The Balancing Act of Medication Use at the End of Life

Medication use is an integral part of hospice patient management, with most patients taking several medications upon admission and symptom management being widely achieved through pharmacological interventions. As patients decline, continuation of certain medications is not always beneficial or necessary, and ongoing use can cause adverse events, interact with other medications, worsen discomfort, and increase costs for hospices. As comfort medications are added to the regimen, the medication burden further increases. This session will highlight medication risk versus benefit assessment points and provide participants with more confidence in evaluating medication use and discussing these topics with patients, families, and other healthcare providers.