Palliative care

Palliative care can be provided at any stage of a serious illness and alongside curative treatments. Hospice care is typically reserved for individuals nearing the end of life when curative treatments are no longer pursued. 

Any patient with a serious illness and an unpredictable prognosis, such as advanced dementia, lung disease, heart disease, kidney disease, or cancer, can benefit from the many aspects of palliative care. Palliative care is best introduced early in treatment, but it can help patients at all stages of an illness. 
 
It’s appropriate whenever there’s an underlying serious or life-threatening illness and:

• Assistance is required by patients and/or families in coordinating end-of-life care services
• There’s a difficult decision to be made concerning the most appropriate level of life-sustaining care
• There’s a distressing physical symptom, such as pain, nausea or loss of appetite

If you think palliative care may be right for you or a loved one, please talk with a doctor.

In many cases, a referral from your physician is required. Our team can help guide you through the process and next steps. 
 
If you or a family member has been diagnosed with a serious illness, we encourage you to discuss your individual care plan, as well as any symptoms and pain management issues, with your doctor. Then, together, you can determine whether it may be appropriate for your situation. 
 
Our team will respond promptly and review your medical history and current plan of care. We will also assess your—and your family’s—needs and discuss our findings with the team.

No. We work alongside your existing care team to enhance your care and provide an added layer of support.

Medicare or insurance plans will cover palliative care for patients who’ve been diagnosed with a serious illness. Medicare and Medicaid also pay for palliative care.

We can provide palliative care during your hospital stay at any Roper St. Francis Healthcare hospital facility, but you can also receive palliative care at your home.