Hospice: the most important thing you didn't learn in medical school

Much of medical education is devoted to curing disease. Surprisingly little formal attention is given to the dying process and how physicians can best care for dying patients and their families. Nevertheless, the hospice concept is growing and the growth shows no sign of slowing down. The number of hospices in the United States has increased from 440 in 1981 to about 2,000 in 1994. Access to hospice in Maryland is limited primarily by ignorance, on the part of both health care professionals and the public, about its availability and purpose. This article provides a history of the hospice concept and information about the current status of hospice in the State of Maryland.