Hospice for Liver Failure
For patients dealing with liver failure or end-stage liver disease, hospice care focuses on alleviating symptoms and enhancing quality of life. Liver disease can result from prolonged alcohol use, genetic disorders, cancers, or viral infections. Regardless of the cause, patients with liver disease who have a life expectancy of six months or less may find hospice care beneficial for managing liver failure.
The liver plays a crucial role in digesting food, filtering toxins from the blood, and producing proteins that help with blood clotting. When the liver is damaged by a virus, chemicals, or autoimmune disease, scarring begins to occur. Once the damage becomes severe enough, the liver can no longer repair itself, reaching a stage known as cirrhosis. A patient is diagnosed with liver failure when the liver is losing or has lost all its function.
Patients are considered to have end-stage liver disease when they meet specific hospice criteria. If your loved one meets the eligibility requirements for hospice care due to liver disease, it may be time to consider scheduling a hospice consultation.
Liver Disease hospice criteria:
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Weakness and compromised ability perform activities of daily living (ADLs)
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Recurrent variceal hemorrhage
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Hepatic encephalopathy
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Prothrombin time prolonged more than five seconds over control or INR > 1.5
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Serum Albumin < 2.5 gm/dl
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Peritonitis
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Elevated creatinine and BUN with Oliguria <400 ml/day and urine sodium concentration <10 mEq/l
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Ascites
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Malnutrition
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Muscle wasting
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Asterixis
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May be awaiting liver transplant, but if organ is procured, the patient is no longer eligible
When to call Hospice​
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If a patient with liver disease meets the hospice criteria listed above or if they have received a terminal diagnosis of less than six months, please contact St. Catherine's Healthcare for a free consultation: 832-328-8787.
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Liver Disease Hospice Eligibility Criteria
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Hospice care organizations deliver services wherever the patient resides, which may include the patient's home, a family member’s home, or an assisted living facility. In some cases, hospice services can also be available in a nursing home or medical facility during a short hospital stay. One of the key goals of hospice care is to ensure the patient is comfortable during the end-of-life stage, and allowing the patient to remain in a familiar environment can support this.
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Hospice care providers make regular visits to the patient’s home, with different members of the care team scheduling visits on various days throughout the week.
Where Hospice Services Are Provided
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