Palliative Medicine

Palliative Care Consult Team
(410) 641-2626 or (410) 641-1100

What is Palliative Medicine?

Palliative medicine is supportive care for people with advanced illness. “Palliate” means to ease. The focus of palliative medicine is to ease suffering that results from illness. Palliative medicine provides treatment for symptoms even when the underlying disease cannot be cured. The main goals are to relieve pain and other discomfort, and to reduce stress. Palliative care also provides information to help a patient live with serious physical illness. It considers emotional, social and spiritual needs, as well. Our palliative care program treats the whole person, meeting the patient's medical, emotional, spiritual, cultural and social needs.

Palliative medicine services are available in our inpatient hospital setting, at our clinic located in the Burbage Regional Cancer Care Center, and in the patient's home.

Our Palliative Medicine Team will:

• Strive to work with the patient and family in order to provide comfort, dignity, and the best possible quality of life
• Involve family and friends as requested by the patient
• Discuss treatment goals with the patient and requested family members
• Be flexible, allowing the patient to choose the appropriate treatments and therapies
• Provide care along with the patient’s physicians and nurses while the patient is in the hospital
• Offer care alongside treatments that are meant to cure
• Involve a team of professionals, including a medical director, physician, nurse, and board certified pastoral counselor
• Provide emotional support to the patient and/or family members of the patient with serious chronic illness or with an end-stage, terminal disease diagnosis

Elements of Palliative Medicine's Pain and Symptom Management

We believe that no one should be in unbearable pain. Our team will work with the patient’s attending physician and nurses to assure that pain is treated effectively and compassionately. We also provide treatment recommendations for other troublesome symptoms such as nausea, restlessness and anxiety.

Spiritual Care

Our pastoral counselor provides spiritual support to our patients and/or family members while they are coping with serious illness or end-of-life issues. Pastoral care professionals provide spiritual services that respect and honor the patient's cultural beliefs and rituals.

Advance Care Planning

Enables the patient and caregiver to express, in advance, preferences related to pain management, beneficial vs. non-beneficial treatments, and other quality-of-life issues.

Care Coordination

We work with a team of health professionals to assist the patient and/or caregiver to identify and coordinate the elements of a palliative care plan.

For more information about Palliative Medicine Consultation Services, call (410) 641-2626.

Palliative Medicine Team
Jack Gillespie, MD, Hospitalist
Medical Director
Board-Certified in Family and Palliative and Family Medicine

Tracey Wooden, CRNP
Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner, Palliative and Family Medicine