Palliative Care

Palliative Care is available to all patients and their families who face complex or life-threatening illness. This may include a cancer diagnosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), congestive heart failure (CHF), severe liver or severe kidney disease. Palliative Care is offered to patients undergoing treatments that are either curative or life-prolonging, while hospice provides end-of-life care and bereavement support.

What is palliative care?

Palliative Care is a medical and nursing specialty that provides medical and social support to help you feel better. Palliative care emphasizes vigorous pain and symptom management, as well as offering social services, counseling and spiritual support. Palliative Care works closely with your primary doctor and other medical specialists that are directing your medical care and treatment. Patients and/or their families may request a palliative care consultation: 269-8538

Palliative care at Bay Area Hospital:

emphasizes comfort and quality of life
allows time for discussion, values communication, choice and the dignity of the individual
provides relief from pain and other uncomfortable symptoms (fatigue, shortness of breath, anxiety, depression, nausea or constipation)
addresses emotional and spiritual concerns
helps patients and their families navigate the health care system and understand their illness
offers guidance with difficult and complex treatment choices
helps patients attain health care goals
assists with completing Advance Directives and POLST (Physician’s Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment) forms
plans for continuity of care in the hospital and assists with planning for care at home, assisted living or nursing facilities
utilizes community resources, such as outpatient palliative care, home health and hospice organizations, when appropriate

Bay Area Hospital’s Palliative Care team:

Medical Director - Our medical director is board certified in Palliative Medicine and Family Practice and is the team leader. Our medical director guides all team members and is the link between Palliative Care and the patient’s other medical care providers.

Palliative Care Coordinator - Our coordinator is a certified nurse practitioner who meets individually with each patient, reviews the patient’s medical and social history, discusses the current treatment plan, listens to patients’ and loved ones’ concerns, answers questions and makes recommendations for pain and other symptom relief. Our coordinator works with a group of expert registered nurses and also refers to other members of the palliative care team when appropriate.

Social Worker - Our licensed clinical social worker offers assistance and provides supportive counseling for patients and their loved ones as they cope with the financial, social, emotional and physical impact of their illness.

Chaplain - Our non-denominational chaplain provides spiritual and existential support for patients and their loved ones.

Community Partnership in Palliative Care

Outpatient Palliative Care is offered in partnership with South Coast Hospice and Palliative Care Services. This community partnership allows patients to receive Palliative Care in the hospital, in the home or in a nursing care facility. Coos County residents are fortunate as only 2% of communities in our nation have access to Palliative Care on an outpatient basis. Currently, outpatient palliative care is limited to Coos County residents. For Outpatient Palliative Care: 269-2986