Hospice Care Definitions

Routine home care

Routine home care is rendered at the patient's home with the intention of preventing the patient's return to an acute hospital. Routine home care is the most frequently utilized hospice service and usually includes visits by:

• Registered nurse
• Social worker
• Chaplain
• Home health aide
• Volunteers
• Counselors (dietitian or others if needed)
• Therapists
• Physician

Note: To be considered routine home care, the patient cannot be receiving continuous home care (see description below).

Residential care

Residential care entails constant custodial care from a certified or recognized hospice agency rather than a primary caregiver. Residential care activities include movement, toileting, hygiene, self-management of behavior and eating. An HMSA member may qualify for residential care if he or she does not have a caretaker or has an inadequate caregiver. A medical certificate stating that the member has fewer than six months to live also is required.

Continuous home care

Continuous home care provides nursing care to manage acute medical symptoms (e.g., a crisis period) while the patient remains at home. A home health aide and/or homemaker may be provided, but the majority of care must be nursing care.

Referral visit

A referral visit is usually a one-hour visit during which a nurse, social worker or hospice staff member advises the patient and family members about various hospice services. The referral visit helps the family make an informed decision regarding the most suitable options for the patient.

Inpatient respite care

Inpatient respite care is given when the hospice patient is admitted to an approved inpatient facility to give the patient's family members and other caregivers a short period of relief (maximum of five days per episode).

General inpatient care

General inpatient care is given when a hospice patient is admitted to the hospital for short-term pain control or management of acute clinical problems that cannot be managed in other settings. General inpatient care is used in lieu of a hospital admission and is considered an interim measure until the patient is able to return to home care.

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