Encyclopedia of Surgery | Hospices

Definition

The term hospice refers to an approach to end-of-life care as well as to a type of facility for supportive care of terminally ill patients. Hospice programs provide palliative (care that relieves discomfort but does not improve the patient's condition or cure the disease) patient-centered care, and other services. The goal of hospice care, whether delivered in the patient's home or in a healthcare facility, is the provision of humane and compassionate medical, emotional, and spiritual care to the dying.

Description

Early history

The English word "hospice" is derived from the Latin hospitium, which originally referred to the guesthouse of a monastery or convent. The first hospices date back to...