Attending Physician's role in hospice Attending Physician's Role in Hospice
The attending physician's role in hospice is consistent with the role of the physician in general - providing appropriate care to meet the presenting medical needs of patients. In hospice care, the physician continues to be responsible for providing the primary medical care of patients, but the physician is supported through the hospice interdisciplinary team. The attending physician's responsibilities are a follows:
Approves hospice admission
Agrees to remain the primary physician
Gives permission to visit and providing the following patient information to hospice:
Admitting diagnosis and prognosis
Current medical findings
Dietary restrictions
Orders for medications, treatments, and symptom management.
Information about medical management of patient’s conditions unrelated to the terminal illness
Designation of an alternative physician to contact in case of emergency (possibly the Hospice Medical Director)
Signs the initial interdisciplinary plan of care, physician orders, and certification of terminal illness, once the initial hospice assessment is complete.
Available for consultation with hospice RN when medical problems arise.
Receives and reviews regular progress reports and participates in the development, revision, and approval of the interdisciplinary plan of care.
Informs hospice of any significant changes in patient/family status
Maintains confidentiality in all communications
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