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Stanford Health Care

Care at the End of Life:

The teams at Stanford are here to support you and your loved ones in making decisions, managing symptoms, and addressing emotional and spiritual needs at the end of life.   Your primary or specialty clinical team is available to provide individual guidance and information.  

Advance Care Planning: My Wishes

To assure that your wishes are honored at the end of life, visit the following resources to learn more about how to document wishes through advance care planning.

Advance Care Planning | Palliative Care Center of Excellence | Stanford Medicine

Palliative Care

Palliative Care is available to people who would like to improve their quality of life, as well as manage symptoms, pain, and stress from serious illness. To learn more about Stanford's Palliative Medicine team and services, visit:

Clinical Services | Palliative Care Center of Excellence | Stanford Medicine

Hospice

Stanford Health Care has partnered with Mission Hospice and Homecare to provide short-term general inpatient hospice services to help some hospitalized patients before transitioning to home hospice care.

While in the hospital, your care is provided by Stanford clinicians collaborating with Mission Hospice and Homecare’s multispecialty team. Once at home or in a skilled nursing facility, Mission Hospice and Homecare’s  doctors and nurses continue to visit you and provide hospice care.

If you are interested in hospice care, discuss it with your family and doctor. To find hospice agencies in your community, contact Social Work and Case Management at 650-723-5091.

End of Life Option Act

The End of Life Option Act is a California law that went into effect on June 9, 2016, and a revised version of the law takes effect January 1, 2022. This law allows a terminally-ill adult, California resident, who meets certain qualifications, to request  medication (aid-in-dying drug) from their physician that will end their life. Participation in the End of Life Option Act is voluntary for both patients and physicians. Stanford Health Care respects the rights of our patients to use this option. We also respect the rights of our physicians and staff to choose whether or not to participate in this process. If your doctor chooses not to participate, you may transfer your care to another doctor.

To learn more about this law, see the End of Life Option Act.