Easing pain and providing comfort for those with serious illness.
Palliative medicine is a medical specialty, approved by the American Board of Medical Specialties, which focuses on the relief of suffering for persons with advanced illnesses. It’s not the same as hospice, which is for patients who are diagnosed with terminal illnesses and have agreed to discontinue curative treatments.
Chapters Health Palliative Care is available to patients with advanced illnesses, regardless of their life expectancies, in combination with any appropriate treatments chosen at the current stage of their illnesses.
While the primary care physician focuses on disease-specific treatments, our specialized team of palliative healthcare professionals addresses pain and symptom management. Together, we ensure a comprehensive, coordinated patient and family centered plan of care, including:
- Expanded disease education and informed decision making
- Assistance with advance directives and care planning
- Psychosocial and spiritual support
- Coordination of care and community services
Who benefits from palliative care?
Patients and their families benefit from:
- Effective pain and symptom management
- Improved quality of life
- Expanded disease education and informed decision making
- Assistance with advance care planning
- Psychosocial and spiritual support
- Coordination of care and community services
Institutions benefit from:
- Better patient clinical outcomes
- Greater patient/family satisfaction
- Improved staff satisfaction
- Comprehensive care coordination
- Increased efficiency and lower costs
- Expanded programs to support attending physicians
Referring Physicians benefit when:
- Pain and other debilitating symptoms are difficult to control
- Complex physical, psychosocial or spiritual suffering is present
- A need to address appropriate goals of care exists
- Patient and/or family require extensive education/communication
- Challenging discussions regarding advance directives are necessary
The reduction of pain, the comfort of the patient — Chapters Health Palliative Care is welcome relief for patients with non-terminal diseases. We serve patients in Hillsborough and Polk counties and provide pediatric palliative care in Hillsborough County.
You are not alone – we’re here to help. For additional information on Chapters Health Palliative care services, please call 813-871-8200. Or visit our online Library for helpful information and additional guidance from our Chapters Health experts.