Compassionate care for those with life-limiting illness.

What is palliative care?
Palliative care is specialized medical care that focuses on relief of pain, symptoms, and stress of serious illness. Our goal is to help people live comfortably. We strive to ease suffering and promote quality of life for patients and their families. We offer in-depth support with care planning and transitions.

Our Palliative Care Services team:

• Gives compassionate care;
• Expertly manages distressing symptoms of illness;
• Clarifies treatment options;
• Improves communication between patients and caregivers;
• Assists with establishing advanced directives and POLST forms;
• Facilitates our Facing Loss: Grief Support Group;
  
• Supports patients and families through all stages serious of illness.

Learn more
Is palliative care right for me?
Palliative care can be introduced at any time during the course of illness and can be coordinated with curative treatments. Palliative care may be appropriate for patients with the following conditions:

• Advanced COPD
• Cancer
• Congestive heart failure
• Dementia
• HIV/AIDS
• Multipe organ failure
• Severe peripheral vascular disease
• Severe trauma
• Stroke, nervous system disease
• Other life-limiting illness

Patients and families may face difficult decisions during serious illness. Our Palliative Care Services team can help develop a plan of care that supports each patient’s goals and sorts out treatment options, such as:

• Ventilator support
• Feeding tubes
• Place of care following discharge

How do I receive palliative care?
A palliative care consult is available to all patients admitted to Harrison Medical Center. While any patient can suggest a palliative care consult, an attending physician must write an order requesting the service. Our Palliative Care Services team coordinates with a patient’s existing medical team, but does not replace the primary provider.

To learn more, contact Palliative Care Services: 360-744-5618 or palliativecare@harrisonmedical.org

Read and download our brochure.
 
Local media: Harrison launches palliative care program