Dr. Katalin Hegedűs
| Myth: | Hospice is necessary only during the last few days of life. |
|---|---|
| Fact: | Hospice care is necessary during the last 6 to 12 months of a serious, incurable illness when the patient’s condition is worsening despite medical treatment. |
| Myth: | Hospice is a house where dying people are placed. |
| Fact: | Hospice is not a house but a philosophy, a range of services, an organizational system; in other words, an interdisciplinary-care model (consisting of: hospice house, palliative inpatient department, home care, outpatient care, hospital consultation group (mobile team), bereavement group, telephone help lines). |
| Myth: | Only cancer patients are accepted for hospice. |
| Fact: | In Hungary it is primarily cancer patients who are accepted, but not in other countries. Criterion: life expectancy of less than 6 to 12 months. Goals:
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| Myth: | There is no difference between hospice and a terminal ward. There is nothing to do but hold the dying person’s hand. |
| Fact: | Hospice involves specialized care, which is different from chronic, nursing and
social care. Special training is required to serve as, for example, a palliative care
specialist or a hospice-care nurse. https://hospice.hu/en/patient-admission |
| Myth: | Hospice and elderly care are the same thing. |
| Fact: | Terminally ill individuals of all ages may need hospice care. |
| Myth: | Unfortunately it doesn’t yet really exist in Hungary. But if it does, it costs a lot of money. It exists only through foundations. |
| Fact: | Hospice services have been financed by the National Health Care Insurance Fund (OEP) since 2004. Currently 95 providers are available. Every type of hospice is free for the patient. |
| Myth: | Nothing can be done about the taboo surrounding death. |
| Fact: | Through changing of attitudes, public service campaigns and education much can be done to relieve the taboo surrounding death. |
see more: Hegedűs K (2011): Myths and facts about hospice. Lege Artis Medicinae, 21 (11): 744-748.
MYTHS VERSUS FACTS ABOUT HOSPICE
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