End of Life Care
End of life care has always been important and for that reason Hoag has
a comprehensive palliative care program. The CARES Team provides inpatient
and outpatient services to maximize the quality of life for people with
serious and life-threatening illnesses. The focus is on preventing, treating,
reducing or removing discomfort whenever and however it appears through
careful attention to pain and symptom management. Palliative care respectfully
addresses well-being and treats physical, emotional, social, spiritual
and financial needs. The Hoag program, which is based on national best
practices and has emerged as a national leader, has helped thousands of
people endure a difficult time.
End of Life Option Act
The request for aid-in-dying is a doctor-patient decision. Participation
in activities authorized under the new legislation is voluntary. The legislation
allows for organizations and physicians to elect not to participate in
dispensing end of life drugs to patients. Hoag and the Hoag Medical Staff
have chosen to use palliative care to treat patients with serious and
life threatening illnesses. The focus is on preventing, treating, reducing
or removing discomfort whenever and however it appears through careful
attention to pain and symptom management. Palliative care respectfully
addresses well-being and treats physical, emotional, social, spiritual
and financial needs. This means the dispensing of end of life drugs will
not take place at a Hoag facility. It is important to note that independent
members of Hoag Medical Staff are able to make autonomous decisions regarding
their participation in what will be a legal option for their patients;
however those personal decisions are limited while exercising privileges at Hoag.
FAQs
What end of life care services does Hoag provide?
End of life care has always been important at Hoag. The CARES Team provides
inpatient and outpatient services to maximize the quality of life for
people with serious and life-threatening illnesses. The focus is on preventing,
treating, reducing or removing discomfort whenever and however it appears
through careful attention to pain and symptom management.
More information about our services can be found on our
End of Life page.
What palliative care services does Hoag provide?
Palliative care respectfully addresses wellbeing and treats physical, emotional,
social, spiritual and needs. The palliative care program, which is based
on national best practices and has emerged as a national leader, has helped
thousands of people endure a difficult time.
More information about our services can be found on our
Palliative Care page.
How does Hoag handle advance health care directives? Do you honor them?
Yes. Hoag honors the advance health care directives of our patients, and
hospital staff and practitioners who provide care in the hospital must
follow the health care decisions of a patient’s agent or surrogate.
However, Hoag providers may decline to comply with an individual health
care instruction or decision for reasons of conscience, or because the
care would be medically ineffective or contrary to generally accepted
health care standards. If this causes a disagreement with an agent or
surrogate that cannot be resolved, the hospital staff and practitioners
will make every reasonable effort to find another health care provider
to take over your treatment. Advance health care directive forms can be
downloaded by clicking
here. If you have specific questions about your care, we encourage you to speak
directly to your physician.
Will end-of-life drugs be dispensed at Hoag?
No. Participation in activities authorized under the new legislation is
voluntary. Hoag and the Hoag Medical Staff have chosen to use palliative
care to treat patients with serious and life threatening illnesses. This
means the dispensing of end of life drugs will not take place at a Hoag
facility. Based on our research, the vast majority of people who would
choose this option would want to do so in a home, not a hospital. For
that reason, we do not think our decision will have any practical impact
on access to this option.
The focus at Hoag is on preventing, treating, reducing or removing discomfort
whenever and however it appears through careful attention to pain and
symptom management. Palliative care respectfully addresses wellbeing and
treats physical, emotional, social, spiritual and financial needs. More
information about our palliative care services can be found on our
Palliative Care page.
How will you advise patients who ask about the option for end of life drugs?
Hoag now and in the future will fully inform patients about the full spectrum
of options they have available to them in their care. Our advance directives
policies are designed to keep our patients’ wishes as the center
of all that we do, and honor patients’ desires within the boundaries
of current laws.
Where can I find more information about end of life care services?
More information about our services can be found on our
End of Life page.