What distinguishes hospice from general palliative care?

• A. Hospice is for terminally ill patients with prognosis typically six months or less and focuses on comfort; curative treatment is limited.
• B. Palliative care only considers physical symptoms; hospice focuses on family counseling.
• C. Hospice offers curative treatment; palliative care does not.
• D. There is no difference; hospice and palliative care are the same.

Answer: (A)

Hospice care is distinguished by two main factors: prognosis and the focus of care. It is intended for patients who are terminally ill with a prognosis of roughly six months or less if the disease follows its usual course, and the care shifts primarily to comfort and quality of life rather than curing the illness. In this approach, curative or disease-modifying treatments are reduced or not pursued, and the interdisciplinary team focuses on symptom relief, pain control, and support for the patient and family as they approach the end of life.

Palliative care, by contrast, is a broader approach that can be introduced at any stage of a serious illness and can be provided alongside curative or life-prolonging treatments. Its aim is to relieve pain and other distressing symptoms and to support the patient’s overall well-being—physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually—while not necessarily signaling the end of treatment.

So the correct idea is that hospice is for those with a prognosis of six months or less and centers on comfort with limited curative efforts, whereas palliative care can be provided earlier and in conjunction with disease-directed therapies.