Hospice Services

Hospice is a program designed to provide comfort and care for people who are terminally ill during their final stages of life and support for their caregivers. The goal of hospice is to provide physical care for the patients and counseling to their families rather than to cure illnesses. Hospice allows the patient to remain in his or her home until death through the support of the Hospice team, and provides bereavement support to the family. Admission to the Hospice Program requires a written certification from a medical director of hospice or physician member of the hospice interdisciplinary team and the attending physician.

Kaiser Permanente’s Hospice Program is a Medicare-certified program providing end of life, palliative care services to Kaiser Permanente members and their families. The purpose of hospice care is to assist in the care and comfort (physical, emotional, spiritual) of patients with terminal illness. Services include physician treatment, nursing, social work, and chaplain consultation.