Patient Eligibility
Montgomery Hospice and Prince George’s Hospice can help patients with any illness, including cancer, dementia, heart disease and others.
A requirement for admission to hospice care includes a Certification of Terminal Illness. This document, signed by the patient’s own physician in conjunction with the hospice medical director, states that the patient’s life expectancy is six months or less, should the terminal illness run its normal course.
The determination of life expectancy, or prognosis, can be challenging. A patient may be eligible for hospice care if he or she has one or more of the following:
- Frequent, recent hospital visits
- Advanced disease for which the patient declines aggressive care
- Frequent or recurrent infections; UTI, pneumonia
- Physical decline; increased dependence with ADLs/IADLs
- Sudden, unexpected weight loss
- Decreased oral intake; related to worsening debility and/or dysphasia
- Multiple chronic conditions
The disease-specific criteria on the End-Stage Indicators page provide general guidelines for health professionals to aid in determining a patient’s hospice eligibility.
You can also download the Core Indicators (in PDF format).
More Information on Specific Diseases
Direct Admissions Referral Line: 301-637-1888 (8:30 am to 4:30 pm, 7 days a week)
Or, call 301-921-4400 any time, any day.