Palliative Care
WHAT IS PALLIATIVE MEDICINE?
Palliative medicine strives to relieve suffering and improve the quality of life for patients with advanced illness, while offering support to their families. It is not a mutually exclusive alternative to treatments designed to cure an illness. Palliative medicine can be offered simultaneously with all other appropriate medical treatment. Consultations by physicians or nurse practitioners are provided in hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and assisted living communities. Studies suggest that palliative medicine can actually improve the quality of patient care as well as reduce the cost of care.
WHAT DOES PALLIATIVE MEDICINE DO?
Palliative medicine relieves suffering and improves the quality of life for patients with advanced illness. The control of pain, other physical symptoms and the management of psychological, social, and spiritual concerns are paramount. The goal of palliative medicine is achievement of the best quality of life for patients and their families.
Specifically, palliative medicine:
- provides relief from pain and other distressing symptoms.
- integrates the psychological and spiritual aspects of patient care.
- offers a support system to help the family cope.
WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM PALLIATIVE MEDICINE?
Patients with life-limiting illnesses, including, but not limited to:
- Metastatic or recurrent cancer
- Dementia
- Liver disease
- COPD
- HIV/AIDS
- Cardiac disease
- Stroke
- Renal disease
- Persistent coma
Patients with uncontrolled physical symptoms, including, but not limited to:
- Pain
- Delirium
- Dyspnea (shortness of breath)
- Insomnia
- Nausea (and/or vomiting)
- Anxiety
- Agitation
- Cough
Patients and/or families wishing to discuss:
- Advance care planning
- Goals of therapy
- Comfort-directed therapy
- Withdrawal of mechanical ventilation, artificial nutrition, and/or other forms of artificial life support
WHO ARE PALLIATIVE MEDICINE CONSULTANTS?
Palliative Medicine Consultants is a program of Hospice & Palliative Care Charlotte Region.
Since 2003, we have been providing palliative medicine under the name of Palliative Care Consultants (now Palliative Medicine Consultants). Our program currently sees patients daily in settings as varied as the hospital intensive care unit, home, or skilled nursing facilities.
HOW CAN YOU MAKE A REFERRAL FOR PALLIATIVE MEDICINE?
All referrals must come from the patient's physician.
- Complete the Hospice & Palliative Care Charlotte Region Referral Form.
- Contact the Referral Center at 704.375.0100 between 8:30 am to 5:00 pm.
- Lincoln County residents should contact Hospice & Palliative Care Lincoln County between 8:30 am and 5:00 pm at 704.732.6146.
- From 5:00 pm to 8:30 am, ask for the Palliative Medicine Consultants, and an on-call staff member will assist you.
WHO PAYS FOR PALLIATIVE MEDICINE?
We accept Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance payments. However, eligibility for our services is not based on a patient's ability to pay.