Palliative Care (pronounced pal-lee-uh-tiv) meaning comfort care, is a medical specialty focused on relief of the pain, stress and other symptoms of serious illness. The goal is to relieve suffering and improve quality of life through consultation services. Palliative Care can be appropriate at any age and is not dependent on prognosis, thus it is for patients at any stage in a serious illness, and can be provided along with curative treatment. Who does Palliative Care serve? Palliative Care serves patients with serious illnesses, including but not limited to cancer, congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), kidney failure, liver failure, stroke, advanced dementia, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Multiple sclerosis. Patients and their families who are facing difficult decisions about the goals of their medical care may benefit from a Palliative Care consultation. When should Palliative Care be considered? Palliative Care should be considered when:
-There is difficulty in managing symptoms like pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, anxiety, nausea, vomiting, constipation, loss of appetite, difficulty sleeping or side effects of treatment.
-A patient has repeat ER visits or hospital admissions.
-A patient needs help establishing goals, making health care decisions, clarifying treatment options, and/or planning for the future, including code status and advanced directives. Who provides Palliative Care? Palliative Care consultations are provided by advanced practice nurses (nurse practitioners) and physicians. Our team of Palliative Care providers work with attending physicians, nurses, chaplains, pharmacists, registered dietitians, therapists and other staff to address goals of care, make recommendations for care, and provide symptom management. The patient’s primary health care provider continues to manage the patient’s plan of care. What are the benefits of Palliative Care? Palliative Care provides symptom management, supportive care and education to patients and families. Providing relief of pain and managing symptoms assists in keeping patients as comfortable as possible while improving quality of life and reducing ER visits and hospitalizations. Patients and families will receive support and guidance with difficult decisions about care and scope of treatments. Palliative Care consultations employ a patient-and-family centered approach. Discussions regarding Advanced Care Planning, that respect a patient’s and families personal choices, culture, spiritual beliefs and social values can be of support. Who pays for Palliative Care? Most private insurance plans, as well as Medicare and Medicaid, cover all or part of the Palliative Care consultation. If you have questions regarding your insurance coverage for Palliative Care services, please ask to speak to the Social Worker. Where is Palliative Care available? Palliative Care consultations are available in homes, assisted living facilities, nursing facilities, retirement communities or other medical facilities. How does a patient get referred for Palliative Care? You can speak with your physician about ordering a Palliative Care consultation for you or your loved one. If the physician feels you may benefit from a Palliative Care consultation, he or she will request one on your behalf. Once the primary health care provider writes an order for the Palliative Care consult, one of our Palliative Care staff will then meet with the patient and family to review the patient’s medical history and discuss the benefit of adding Palliative Care as a support option.
