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Role of the referring physician

The role of the physician is to recommend care, whether hospice care, palliative care or traditional curative care. It is the patient’s right to care and services and to select a hospice or palliative care provider. Hospice reinforces the patient-primary physician relationship by advocating either office or home visits per the physician’s preferences. Palliative care works in partnership with the physician and other health care team members to provide coordinated care. Patients always have the right to reinstate traditional care at any time for any reason.

Before entering a hospice, however, a physician must certify that a patient has been diagnosed with a life-limiting illness and whose life expectancy is determined to be six months or less if the disease runs its natural course. A patient can receive hospice for longer than six months if the medical director re-certifies that the patient remains appropriate. A patient does not need to be bedridden to be admitted to hospice or palliative care. In fact, many of the patients served through hospice and palliative care continue to lead productive and rewarding lives.

To make a referral to Allina Home Care, Hospice & Palliative Care or for more information, call 651-635-9173.

Allina Home Care, Hospice & Palliative Care
1055 Westgate Drive
Suite 100
Saint Paul, MN 55114
651-635-9173
E-mail us

First published: 08/21/2004
Last updated: 08/11/2006

Reviewed by: Don Grossbach, MD, medical director