Palliative care questions, answered

You may have heard of palliative care, but how much do you really know about it? I care for patients at TidalHealth Palliative Medicine, and I strive to help people live the best lives they can, by their own definition of life quality. We have a clinic at TidalHealth Peninsula Regional in Salisbury, Maryland.  

What is palliative care? 

Palliative care is medical care that focuses on comfort and supporting patients and their families physically, psychologically, spiritually and socially. A team of professionals works together — physicians, nurse practitioners, a registered nurse, a chaplain and social workers.  

While the team is focused on supporting the patient, this doesn’t mean the whole team is crowding the hospital room at once; that would be overwhelming. Instead, one to two members of the team visit the patient at one time. The team works together, allowing everyone to bring their perspectives together to help the patient.  

To provide palliative care, we ask the patient about their illness, along with their values and preferences for medical care and how the care they’re receiving aligns with those values. If it doesn’t align, we’ll work to make sure they get care that fits their needs. We also strive to enhance each patient's understanding of the medical care they receive.   

Palliative care also facilitates patient completion of an advance directive. We make a point to get to know the patient’s family. Patients can be any age.  

What kinds of conditions do you treat?  

Palliative care can benefit patients who need support for a life-limiting disease and who need symptom management. We help patients with a wide range of conditions, such as cancer, Parkinson’s, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary fibrosis, heart failure and cirrhosis. We see people who are in the hospital and in our clinics. 

What’s the difference between palliative care and hospice?   

Hospice is a type of palliative care focused on patients expected to have six months or less to live. If the patient lives longer than six months, providers can reassess the patient to recertify them for continued hospice care, based on the expectation they likely have less than six months to live. TidalHealth does not provide hospice services, but if someone is receiving palliative care and decides to move on to hospice, we can help make it a smooth transition.  

How do I get treatment from TidalHealth Palliative Medicine?  

Patients are normally referred to us by a primary care provider, hospitalist, oncologist or another provider. If you think you would benefit from palliative medicine, you can ask your oncologist or provider for a referral. You can also self-refer, but it’s recommended to get a referral from a medical professional to ensure the services will benefit you.