What is Palliative Medicine?
It is a medical specialty that focuses on preventing and relieving suffering in patients with serious or chronic illnesses. Palliative medicine is appropriate for patients in all disease stages, including those undergoing treatment for curable illnesses and those living with chronic diseases. Palliative medicine is primarily provided by advance practice nurses and other professionals such as social workers who are supported by trained volunteers and staff. This team formulates a plan of care that focuses on the relief of suffering in all areas of a patient’s life. This multidisciplinary approach allows the palliative care team to address physical, emotional, spiritual, and social concerns that arise with advanced illness.
How Stein Palliative Medicine can help you:
- Reduces re-hospitalizations, patient phone calls and visits
- Increases patient satisfaction
- Enhances your plan of care
Who can benefit from palliative care?
Patients who:
- are diagnosed with a serious illness and need relief from pain or symptoms, including nausea, fatigue and depression;
- need to make difficult decisions about how to proceed with care and treatment;
- have frequent or prolonged hospitalizations including Emergency Department;
- have psychosocial or spiritual issues causing stress or discomfort.
Diagnoses include cancer and non-cancer conditions such as diseases of the heart, lung, kidney and liver, dementia, diabetes and arthritis.
The Stein Navigator team is available to answer your questions and concerns. Call 419.329.4000 or 866.602.1734, or email snavigator@steinhospice.org.