Palliative care offers patients and their families assistance with symptom management, advanced care planning and helps address the burden of complex symptoms.
Palliative medicine is specialized medical care that provides relief from symptoms, pain and distress for patients who have serious illnesses. Palliative care offers patients and their families assistance with symptom management, advanced care planning and address complex medical concerns.
Palliative care is available to patients of any age who have a serious or life-threatening illness, such as cancer, stroke, congestive heart failure, lung or liver disease, kidney failure or dementia. Patients appropriate for a palliative care include those considering hospice, as well as those who are interested in continued aggressive chronic or advanced disease management.
Interventions from the palliative team not only focus on goals of care, symptom management, education and advance care planning, but involve coordination of care to do what’s right for the patient.
Palliative care allows for focused symptom management, along with continued support for the family. Your first appointment will include an evaluation of medications, needed resources, goals of care discussions, and symptoms with a nurse practitioner or physician. Visits allow for an extended time with a provider trained in palliative medicine, to focus on your health needs.
Common symptoms supported by the palliative team:
