phy of hospice is thatterminally ill individuals should be allowed to maintain lifeduring their final days in as natural and comfortable a settingas possible" (p. 198). The quality of life of the terminally illpatients relies heavily on the psychosocial skills of theirhealth care team. The health care team consists of aphysician, nurse, social worker, chaplain, home health aideand volunteers. The team develops an individual care planwhich will provide an appropriate support system for thepatient and their family up to and beyond the patient'sdeath. Weekly meetings allow the team to focus on thechanging needs of the patient and make adjustments to theirplan. Hospice care can be received in a variety oforganizational settings. The most preferred setting is ofcourse within the patient's own home, but nursing homes,hospitals and long term care facilities are a few who canalso provide hospice care. Hospice care is a coveredbenefit under Medicare and most private insurancecompanies. The regulating agencies that set the standardsfor hospices are Medicare, the National HospiceOrganization, Joint Commission on Accreditation of HealthCare Organizations (JCAHO) and state hospice agencies. Ihave found that the medical record content in a hospiceprogram contains an extensive amount of identifyinginformation in regards to the patient and their primarycaregiver(s). All aspects of patient care are welldocumented and assure well-coordinated, continuous care.The medical record acts as a communication tool betweenthe different team members and is used on a continuousbasis throughout the patient's care. Conclusion Althoughthere are many options other than those listed for healthcare after discharge from a hospital, The most importantaspect for a person is to be well informed andknowledgeable about the variety of options available. It canbe very confusing, especially to an elderly person when talkof finances, regulations and covered and non-covered itemsare...
