Palliative Care FAQ

The word palliative means relief. Palliative care is specialized medical care that provides relief from symptoms of advanced illness such as cancer, heart and lung disease.

Palliative care is provided in coordination with the patient’s physician to relieve chronic disease-related symptoms such as pain, anxiety, depression, stress, or shortness of breath; and also treats discomfort from side effects of treatments such as nausea, vomiting, constipation, fatigue or sores.

Palliative care provides an improved quality of life for the patient and the family. Through the attention of a multidisciplinary team that includes medical staff, nurses, and social workers distressing symptoms are identified and controlled; hospitalizations are reduced; and practical and emotional issues are addressed. Research has shown that palliative care has a life-extending effect.

A consult with your physician specialist and the Palliative Care Team will help you and your loved one understand how the program will provide support as well as when the time is right to pursue services.

Palliative care complements the team of specialists that manage the advanced illness. Additional medications may be recommended to improve comfort and enhance quality of life. Changes in existing medications are made in coordination with the patient’s physician.

Palliative care services will enhance your loved ones current medical care, providing additional support from skilled, medical professionals and support staff.

Palliative care is as safe as any other medical treatment provided by medical specialists and support staff. It is intended to improve quality of life by addressing distressing symptoms of advanced illness, in coordination with the patient’s specialist physician.

The physician consult for palliative care is the only part of the care that is currently reimbursed by insurance, Medicare or Medicaid. Neither the work of the multidisciplinary team that includes nurses, social workers and support staff, nor the physical location or equipment necessary are reimbursed. Philanthropy is essential to funding this type of care and support for patients.

A growing number of studies and professional literature support the benefits of palliative care alongside curative treatment, to arrive at improved results for the patient such as relief of symptoms, improved quality of life, improved patient and family satisfaction and optimal healthcare utilization.

On the contrary, palliative care, when provided during treatment of an advanced chronic illness becomes an additional opportunity to improve the patient’s results, and can contribute to extending the time before the disease progresses to an end-of-life stage. Palliative care is effective in dealing with extremely difficult symptoms that impact quality of life. Such support leads to a more full and meaningful life verses a difficult and stressful one for patients and families.

All hospice care is palliative, but not all palliative care is end-of-life care. Palliative care is offered concurrently with a curative treatment by a team that can include doctors, nurses and other specialists who work with a patient’s other medical providers to offer an extra layer of support during treatment of a complex and advanced disease or illness which can last many months or years. Hospice care is provided when the patient and care team have concluded that treatment to pursue a cure is no longer possible. Hospice care then becomes the best option for optimal care during the last part of a person’s life.

Funds raised will ensure palliative care services for patients and families is sustained long-term by providing resources for care that is not reimbursed and requires philanthropy. The physician consult for palliative care is the only part of the care that is currently reimbursed by insurance, Medicare or Medicaid. Neither the work of the multidisciplinary team that includes nurses, social workers and support staff, nor the physical location or equipment necessary are reimbursed.

Palliative care is a specialty that provides support and comfort to someone dealing with an advanced chronic illness while the patient undergoes treatments. Hospice care is for end of life care.

Palliative care is delivered:

• At home - Our providers visit patients in their homes. At this time, home service is limited to our service area.
• Palliative Support Clinic - patients receive their care in our outpatient clinic located within Columbus Regional Hospital at 2400 E. 17th Street, Columbus, Indiana. The clinic is open Monday-Friday from 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. by appointment only.
• At Columbus Regional Health - Our Palliative specialists provide consults in coordination with physicians at Columbus Regional Health while the patient is an inpatient at the hospital.

Palliative Care is specialized care and requires a referral from the patient’s primary care or other physician. Our team works with patients and physicians to make the referral process easy.