Palliative Care

Mary Washington Healthcare: Here for You.

Palliative care focuses on aggressively managing symptoms of chronic illnesses while also attending to the psychosocial and spiritual needs of the patient and those who care for them. Instead of replacing your primary source of treatment, palliative care supplements your primary care.

Purpose of Palliative Care

Receiving palliative care does not necessarily mean you are at end of life. The goal of palliative care is the prevention of suffering and the improvement of your quality of life. At Mary Washington Hospital, we have a dedicated Palliative Medicine department with a skilled team of healthcare professionals trained in this special area of medicine.

Palliative care strives to provide you with:

• Expert treatment of any symptom related to serious illness
• Open discussion about treatment choices, including treatment for your disease and management of your symptoms
• Coordination of your care with all of your health care providers
• Emotional support for you and your family

Palliative Medicine Program at Mary Washington Hospital

The Palliative Medicine program at Mary Washington Hospital consists of a consultation service which can be provided throughout the hospital. Patients and physicians may use the Palliative Medicine team’s services for patients anywhere in the Hospital or may ask for a transfer to the palliative care unit. Our interdisciplinary team of health care professionals is available to support patients and families by providing a team approach to patient-centered care.

Palliative care is provided by a team of specialists that include:

• Nationally certified Palliative care Doctors
• Nationally certified Palliative care Nurse Practitioner
• Palliative Social Worker, Licensed Eligible
• Board Certified Healthcare Chaplain
• Palliative Care Nurses

Our team of staff meet with the family members involved to discuss the patient’s treatment plan and what the next steps are. They are available for inpatient consultation, translating medical jargon, managing symptoms, counseling patients spiritually and emotionally, and more. We provide educational resources to patients, their families, and their communities.

How do you know if you need Palliative care?

Many adults and children live with severe illnesses that cause them to experience great levels of emotional distress and painful symptoms. Sometimes these symptoms are related to the medical treatments they are receiving.

Palliative care should be discussed if you or your loved one:

• Suffer from painful symptoms caused by any serious illness
• Experience uncontrollable pain, whether physically or emotionally
• Need help in coordinating care and understanding your situation

Palliative care can be started at any point of treatment. In fact, palliative care can be provided at the same time as other treatments at any stage of the disease.

Palliative Medicine Unit

Comfortable and spacious rooms welcome our patients, their loved ones and friends. Patients may also partake of other special activities when permitted:

• No restricted visiting hours
• Pet therapy
• Private palliative lounge for families who need quiet time
• Coffee bar (coming soon)
• Wireless internet access

Insurance & Palliative Care

Palliative care treatment is covered by most insurance plans, including Medicaid and Medicare. If you have concerns about the cost of palliative treatment, the Social Worker from the palliative care team can help you.

Giving to Mary Washington Palliative Care

Providing care for a seriously ill person is an enormous job, whether at home or in the hospital. In addition to the emotional toll that it can have on a family, the financial impact can be a hardship. Mary Washington Healthcare often cares for Patients that do not have insurance at all or do not have the ability to pay. By making a donation to the Palliative Care Medicine Unit, you are giving a living memorial to ensure caring support will always be available to aid persons with life-limiting illnesses regardless of their ability to pay. Your gift will help trained medical staff, counselors, chaplains, dieticians, and volunteers to provide specialized care with a human touch for those at a very difficult time in their life.

Please take a moment right now to send in your gift of $35, $55, $100 or whatever you can give to Mary Washington Hospital Foundation to benefit the Palliative Medicine Unit. Click here to donate online. Call (540) 741-4400 for more information.