What I Had to Learn About Hospice
By: Dowling Stough IV, M.D.
As a physician, I believed that I was quite familiar with hospice. I knew they did a wonderful job of taking care of terminally ill patients. I knew that hospice lifted the burden off the shoulders of the family and allowed time for loved ones to focus on each other. However, not having a direct connection with hospice, I had a limited amount of knowledge on the policies, procedures, and interworking of hospice as an organization.
My involvement with hospice began in 2015 when my girlfriend, Robin’s long fight with terminal cancer was nearing the end. For three years, she had battled cancer valiantly with the help of caring physicians, nurses, and staff. Despite all the treatments, the family sadly realized it was time to call in hospice.