Criteria for admission to prison hospice care
The Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola uses the following criteria to determine whether inmate patients should be admitted to its hospice program.
• Patient is diagnosed with a terminal illness or other condition with life expectancy measured in weeks or months.
• Prognosis is less than six months.
• No further solely curative treatment of the disease is feasible, or the patient refuses treatment.
• There is reasonable expectation that the patient’s medical, nursing, and social needs can be met adequately by the hospice program.
• There is adequate and appropriate hospice staff available to provide the services required.
• Patient has received a thorough explanation of the following:
— his diagnosis;
— his prognosis;
— the philosophy, goals, and services of the hospice program.
• Patient requests admission to the program.
• Patient is willing to sign a DNR as a condition of program participation.
• Patient has the ability to understand the information given and to provide informed consent.
• Certification of terminal illness has been signed by the attending physician.
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