• Stephanie P Wladkowski, Lauren J Hunt, Elizabeth A Luth, Joan Teno, Krista L Harrison, and Cara L Wallace.
• College of Health and Human Services, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio, USA.
• J Palliat Med. 2024 Sep 18.

AbstractHospice care is designed to support the medical and psychosocial needs of individuals with serious illness and their caregivers through the dying process. Some individuals, though, leave hospice prior to death, generally referred to as disenrollment or a "live discharge." Live discharge from hospice is a common and often distressing issue for hospice patients, their caregivers, and also for hospice professionals and agencies. This paper discusses common issues surrounding live discharge that clinicians and other healthcare professionals should consider when dealing with live discharge in their own clinical practices. Where applicable, we provide practical steps for hospice and palliative care clinicians to better support patients and families through this critical care transition. Further, we offer strategic directions interprofessional clinicians can take to affect systemic change to improve live discharge experiences.

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