or completing medical aid in dying in the US receive hospice care at the time of their death.

Patients may come into hospice with aid-in-dying prescriptions already obtained or may request it during the course of their care; some may ingest, and some may not. Regardless of their path or where they received their medications, these patients will receive their end-of-life care through hospice.

Whether opting out of aid in dying, fully embracing it, or taking a stance somewhere in between, most hospices, in states where aid in dying is legal, will eventually find themselves providing care to patients considering or completing medical aid in dying, no matter their stance on the practice or where the prescriptions come from. Hospice clinical teams are ultimately responsible for delivering safe, compassionate care until the patient’s final moments, regardless of the chosen method of death.

The Academy proudly supports hospices

Patient referrals:

The Academy supports coordinated aid-in-dying care, from evaluation through end-of-life, and facilitates patient referrals to hospice agencies that provide this level of care whenever possible.

In the evolving landscape of end-of-life care, hospices face a unique opportunity to enhance the quality of their care by addressing the growing demand for comprehensive patient-centered care, including bedside aid-in-dying care. Hospices nationwide are increasingly implementing comprehensive care coordination policies that enable bedside staff to seamlessly collaborate with both internal and external attending/prescribers.

Guidance and training for hospice clinical staff:

We provide a variety of customized assessments and training that yield compliant, mission-driven, high-quality aid-in-dying care that patients and families value.

If your hospice agency is interested in further developing its capacity for aid-in-dying care, our hospice outreach team of experienced clinicians is uniquely positioned to provide comprehensive guidance. We offer evidence-based materials and essential training for staff to deliver high-quality care to patients considering or completing aid-in-dying, regardless of the origin of their aid-in-dying medications.

Hospice Centered Programs from AADM.org

Teaching and supporting best practices for the care of patients considering or completing medical aid in dying.

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