- Recognize that patients may not understand what services are available to them, how those services might help them, and how they are remunerated.
- Be prepared to provide education about the services available to patients and families.
- Recognize that there are disparities in what hospice resources are available in different communities. Utilize other team members, such as social workers, to help identify what resources patients can access before talking to them about it.
- When providing information/education about hospice and other services, work with patients to determine what services would best meet their needs.
| - If hospice services would best meet the patient's needs, it can be helpful to describe what the services are and why they will be helpful before giving them a label or introducing the word "hospice."
For example: - "We've talked about conserving your energy for the things that are important to you and keeping you out of clinic and the hospital. Something that can help is having a nurse come out to your home to adjust your medicines and make sure you have all the services and equipment that you need. One good way to provide this kind of home support is to get hospice involved in your care because they can provide those services and more."
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