Also Known As:
GIP, inpatient hospice care, hospital-based hospice care, Level 3 hospice care
Type:
Short-term level of hospice care, one of the four levels of hospice care
Primary Purpose:
To provide around-the-clock medical care in a hospital or inpatient hospice unit when symptoms cannot be controlled in the patient’s primary residence.
When It Applies:
When uncontrolled pain, severe respiratory distress, intractable nausea, or other symptoms require interventions that can’t safely happen at home.
Who Is Involved:
Hospice physician, inpatient nursing staff, the patient, family, and the broader hospice team coordinating from outside the facility.
Where It Occurs:
A Medicare-certified hospital, hospice inpatient unit, or a skilled nursing facility with hospice contracts.
Duration:
Short-term, usually 1 to 7 days, until symptoms are controlled enough to return home.
Coverage:
100% covered by the Medicare Hospice Benefit at the highest hospice reimbursement tier.
Key Focus:
Aggressive symptom control, IV medication management, complex wound care, ventilator weaning, and stabilization for transfer back home.
Common Misunderstanding:
GIP is not the same as long-term placement in a hospital or nursing home. It is a short-term, symptom-focused stay, and the goal is almost always to return the patient to their previous residence once symptoms are stabilized.
When General Inpatient Care Is Needed
Most hospice care happens at home. But some symptom crises require interventions that simply cannot be delivered safely in the home setting:
- Severe, uncontrolled pain requiring IV titration
- Acute respiratory distress requiring continuous monitoring
- Intractable nausea or vomiting
- Complex wound care that requires sterile technique or specialized equipment
- Acute psychiatric or behavioral crises in late-stage Alzheimer’s
- Ventilator weaning in end-stage lung disease
When these situations arise, GIP brings the patient into a controlled environment until symptoms are under control.
GIP vs. Continuous Care
Families sometimes confuse continuous home care with GIP. The difference is location:
- Continuous home care brings around-the-clock hospice nursing into the patient’s home during a crisis
- GIP moves the patient into a facility for the same kind of intensive care
Continuous care is preferred whenever possible because patients are more comfortable at home. GIP is the right choice when the symptoms truly exceed what can be safely managed in a home environment.
Returning Home After GIP
The goal of GIP is short-term stabilization. Most patients return home within a few days, with a refreshed plan of care that addresses whatever drove the crisis, better medications, new equipment, or more frequent visits.
Lifted coordinates GIP through partner facilities across DFW and Texas. The transition back to routine home care is seamless, with the same hospice team supporting the patient before, during, and after the inpatient stay. Read about all four levels of care.