What is Palliative Care?
Palliative care is healthcare that specializes in the relief of suffering and the achievement of best possible quality of life for patients with advanced illness and their families. It is offered simultaneously with all other appropriate medical treatment.
For patients, palliative care provides vigorous treatment of their pain, symptoms and the stress of serious illness. This helps them maintain the best quality of life throughout their illness.
For families, it provides an opportunity to spend meaningful time with loved ones without the added stress of care-giving and to prepare for their transition to home or hospice.
What's the difference between Palliative Care and Hospice?
Palliative care supports seriously ill patients from their diagnosis throughout the course of their illness. It may be provided at the same time as other medical treatment.
Hospice focuses on providing support care for patients who are at the end of life and no longer receiving curative treatment. Hospice is also a third party payer (insurance) governed by defined benefits and rules.
Palliative Care is paid through existing hospital or clinic payment plans and is not governed by a separate set of regulations.
Where is MeritCare's Palliative Care Unit?
MeritCare's Palliative Care Unit is an 8-bed unit located on the 5
th floor, B-wing of MeritCare South University in Fargo.
All of the rooms on the unit are private and larger than average with windows, bathrooms, a home-like decor and comfortable furnishings for families. A special area on the unit has been designed specifically for family members who may want to spend time with their loved ones.
Sleeping rooms for family members are also available and may be scheduled through Guest Services on a first come-first served basis. Talk to your nurse if you are interested in a sleeping room.
A computer is located at the nurse's station for use by families who are interested in CaringBridge, a free service that allows patients and families to communicate with friends and relatives via personal Web pages. The CaringBridge Web site includes a journal where patients or family can post information and a message board where relatives and friends can send messages of support and encouragement. Guest Services associates are available to assist families in setting up a CaringBridge site. Simple-to-follow directions are also posted on meritcare.com (keyword: CaringBridge.)
Who will provide care on the Palliative Care Unit?
Compassionate and supportive care is provided to the patient and family by an interdisciplinary team of trained nurses, chaplains, social workers and other healthcare professionals. The team is led by a medical director (an oncologist or internal medicine physician) with training and experience in palliative medicine. The palliative care doctor works collaboratively with the patient's own doctor to oversee their care.
Which patients will be admitted to the Palliative Care Unit?
Palliative Care Unit patients are those who have advanced disease and whose focus of care is symptom management but will require hospitalization. The need for hospitalization must be determined by the patient's doctor.
If a patient or family thinks the Palliative Care Unit may be the right place for their care, they should discuss this with their doctor. If both agree, the doctor will contact a palliative care doctor to discuss arrangements.
How long do patients stay on the Palliative Care Unit?
The average length of stay on the Palliative Care Unit is 7 to 10 days. For those patients who are discharged, they most often go home with hospice or home care or to a nursing home.
For more information
The phone number for the
Palliative Care Unit is (701) 280-4560. Please feel free to call with your questions.
You may also call the Education Department at (701) 234-6292 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, for additional information on the palliative care program and services.
The Palliative Care Unit was made possible through generous philanthropic support from friends and associates.
Palliative Care offers:
- pain and symptom management
- family and caregiver support
- coordinated, end-of-life care
- safety, comfort, dignity and closure
- a smooth transition to home or hospice
- a peaceful death