C2-1: Choosing Hospice or Choosing Dying: The Cultural and Medical Meanings of "Hospice" and the Role of Provider Referrals in Transition to Hospice Care

Abstract

Background/Aims Hospice care is widely used at the end of life yet it remains stigmatized and feared. Current research on the transition to hospice overlooks the dimension of patient choice and the symbolic importance of hospice to patients and families. Understanding the transition from the point of view of patients and family members is critical in increasing use of hospice care and decreasing “late referrals.”