Attending physician
May continue to follow the patient, certify initial eligibility when applicable, and collaborate on comfort-focused medical decisions.
What's my role after hospice begins?
Hospice does not remove the clinician relationships a patient trusts. It adds an interdisciplinary team focused on comfort, communication, and support at home or wherever the patient lives.
Patient choice
Attending
Patients may designate an attending physician to remain involved in their hospice care.
Hospice oversight
Medical director
The hospice physician oversees the hospice plan and certification with the interdisciplinary team.
Team approach
IDT
Nurses, aides, social workers, chaplains, volunteers, physicians, and counselors coordinate around the same plan.
Role map
Who does what in a hospice plan of care
Every patient's plan is different, but these roles help clinicians know where they fit.
Hospice medical director
Oversees the medical component of hospice care, reviews eligibility, and supports symptom management decisions.
Referring clinician
Identifies decline, starts the conversation, shares records, and helps the patient and family understand why hospice may help now.
Specialists
May remain involved for problems outside the hospice plan or when their guidance supports comfort and goals.
Facility team
Continues daily care while hospice adds visits, care planning, symptom guidance, and family support.
Hospice IDT
Coordinates nursing, aide, social work, spiritual care, bereavement, medications, supplies, equipment, and 24/7 support.
What continues
Your relationship still matters
Many patients and families feel safer knowing their familiar clinician is still part of the circle. Hospice can coordinate around that trust.
Clinical perspective
Your knowledge of the patient's history, values, and family dynamics helps the hospice team build a better plan.
Medication and symptom context
Recent treatment decisions, allergies, adverse reactions, and response patterns are useful for comfort management.
Family confidence
A direct endorsement from a trusted clinician can reduce fear that hospice means abandonment.
Common questions
How clinicians stay involved
These answers help set expectations before and after referral.
Before admission
Can I refer if I am not certain the patient qualifies?
Yes. A referral or call can prompt a hospice evaluation. If the patient is not eligible, the team can explain why and suggest what to watch for next.
What should I tell the family?
Explain that hospice is an added layer of comfort-focused care at home or in the current residence. The first conversation is informational and does not force enrollment.
After admission
Can the attending physician continue seeing the patient?
Yes. The patient may designate an attending physician, and the hospice team coordinates with that clinician as part of the plan.
Who should families call first?
For hospice-related symptoms, medications, equipment, or urgent comfort concerns, families should call Treasure Coast Hospice's 24/7 number so the hospice team can respond quickly.
A cleaner handoff
The best referral feels like continuity, not a goodbye
When the referring clinician frames hospice as added support, families are less likely to hear it as abandonment and more likely to accept help while it can still make a difference.
Handoff
Three things that make the transition smoother
Small details in the handoff often prevent hours of avoidable confusion later.
Share the story
Include the decline arc, recent hospitalizations, treatment limits, and what the patient understands.
Name the decision-maker
Document the primary contact, surrogate, and any family concerns or communication preferences.
Set the expectation
Tell the patient who will call, what hospice will review, and that they can keep asking questions.
Stay part of the care, with more support around the patient
Treasure Coast Hospice coordinates with referring and attending clinicians so comfort-focused care feels connected, local, and clear.