Palliative Care Consultation Services
The Palliative Care Consultation Services (PCCS) offers comprehensive, interdisciplinary care for patients and families dealing with life-threatening illnesses. The major emphasis of palliative care is on alleviating suffering and promoting the quality of life for the patient.
Palliative care does not equal hospice care, although the two are sometimes closely related. Both kinds of care concentrate on providing symptom management so that the rest of living or healing can go forward. But while hospice care brings with it the expectation of an end of life, palliative care involves alleviating the symptoms of any serious or life-threatening illness. Recipients of a palliative care consultation do not necessarily need hospice care. They do, however, need help with pain and symptom management, information about their condition, advance care planning, psychosocial and spiritual support, and coordination of care.
The PCCS staff can help doctors, patients and family members identify realistic short- and long-term goals so that treatment plans focus not only on the immediate medical issues, but also consider important non-medical goals and concerns of the patient and family
Palliative Care Services
- pain management
- assistances with symptoms such as anorexia, nausea, constipation, and depression
- facilitation of discussions regarding end-of-life care issues such as Health Care Proxies
- hospice and home care referrals
- bereavement counseling
- collaboration with pastoral counselors and case managers
- follow-up support for staff and families
- staff support and education
Patients Appropriate for Referral:
- Patients with life-threatening illnesses, their families and clinical staff. This can include but is not limited to patients with a diagnosis of dementia, cancer, heart disease, lung disease, stroke, kidney failure, liver failure, AIDS, or advanced diabetes.
- Bereaved family members and staff.
