Palliative Care
What is palliative care? Palliative care is care for people living with a serious illness. It focuses on providing relief from the symptoms and stress of a serious illness—whatever the diagnosis. The goal is to improve the quality of life for both the patient and the family.
Palliative care is provided by a team of specialists including palliative care doctors, nurses, social workers, chaplains and other specialists who work together with your doctor to provide an extra layer of support in the hospital. Palliative care is appropriate at any age and at any stage in a serious illness and can be provided along with curative treatment.
How to get Palliative Care
If you are interested in receiving palliative care for your illness while in the hospital, the first step is to speak to the attending doctor who is treating you. Palliative care focuses on improving the quality of life, helping with advance care planning discussions, and providing emotional support to patients and their families. Be sure to explain to your attending doctor what is important to improving your quality of life and your doctor can refer you to palliative care, if appropriate.
Palliative Care at Pali Momi
Palliative Care at Pali Momi
What is Palliative Care?
Palliative Care....
- Is special medical care for people with a serious illness
- Targets pain, symptoms and stress caused by illness
- Helps you and your family with complex decision making
- Helps coordinate your care
- Provides and extra layer of support
- Is a partnership between patient, family and providers
- Helps people live as well as they can for as long as they can
What happens when I meet with the team?
We will...
- Work to understand who you are and what is important to you and your family
- Anticipate and discuss what to expect in the days and months ahead of you
- Help you navigate through potential challenges and transitions
- Work together with your treatment team and other consultants to develop a unified treatment plan
Who can benefit from Palliative Care?
- Anyone with a serious, potentially life limiting disease
- Patients and families facing complex medical decisions
Is Palliative Care the same as Hospice?
- No, hospice is a form of Palliative Care for patients with a life expectancy of 6 months or less
- Palliative Care may be started at any point during your illness
- Palliative Care may be provided along with curative treatments
Who is on the Palliative Care team?
We are a team of physicians, nurses, social workers and chaplains working together to address your physical, emotional and spiritual needs.
For more information on Palliative Care at Pali Momi, please contact you primary care provider. The Pali Momi Palliative Care team can be reached at 808-485-4545.
This service is available at: Kapiolani Pali Momi Straub Wilcox