Ep 165: The Importance of Appropriate Hospice Referrals

Dr. Galina Rader describes her journey from practicing pediatric ENT medicine in Russia to becoming a board-certified family physician and hospice specialist in the United States. The conversation focuses on the challenges of providing palliative and hospice care to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), including difficulties in predicting end-of-life needs, managing complex medication regimens, and avoiding inappropriate hospice referrals based solely on disabilities such as cerebral palsy or intellectual disability. Dr. Rader emphasizes the importance of early palliative care involvement, careful medication management, individualized clinical assessment, and better education for healthcare professionals. She highlights that hospice care can provide significant benefits through comprehensive support for patients, families, caregivers, and care staff when appropriately applied, and concludes by stressing three key priorities: advance planning, thoughtful medication adjustments, and ongoing education to improve healthcare outcomes for people with IDD.