Hospice Care team prioritizes patients' goals

When you refer a patient or loved one to Hospice at Gundersen Health System you are giving a gift of hope—hope for a life well lived, on the person's own terms, all the way through his or her final day.

With a focus on making the most of the time people with a chronic illness have left, Hospice brings compassionate care into the place where patients often feel most secure and comfortable: their home. Here, Hospice providers make every effort to help people stay in control of their care and treatment goals by listening to them and offering choices.

Unfortunately, far too many people in La Crosse County and the surrounding area are not receiving the extra support hospice care provides patients and families. In La Crosse County, only 42 percent of Medicare patients who are eligible for hospice care took advantage of the services in 2016—the third worst performing county in the state and far below the state average of 75 percent of eligible patients.

To help families better understand how Hospice can make the most of their final months, weeks and days together, we'll be sharing a series of patient stories throughout the year. The intention is that together we can help erase the misconception that hospice is about giving up and instead illuminate the power of hospice to help patients live well.

To learn more about Hospice at Gundersen or refer a loved one, visit gundersenhealth.org/hospice.